18. Robyn Greaves: How to Work as Long as You Choose in Your Third Chapter

18. Robyn Greaves: How to Work as Long as You Choose in Your Third Chapter

In this episode, I talk with career change specialist and author Robyn Greaves about how to design your “third chapter” of work and life so you can work as long as you choose, on your own terms. We explore the rise of portfolio, interim and fractional roles, and Robyn’s 5D framework for imagining and building a more energising next chapter. You’ll hear practical ideas for experimenting while you’re still in a job, protecting your energy, and recognising your “ageing superpowers” so you can widen your contribution rather than wind down. Also covered * Common assumptions women over 50 hold about work and how to challenge them, * New ways of working, including portfolio careers, interim roles and fractional leadership, * The emotional and identity shifts of leaving long‑held roles and titles behind, * Simple experiments to try if you’re stuck in a job but not ready to retire, * How to widen your contribution in your third chapter. Guest: Robyn Greaves Website: https://robyngreaves.com/ [https://robyngreaves.com/] Robyn’s Book: https://robyngreaves.com/thirdchapter/ [https://robyngreaves.com/thirdchapter/] A message from Sue: I offer one-on-one coaching, small-group programs and a monthly online discussion group to support women navigating career and life changes. If you’re at a crossroads and want to create your own path and truly flourish – on your own terms. Get in touch: https://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/contact-us [https://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/contact-us] Sign up for weekly insights and bite-sized advice: http://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/newsletter [http://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/newsletter]

17. After the Dream Job Ends: Susan Metcalf on Creating a Purpose‑Filled Life Beyond Work

In this episode, I sit down with Susan Metcalf to explore what happens when the CEO role of your dreams comes to an end, and there’s no tidy roadmap for what comes next. In the aftermath of COVID, Susan faced a difficult but necessary transition, stepping away without another role lined up and no clear sense of who she would be without the inbox, the calendar and the title. Susan shares how the demands of leading through COVID left her “well beyond burnout” and ultimately led her to leave corporate life, reframing the experience as an opportunity to escape its constraints. From there, she reflects on the intentional choices that helped her create a purpose-filled portfolio of art, sailing, community, friendship and family. She also speaks about discovering new qualities within herself, softness, patience, and the courage to truly centre her own needs and values. Also covered * What it felt like to lead a women‑focused organisation through COVID and end up “well beyond burnout” * The messy middle after stepping away: rest, recovery and resisting the pull of another big job, * Reframing “on sabbatical” as “escaping the constraints of corporate life” and why that language shift mattered, * Returning to long‑deferred passions, saying yes to new adventures, and the steadying power of awe and wonder, * Bringing corporate skills into community and creative projects, and what it means in midlife to finally be centering her own needs and values in how she lives and works. Guest: Susan Metcalf Facebook https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557018285194 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557018285194] Instagram https://www.instagram.com/travelsampler.world/ [https://www.instagram.com/travelsampler.world/] Website: https://travelsampler.world/ [https://travelsampler.world/] A message from Sue: I offer one-on-one coaching, small-group programs and a monthly online discussion group to support women navigating career and life changes. If you’re at a crossroads and want to create your own path and truly flourish – on your own terms, get in touch: https://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/contact-us [https://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/contact-us] Sign up for weekly insights and bite-sized advice: http://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/newsletter [http://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/newsletter]

16. Starting Stand‑Up After Fifty: Mandy Scotney Goes All In

Earlier this year, I sat in the audience at a women’s comedy line‑up and realised something confronting: I didn’t see myself anywhere on that stage, and I left wondering, “Where are all the comedians over 50?” So I went searching and came across new comedian, academic and “hobby hard” enthusiast Mandy Scotney. In this episode, I talk with Mandy about how she found her way into stand‑up in her mid‑50s, reclaimed her childhood dream of being on stage, and began turning stories she once felt ashamed of into material that lands powerfully with audiences. She shares her journey to being selected for the Sydney Comedy Festival’s Fresh program with her debut show “Married For Six Weeks”, all while juggling a PhD and work in mental health and business. Underneath the laughs, this is a conversation about visibility, ageism and refusing to shrink as you grow older. It’s about deciding that you’re not “too old,” that your voice matters, and that joy, curiosity and self‑expression are valid reasons to try something bold, whether or not it ever becomes a career. Also covered: * What it really takes to start something completely new in your mid‑50s—and why joy is a good enough reason to begin * How Mandy thinks about “hard hobbies” and why doing things for love, not outcomes, can change how we approach this stage of life * The realities of late‑night open mics, tough crowds and learning to fail in public without letting perfectionism take over * Turning a six‑week marriage and other painful stories into comedy that connects deeply with audiences and helps others feel less alone * Why visibility for women over fifty matters, how ageism shows up, and what it means to refuse to shrink as you grow older Keywords Women over 50, comedy, life transitions, storytelling, representation, curiosity, resilience, personal growth, mental health, new adventures Guest: Mandy Scotney Web - www.mandyscotney.com [http://www.mandyscotney.com/] Instagram - @mandy_scotney Email - mandy@mandyscotney.com [mandy@mandyscotney.com] A message from me: I offer one-on-one coaching, small-group programs and a monthly online discussion group to support women navigating career and life changes. If you’re at a crossroads and want to create your own path and truly flourish – on your own terms, get in touch: https://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/contact-us [https://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/contact-us] Sign up for weekly insights and bite-sized advice: http://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/newsletter [http://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/newsletter]

15. Bambi Price - "From Self-Doubt to Success When Starting a Business After 50"

80% of women over 50 who dream of starting their own business never take the first step. Money worries. Fear of failure. Lack of confidence. Sound familiar? In my latest podcast episode, I sit down with Bambi Price, co-founder of Seniorpreneurs and War on Wasted Talent, who started her first business at 55 and has since helped thousands of mature-age entrepreneurs make the leap. This conversation explores what it really takes to start a business later in life and offers practical insights, honest reflections, and actionable strategies for women considering their own move into solo business. Key Topics * How to overcome self-doubt and validate your business idea before investing time and money * The critical difference between younger and older entrepreneurs—and why being over 50 is actually an advantage * Essential first steps to take before quitting your job * Why diversity in teams and perspectives leads to faster, more sustainable business success * How AI tools can accelerate your startup phase when used strategically and thoughtfully Keywords Women over 50, Entrepreneurship, Business start-up, Self-doubt, Validation, Diversity, AI in business, Success stories, Mature entrepreneurs, Work-life balance Guest: Bambi Price On LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bambiprice/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bambiprice/] War on Wasted Talent - https://waronwastedtalent.com.au [https://waronwastedtalent.com.au/] Resources Simon Sinek on Leadership and Failure - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp0HIF3SfI4 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qp0HIF3SfI4] Harvard Business Review Article - https://hbr.org/tip/2026/03/keep-self-doubt-at-bay-when-starting-a-business [https://hbr.org/tip/2026/03/keep-self-doubt-at-bay-when-starting-a-business] A Message From Me: I offer one-on-one coaching, small-group programs and a monthly online discussion group to support women navigating career and life changes. If you’re at a crossroads and want to create your own path and truly flourish – on your own terms,‍ ‍get in touch: https://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/contact-us [https://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/contact-us] Sign up for weekly insights and bite-sized advice: http://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/newsletter [http://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/newsletter]

14. Kathy Wood - "Living Into Later: Purpose and Possibility Beyond Work"

In this episode, I talk with Kathy Wood, a former Relationships Australia leader who resigned just before she turned 70 and is now consciously “living into later” on her own terms. Kathy shares how a long-planned trip to the UK, becoming a hands-on grandmother, and her love of structure helped her navigate the profound identity shift of leaving a 15–year role without “retiring” from purpose, growth or contribution. She describes experimenting with new roles and interests – from learning the cello again to volunteering on an ethics helpline and writing her Substack, Purposeful Transitions: Living into Later – while also making room for unstructured days, deeper self‑reflection and an ever‑present awareness of time feeling more finite. Along the way, Kathy challenges ageist assumptions about women over 50 and over 70, and offers a hopeful, grounded picture of this phase as one of opportunity, adventure and preciousness rather than winding down. Key topics * Finishing well: planning her exit after 15 years at Relationships Australia, including part‑time leadership, succession planning and leaving with strong relationships intact. * Why she says she “resigned, not retired” and how language shapes our expectations and assumptions about life after full‑time work. * Creating a meaningful “next phase” through grandparenting, volunteering, mentoring and taking up the cello again as a stretch and a joy. * Learning to live with less structure, noticing discomfort on “empty” days and experimenting with new rhythms rather than recreating work‑style busyness. * The growing awareness of time as finite in her 70s, and how that fuels both urgency and gratitude for everyday opportunities and relationships. * Starting her Substack Purposeful Transitions: Living into Later as a space to reflect on inner transitions, purpose, contribution and being a role model for women coming behind her. Keywords: retirement, life after work, purpose, aging, personal growth, transition, women over 50, life stages, self-knowledge Guest: Kathy Wood. Kathy on Substack: https://substack.com/@kathywood185085 [https://substack.com/@kathywood185085] Kathy’s Blog: https://kathywood185085.substack.com/p/purposefult-transitions-living-into [https://kathywood185085.substack.com/p/purposefult-transitions-living-into] LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathy-wood-a7a684326/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathy-wood-a7a684326/] A message from Sue: This episode, alongside Episode 13, is the topic for the Flourish After Fifty Circle in July 2026. Join a group of curious who are exploring what life after fifty can be for them. Find out more here: https://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/flourish-after-fifty-circle [https://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/flourish-after-fifty-circle] Get in touch: https://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/contact-us [https://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/contact-us] Sign up for weekly insights and bite-sized advice: http://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/newsletter [http://www.flourishafterfifty.com.au/newsletter] ️