Episode 055: Retire With Attitude: Building Purpose, Community, And Identity After Career

Tired of hearing that retirement means retreat? We sit down with Luster co-founders Erica Baird and Karen Wagner to flip that script and show how midlife can be a launchpad for purpose, community, and power. They walked away from high-profile careers, hit the same identity shock so many of us feel, and built a modern space where women design what comes next with confidence and style.

We dig into the big shifts that happen when the calendar clears and the title disappears, and why a yes-first mindset can turn uncertainty into momentum. Erica and Karen share a practical framework to treat reinvention like real work: audit what lit you up, map the skills you still want to use, and craft a plan that fits a 20 to 30 year runway. We talk about building community on purpose, especially for introverts who want depth over noise, and we offer simple scripts to answer “What are you doing now?” with clarity and pride.

Ageism shows up in subtle and loud ways, so we name it and counter it with visibility, advocacy, and action. You’ll hear how Luster’s platform connects thousands of women through thoughtful content, interactive expert sessions on health, money, and longevity, a weekly news briefing, and a member directory that sparks real-world meetups. The stories will move you: a marketer who returned to playwriting and made it to Broadway, a finance executive who chased a lifelong dream to fly and now circles the globe.

If you’ve been standing in that cold hallway between what ended and what’s next, this conversation hands you the handle: say yes, find your people, and let purpose steer the next chapter. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs this reframe, and leave a review to help more women retire with attitude.