Tag: Retirement Planning
Redefining Retirement for Executives and Owners (Ep. 34)

Redefining Retirement for Executives and Owners (Ep. 34)

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You’re a leader one to three years from retirement. The financial plan is coming together, but you still can’t picture what an ordinary Tuesday will look like once the title, the calendar, and the team are gone. Filling your free time seems like the obvious task, yet a busy schedule alone may not replace the identity, belonging, and purpose your work has given you.

In this conversation, Danton Troyer and Kyle Luetters talk with Thomas Auffenberg, founder of The Next Chapter Institute and author of Discerning Retirement, about the non-financial side of leaving a long career. Danton shares that people often underestimate the retirement transition and the loss of identity, even after the numbers are in place. Tom explains why deciding who you want to be in your next chapter can help guide how you choose to spend your time.

Tom discusses:

  • Why loss of identity, loss of community, boredom, and lack of structure, meaning, and purpose are common concerns for successful people approaching retirement
  • How, in his experience, about 95% of program participants arrive focused on filling their time, and most end up focused on who they want to become
  • Why the being question can help answer the doing question, from being more generous to being more patient
  • How his own spiritual approach, grounded in Ignatian discernment and prayer, shapes the program and who it tends to fit
  • How small peer groups that meet monthly may help turn a written next-chapter plan into action through brainstorming, encouragement, and accountability
  • Why deciding on the right balance matters, since people can become just as busy in retirement as they were at work
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect With Danton Troyer:

Connect With Kyle Luetters:

Connect With Thomas Auffenberg:

About Our Guest:

Tom retired in 2016 after careers in teaching, law/financial planning, and twenty-five years as a business owner. His education includes a BA in philosophy from the Santa Clara University, a law degree from St. Louis University, a Certified Financial Planner®

 designation, an MA in Theology and a Certificate in Spiritual Direction from Aquinas Institute, and training to companion people making the Spiritual Exercises. Tom participated in a one-year program focusing on transitioning from the work years to the retirement years at The Halftime Institute and afterward became a Certified Halftime Coach. In addition to serving on several non-profit boards in the St. Louis community, Tom previously served as the Regional Coordinator for Contemplative Leaders in Action – St. Louis, and is currently the Program Director for The Next Chapter Program.

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Timing Big Decisions When Emotions Run High (Ep. 33)

Timing Big Decisions When Emotions Run High (Ep. 33)

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A major career opportunity can look right on paper and still create difficult questions about family, identity, risk, and what comes next.

How do you make a thoughtful decision when the stakes feel personal?

In this episode, Danton Troyer and Kyle Luetters speak with Rob Stachlewitz, CEO of Resolian, about making major career decisions under pressure. Rob shares how family, longtime mentors, financial planning, and careful reflection helped him evaluate becoming a CEO. He also explores leadership, career identity, finding purpose beyond traditional retirement, and why slowing down can help when an opportunity could reshape both work and family life. 

Rob discusses:

  • How family, mentors, and financial planning helped him evaluate a major late-career opportunity
  • Why trusted mentors can reveal risks and possibilities that are difficult to recognize on your own
  • How a player-coach leadership style shapes the way he approaches his responsibilities as a CEO
  • Why career identity and purpose can make the transition toward retirement more difficult to define
  • How slowing down during high-pressure decisions can create room for family priorities and clear thinking
  • And more!

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Connect With Kyle Luetters:

Connect With Rob Stachlewitz:

About Our Guest:

Rob has over 25 years of pharmaceutical development and laboratory operations management experience. He has led large, multinational operations groups supporting analytical services and large sites supporting nonclinical toxicology and analytical services. Rob has seen the contract laboratory business from both sides as an outsourcing manager for a large pharmaceutical client and a senior executive in a contract research organization. His pharmaceutical development experience includes roles within Abbott Laboratories and Boehringer Ingelheim. Prior to joining Resolian, Rob was a Vice President in Safety Assessment for Charles River. He is passionate about getting new medicines to the patients who need them.

Rob earned his B.S. Degree in Biology and Teaching from Michigan State University and his Ph.D. In Pharmacology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Rob is also a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology.

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Planning for the Unknown: Health, Longevity, and Flexibility (Ep. 32)

Planning for the Unknown: Health, Longevity, and Flexibility (Ep. 32)

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You can plan carefully for your career, family, finances, and future, but what happens if your health changes without warning? Preparing for uncertainty can mean creating room to adapt rather than trying to predict every outcome.

In this episode, Danton Troyer and Kyle Luetters speak with Karen Englert, M.Ed, CFRE, Director of Government Relations at Boys & Girls Clubs of America, about how an unexpected heart disease diagnosis changed her career, family life, financial decisions, and view of the future. Karen shares lessons from seven heart surgeries, advocacy work, raising a family, planning for longevity, asking for help, and learning to focus on the decisions she can still control.

Karen discusses:

  • How an unexpected heart disease diagnosis changed the way she thought about work, family, money, and the future
  • Why health questions can make retirement planning difficult when you don’t know how long you’ll work or what life may require
  • How advocacy for women with heart disease eventually led her from teaching into public policy and nonprofit leadership
  • How accepting circumstances, asking for help, and focusing on controllable decisions can create greater flexibility
  • How family, legacy, aging in place, and self-advocacy became central to the way she approaches long-term planning
  • And more!

Connect With Danton Troyer:

Connect With Kyle Luetters:

Connect With Karen Englert:

About Our Guest:

Karen Englert, M.Ed, CFRE, is the Director of Government Relations, GR Club Services, Midwest Region, at Boys & Girls Clubs of America. Her career has spanned education, nonprofit leadership, government relations, and advocacy, including previous work with the American Heart Association and as CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Charles County. Drawing on both her professional experience and her personal experience living with heart disease, Karen brings a deeply personal perspective to conversations about health, family, career decisions, self-advocacy, and preparing for an uncertain future.

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Wealth and Identity: Who Are You Without the Title? (Ep. 26)

Wealth and Identity: Who Are You Without the Title? (Ep. 26)

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What happens when the title you’ve worked decades to earn no longer applies to you? For many executives and professionals, career transitions, retirement, AI-driven workplace changes, and unexpected life events force a deeper question: Who are you without the title?

In this episode, Danton Troyer and Kyle Luetters explore the connection between wealth, identity, and career fulfillment. Through stories of executives navigating career changes, discussions about AI’s impact on the workplace, and real-life examples of retirement decisions, they examine how titles can influence decision-making and why knowing what matters most is often more important than chasing the next promotion.

Key Takeaways:

  • Why many executives tie their personal identity to their title.
  • How career decisions can impact fulfillment beyond compensation.
  • Why direction matters more than a rigid financial plan.
  • How to navigate unexpected life changes with confidence.
  • The value of having a trusted guide during major transitions.
  • And more!

Connect With Danton Troyer:

Connect With Kyle Luetters:

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Why Generic Financial Advice Breaks at Higher Levels (Ep. 25)

Why Generic Financial Advice Breaks at Higher Levels (Ep. 25)

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Most financial advice is designed to be simple. The challenge is that real life rarely is simple.

In this episode of Wit, Wisdom, and What Matters Most, Danton Troyer and Kyle Luetters explore why many common financial rules can fall short, especially for affluent families navigating retirement, wealth transitions, and complex financial decisions. Through practical examples and personal stories, they discuss why successful planning requires more than formulas, and why understanding a family’s values, goals, and emotions often matters just as much as the numbers.

Key Takeaways:

  • Why the popular 4% withdrawal rule may not reflect how retirees actually spend money throughout retirement
  • How retirement spending often evolves through the “go-go,” “slow-go,” and “no-go” years
  • How financial decisions are influenced by personal experiences, family history, and emotions, not just math
  • Common mistakes affluent families make when implementing advanced planning strategies without understanding the details
  • How trust, communication, and personalized planning help investors avoid emotionally driven decisions during uncertain times
  • And more!

Connect With Danton Troyer:

Connect With Kyle Luetters:

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Preparing for Retirement While Still at Peak Earnings (Ep. 22)

Preparing for Retirement While Still at Peak Earnings (Ep. 22)

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What if the biggest financial mistake high earners make isn’t what they invest in, but when they start paying attention? What if the habits you build early quietly shape everything about your future freedom?

In this episode, Danton Troyer and Kyle Luetters sit down with Ciaran Brady, Vice President of Manufacturing, Science, and Technology at Vertex Pharmaceuticals, a biotechnology leader with decades of experience across both startup and global pharmaceutical environments, to explore what it really means to prepare for retirement while you’re still in your peak earning years.

Ciaran shares a real-world perspective on how mindset, career evolution, and small financial decisions compound over time. From navigating equity compensation and career transitions to managing risk, removing emotion from investing, and aligning money with life priorities, this conversation goes beyond numbers.

They unpack how high earners can avoid common pitfalls, build sustainable habits, and start thinking more intentionally about what “enough” really means, both financially and personally.

Key Takeaways:

  • Why earning more doesn’t automatically lead to better financial outcomes
  • The power of starting early, even with small, consistent savings habits
  • How to think about risk, diversification, and equity compensation
  • Why emotional decision-making can quietly derail long-term plans
  • How your mindset shifts as retirement moves from a general idea to a real horizon
  • And more!

Connect With Danton Troyer:

Connect With Kyle Luetters:

Connect With Ciaran Brady:

About Our Guest:

Ciaran Brady is a biotechnology executive with a background in science and engineering, currently working at Vertex Pharmaceuticals in Boston. Originally from Ireland, he has spent over two decades building a career across emerging biotech firms and large pharmaceutical companies, including Eli Lilly and Bristol Myers Squibb.

His expertise spans product development and manufacturing, where he helps bring life-changing therapies to patients facing serious diseases. Throughout his career, Ciaran has navigated the complexities of compensation structures, career transitions, and long-term financial planning, offering a thoughtful perspective on how professionals can balance growth, risk, and future security.

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The Psychology of Spending After Success (Ep. 20)

The Psychology of Spending After Success (Ep. 20)

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What happens to your mindset about money after you’ve achieved career success? In this conversation, retired global biotech executive Tony Bower, PhD, shares how ambition, family, and financial clarity reshape the way we think about spending and purpose in retirement.

This episode explores the psychology of spending after success. Tony reflects on growing up in a family shaped by Depression-era frugality, building a career in economics and the pharmaceutical industry, and navigating the transition into retirement. Together, Tony, Danton, and Kyle discuss how early money beliefs shape our financial habits, why retirement requires emotional preparation as well as financial planning, and how parents can pass meaningful financial lessons to the next generation. The conversation highlights the balance between enjoying financial success today and remaining thoughtful about long-term goals, family, and what truly matters most.

Key Takeaways:

  • Early money habits often reflect family history and can shape how we spend and save throughout life.
  • Retirement decisions involve both numbers and emotions, and financial planning tools can help bring clarity and confidence.
  • Teaching children about money early, through jobs, responsibility, and transparency about costs, builds long-term financial awareness.
  • Ambition can be a powerful tool early in life, but purpose and relationships often take center stage later.
  • Financial success creates opportunities to focus on what truly matters most, including family, faith, relationships, and meaningful experiences.
  • And more!

Resources:

Connect With Danton Troyer:

Connect with Kyle Luetters:

Connect with Tony Bower, PhD:

 

About Our Guest:

Tony Bower, PhD, is a retired global biotech executive with a background in applied mathematics and economics from Stanford University. Over the course of his career, Tony worked in consulting, research economics at the RAND Corporation, and held leadership roles in the global pharmaceutical industry, including work in market access, health economics, and pricing for rare disease treatments. After decades of professional success, Tony now focuses on family, mentorship, and thoughtful financial decision-making in retirement. His perspective blends academic insight, real-world leadership experience, and a reflective approach to what matters most in life after a demanding career.

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