The Pre-Made Podcast

Bill Bares Redefines Success For The Second Half Of Life

Bill Bares has lived a life that unfolded almost exactly as he planned it in his early twenties, when he completed a Tony Robbins-branded one‑year, five‑year, and 25‑year plan. That plan resulted in a career as a jazz pianist, scholar, and now Distinguished Professor of Humanities at UNC Asheville. These days, Bill finds his interests shifting to unlearning the habits that made him successful and designing a more relational, community‑centered future — much the way he sits at the center of jazz ensembles as a pianist. In this conversation, Bill talks candidly about the psychological forces that drove his early ambition, the joy he finds in leading from the middle, and the shift he’s making toward serving others. In the process, we explore how midlife invites a different kind of planning. That includes what it means to loosen the grip of individual achievement and how to build a second life phase dedicated to connection and generosity. You can learn more about Bill or get in touch with him via URSA Asheville (ursaasheville.com), Bill’s music site ( billbaresmusic.com), and email: wbares@unca.edu.

Kate Lewis Shows How A Liberal Arts Mind Thrives At The Center Of Big Tech

Kate Lewis (nee Westerbeck) has willed every stage of her career into existence. In her childhood, she knew she wanted to work in media. Her very first job after Amherst College landed her at Conde Nast. She then joined Hearts and rose all the way to Chief Content Officer, overseeing some of the most iconic titles in American publishing. When she later set her sights on Apple, she made that happen too, bringing her editorial acumen into one of the most influential technology companies on the planet. Kate exudes the power of optimism, curiosity, and good old fashioned cheerfulness. She makes a compelling case for something every Amherst alum will feel in their bones: that a liberal arts education is awfully useful in a world where the ability to synthesize, communicate clearly and compellingly, and connect the dots across disciplines is as valuable as ever. Her recent shift from media to tech and from the East to the West Coast is instructive for anyone contemplating their own pivot. Her playbook also affirms why the skills we honed at Amherst still matter in some of the most competitive environments in the world. To reach Kate, email is best: kcwlewis@gmail.com. Show note: Kate mentions a Radiolab podcast episode on the power of novelty. Listen to that episode here: https://radiolab.org/podcast/secret-long-life

Sara Keen Explains Why Alignment Starts with Seeing People Clearly

Sara Keen has been a close friend of mine for more than three decades. She has a rare gift: she listens in a way that makes people feel fully seen, and even when she disagrees with them, she remains attentive, kind, and firm yet flexible in her own mind. Whether we’re talking sports, politics, or the messy realities of organizational life, she always brings curiosity, good humor, and a deep respect for other people’s perspectives. Professionally, Sara has spent more than 20 years helping organizations work through complexity, aligning teams, repairing strained partnerships, and guiding leaders through the choppy, human side of change. Her work spans biopharma, academic medicine, major health systems, and cross‑industry collaborations. She grounds all of it in an ability to uncover the deeper meaning beneath what people say and to help them find their shared 'what,' even if they disagree on the 'how.' This conversation is both professional and, for me, personal, because all her abilities are on such vivid display, especially the quiet strength of someone who makes every room and every relationship better.

JJ Haines Describes How Mindfulness Shaped His Life And Career In Japan

For most of his adult life, JJ Haines has called Tokyo home. He didn't imagine that outcome while at Amherst College, but in retrospect it almost feels inevitable given his long-standing appreciation for Japanese culture. JJ traces the winding path from studying Buddhism and Japanese cinema at Amherst to building a global banking career that took him through risk management, real estate, the Lehman collapse, and now his role as Managing Director and Country Manager for Japan at ING. He reflects on the curiosities that first pulled him toward Japan, the self‑awareness practices that have shaped his entire life, and the family he and his wife have built in Tokyo, including how they navigated the perilous days immediately following the 3/11 earthquake and Fukushima nuclear disaster. Highlights include: The importance of his early service‑industry jobs and what they taught him about understanding human behavior Navigating the Lehman collapse, Fukushima, and major career pivots from inside Japan’s financial system Raising a family and watching his daughters explore the world on their own terms How meditation and presence guide his decision‑making and daily life You can email JJ at jjhaines333@gmail.com and find him on LinkedIn.

Valerie Leipheimer Rediscovers The Joy Of Art Through A New Lens: Motherhood

Valerie Leipheimer may be the first person in human history who can persuasively and clearly show how much art history and tax law have in common. How'd she come to that conclusion? By way of a path that has taken her from Amherst College, where she studied art history, through law school, and into a serendipitous turn as a corporate tax law summer associate in London that helped her find her true professional calling. Along the way, she enjoyed a long detour through Florence that sparked a deep love of Italian culture. She has passed her passion for arts and culture to her 17‑year‑old son, who has become her museum buddy and is lobbying hard to have her speak to his class about her Amherst thesis on Francis Bacon. For the opportunity to bond with her kid in his native environment, it may be time to dust off that thesis, which she came *this close* to publishing her senior year at Amherst. To contact Valerie, email her at vleiphei@yahoo.com.