LIBERTY ROAD

Kathy Sidell "banked" on herself.? ? That's exactly how she describes the giant career leap she took when she was 47. She’d been running her film and television production company in Los Angeles and traveling worldwide for shoots. Her career was thriving and compelling, but it was time for a change. Life was shifting, her marriage was ending, and she wanted to be with her kids more. Plus, Kathy had a dream burning inside her: She always wanted to start a restaurant of her own.? ? "I knew I had the stuff to do it," she tells me over the phone. "So I had to figure it out."? ? Indeed, Sidell figured it out. The lauded restaurateur opened her first restaurant, The Metropolitan Club, in Boston's Chestnut Hill in 2004, which she ran for 10 years. In 2016, she opened Saltie Girl, a wildly popular seafood restaurant that boasts one of the best lobster rolls in New England (that’s a hefty superlative, as we Bostonians are serious about our lobster). She's since opened a sister Saltie Girl location in Los Angeles to parallel rave reviews.? ? Kathy, who is 67, credits much of her success to hard work—there are no shortcuts—but she's forthcoming about her mistakes. "It's been 20 years, and we've made some brilliant decisions, and we've made some not-so-brilliant decisions," she says about her time in the restaurant business. "You can't bat a thousand, but as the adage goes, you certainly learn a lot more from the failures than you do the successes."? ? She only wishes, she continues, that women didn't didn't beat themselves up so much in the aftermath of missteps. "We've got to find a way to be kinder to ourselves and take what we learn from our mistakes and apply it to what we want."? ? Kathy shared generously with me about women supporting women, how she loves the intergenerational energy of LA, and the funny ways life has of preparing us for what's ahead. Here are seven bits of wisdom from our conversation. ? ? Read more about Kathy here: Interview and words by Stacey Lindsay ? #midlife #proage #agepositive #agepositivity #over40 #over50 #over60 #genx #midlifepodcast #startsomething #startinthemiddle #middlethird

Founder and Creative Director Joy Cho has authored seven books and consulted for hundreds of creative businesses. Joy has given keynote speeches on entrepreneurship, leadership, and business at conferences and companies, including Alt Summit, Pinterest HQ, Target HQ, and Hallmark HQ. For two years in a row, Joy was named one of Time's 30 Most Influential People on the Internet and has the most followed account on Pinterest with over 15 million followers. Most recently, Joy's house and studio have been featured in House Beautiful, Parents, and Domino Magazines.? ? Through her namesake, Oh Joy!, she’s created a wide range of licensed products, including home decor, kids, pet, and furniture collections, with brands such as Target, Band-Aid, Petco, Rockport, and more. ? ? In this episode, Nada sits down with Joy to discuss the making of her Oh Joy! brand and its many iterations over the years. The two talk about Joy's early days of blogging and her title of "most followers on Pinterest." Joy takes us through her entrepreneurial journey, including downsizing, finding herself in a mid-life crisis, and rethinking what she needed from her work and life. She shares how she's gained a new perspective from an old game and how she's reclaiming her life on her terms.? ? Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gW4pNTXJ ? #midlife #proage #agepositive #agepositivity #over40 #over50 #over60 #genx #midlifepodcast #startsomething #startinthemiddle #middlethird

You can tell when someone is creating something out of sheer passion. When they're not doing the thing in hopes it will take off or appease an audience, but rather because it's a seed inside them they must give light. ? ? This truth encapsulates Mimi Ison, the beloved founder of the site Hey Middle Age and Instagram account of the same name. When she was 55, Mimi wanted "to figure things out for myself," as she says. She'd just lost her mom, her daughter graduated from high school, her body was changing, and she'd left her job. Change was everywhere in Mimi's life, prompting her to yearn for a roadmap or outlet—something she couldn't find. So, she started a blog about midlife and eventually began posting regular content on Instagram. It all took off. "Well, that was 100 percent not the plan at all," she says about the popularity of her message. ? ? Following a heartfelt, more wabi-sabi approach is very Mimi. Now in her early sixties, she's one of the most profound, do-it-your-way pro-aging influencers for her irreverent and honest take on exercise, crushing ageist stereotypes, growing older, and finding yourself. She aims to “bust ages stereotypes about getting older,” as she says, through a lot of physical movement, fitness, dancing and things she loves.? ? When Nada recently spoke with Mimi, she asked the influencer what else had changed when she turned 55.? ? Read more here: https://lnkd.in/guCPUbfc ? #midlife #proage #agepositive #agepositivity #over40 #over50 #over60 #genx #midlifepodcast #startsomething #startinthemiddle #middlethird

Larissa Thomson was born and raised in New York City with an innate connection to the energy of the city and the people in it. Over the years, she learned to understand the importance of balancing that energy with the regenerative healing powers that nature has to offer. Her exposure to clean beauty and timeless style would eventually guide her to an impressive career in the fashion industry. Through her tenure as a Fashion Market Director for many of the world’s best fashion magazines, she has been a leading translator of trends and a conduit of style for millions of consumers.? ? Larissa’s devotion to a life of healthy living, learning, and discovery, along with her experienced eye for luxury, led her to become the co-founder of ONDA Beauty in December 2016. The aim was to create a beauty and spa destination dedicated to a curated collection of clean, conscious, and safe beauty products. In addition to providing access to safe and effective brands in a modern, warm, and welcoming space, ONDA is a trusted space to discover, learn, and experience a respite from our busy urban environment.? ? In this episode, Nada sits down with Larissa to talk about all things clean beauty, what the term “clean beauty” means, how to find what’s right for our skin, and where to begin our safe skin care practice without throwing out everything in our medicine cabinets. The two discuss disparities and privileges inherent to this industry and the impact that taking “turtle steps” can have toward changing our skincare routines. Whether advising her daily customers or recommending some of her favorite products to us, Larissa’s expertise shines throughout this conversation. ? ? Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gsZDB7us ? #midlife #proage #agepositive #agepositivity #over40 #over50 #over60 #genx #midlifepodcast #startsomething #startinthemiddle #middlethird

Caroline Paul studied communications at Stanford. When she graduated in the late 1980s, she thought she'd become a documentary filmmaker. Instead, she joined the San Francisco Fire Department (one of the first women to do so) and spent 14 years working "on a busy rig in a tough neighborhood where rundown houses caught fire easily, and gangs fought with machetes and .22s" as she wrote in The New York Times.? ? While fighting fires and in the decades since, Caroline has put her energy toward forging a bridge between women and the outdoors. Her 2016 book The Gutsy Girl gives gumptious (and thrilling) examples of why girls shouldn't let fear or gendered narratives keep them from seeking exhilaration under the open sky. Her work, deeply steeped in her own experiences, examines stigmas, excitement, adventure, fresh air, adrenaline, and more.? ? Caroline's most recent book, Tough Broad, includes all of this, yet it goes deeper and tackles a subject close to the author's heart and many of ours: aging. When I called Caroline, who is in her early 60s, to talk about it, she was adamant in saying that her new pages are about adventure, of course. After all, the book chronicles her adventures going kayaking and boogie boarding and beyond with other women. Ultimately, though, she says this book is about finding fulfillment, bravery, and exhilaration as we grow older and how the outdoor adventure—in whatever form that takes for each of us—can fit into that.? ? Read more about Caroline here: https://lnkd.in/g7mSnfgC Interview and words by Stacey Lindsay.? ? #midlife #proage #agepositive #agepositivity #over40 #over50 #over60 #genx #midlifepodcast #startsomething #startinthemiddle #middlethird

Alice Hause is an avid reader and writer who likes to draw parallels between her favorite characters and her own experiences as a mother, sister, wife, daughter, and friend. Every month, she'll break down a favorite book, offering her life takeaways and thoughtful questions to spark deeper reading and conversation. This month, Alice explores the novel The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman.? ? Read here: https://lnkd.in/ggSf-RmT Words by @achause1.? ? #midlife #proage #agepositive #agepositivity #over40 #over50 #over60 #genx #midlifepodcast #startsomething #startinthemiddle #middlethird #book #bookish #reader #booklover #bookclub

Dr. Sameena Rahman is a board-certified OB/GYN, sex-med gynecologist, menopause specialist, and founder of the Center for Gynecology and Cosmetics. After years of practicing obstetrics and gynecology in a variety of large academic settings and locations, Dr Rahman opened a practice to ensure patients have their best quality of life. Additionally, she hosts the podcast “Gyno Girl Presents: Sex, Drugs & Hormones.” ? ? With the prestigious designation of ISSWSH Fellow (IF) from the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health, Dr. Rahman is at the forefront of innovative approaches to sexual pain and dysfunction. She is an active member of the International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM) and holds the Certified Menopause Physician (NCMP) credential from the North American Menopause Society, where she specializes in menopause management for midlife individuals.? ? In this episode, Nada sits down with Dr. Rahman to talk about her popular “Gyno Girl” persona and platform. From her early career in obstetrics to her specialty in menopause, Dr. Rahman is passionate about saving lives and sharing knowledge with her patients and online communities. The conversation covers sexual pain, UTIs, pelvic floor issues, and offers a slew of resources to help women navigate the suffering associated with hormones and aging. From books and podcasts to YouTube and Instagram, Gyno Girl wants to connect you to accurate information so you can start living your best middle third. ? ? Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gZkJtkiT ? #midlife #proage #agepositive #agepositivity #over40 #over50 #over60 #genx #midlifepodcast #startsomething #startinthemiddle #middlethird

Christine Harris is based in Upstate New York, where she has a portrait photography studio. With an eye for detail and a heart for storytelling, Christine specializes in capturing the true character of her subjects. She started her career in photography in her 50s, a reinvention that has fueled her creativity and inspiration. Here she shares her recent photography session and interview with artist Jan McCarthy that she originally published on her creative campaign The 50 Women Project. ? ? Read the full interview here: https://lnkd.in/gF3WukKm Interview and words by Christine Harris.? ? #midlife #proage #agepositive #agepositivity #over40 #over50 #over60 #genx #midlifepodcast #startsomething #startinthemiddle #middlethird

Heather Redisch is the Founder of Adulting101 Masterclass, a program designed to bridge the gap between academia and the professional world by equipping recent college graduates with essential life skills. With nearly 25 years of experience in talent management, recruiting, and people operations, Heather sees the challenges young professionals today face as they transition into the workforce.? ? In this episode, Nada sits down with Heather to discuss her work coaching new graduates on "adulting," why there's disconnected communication between generations, and how young grads can find their stride in our evolving world. From smartphones and social media to the pandemic and Zoom calls, Heather points out how culture is rapidly changing and why companies and employees must adapt and grow together for a better future.? ? Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/dqZgS-gG ? #midlife #proage #agepositive #agepositivity #over40 #over50 #over60 #genx #midlifepodcast #startsomething #startinthemiddle #middlethird

Spend just a few minutes with Chianti Lomax, and several things become clear: She's determined and joyful and suffers no old stories about what women should do in this life. The author, positive psychology practitioner, and women's coach sees the stories around her and chooses to write her own. "We don't recognize how much of our decisions are influenced by our belief system," says Chianti, whose new book is Evolving While Black: The Ultimate Guide to Happiness and Transformation on Your Own Terms. "What I recognized for myself and what I want other women to know is when it comes to this mind chatter and the belief systems we have, so many of those don't even belong to us." ? ? Read our chat with Chianti here: https://lnkd.in/gazTRzEt Interview and words by Stacey Lindsay.? ? #midlife #proage #agepositive #agepositivity #over40 #over50 #over60 #genx #midlifepodcast #startsomething #startinthemiddle #middlethird