Work LIFE Stories
Encore! Lessons from the Oldest Millennial
Kurt Nahikian* is one of those people who says so many pithy things, that you want paper and pen handy to write them all down. His personal brand is a ‘defender of big ideas’ and he has done it all. He says that at 50-something, he is the oldest millennial. Surely he is right. Here […]
Fear Less, Trust More: Instructions for How to See
Dr. Larry Gerbens has been helping people see for a lifetime. It’s his gift. As a physician and founder of Grand Rapids Ophthalmology, the connection to sight is obvious. But it’s his second career, as a gift officer and mentor for pre-med/pre-health students at Calvin College, where he’s providing new views. At 60-something, looking back […]
A Family of One
When she was 27, a co-worker told Ginny Giles* that she should be the one to work late because she had no family (she was unmarried without children). Another co-worker said that Ginny should be paid less for doing the same work because she didn’t have children to support. (What???) Ginny knew these were fundamentally […]
Keeping the Lights On: Finding What Matters
Zoe Carmichael* loves to see the lights turn on. Whether she is teaching her class at Kendell College of Art and Design or coaching a client on presentation skills, she is most energized when she sees a student light up with new understanding or when she helps a client present with a newly burgeoned sense […]
Lessons in Meaning: How to Drink a Cappuccino
Agnes wanted to be an actress, but her dad wanted her to go into business and economics so she did. After a short and very successful run in a stock/banking oriented field, she realized that she needed to put quality of life first and pursue a different path. She’s never looked back. Agnes is originally […]
Zoltan’s Pillars for Work-Life: Advice from a Marathon Runner
Zoltan Vadkerti is a single 30-something based in Brussels. He is Hungarian and studied economics in both Hungary and The Netherlands before he moved to Brussels and co-founded the Worklife HUB*. He is a marathon runner which gives him plenty of time to reflect on many topics including work-life. His point of view – which […]
Designing for Good and Finding Peace in the Present
Seeking fulfillment in work-life? Connect, contribute, stretch, think big, and never over-plan! Rebecca’s story shows how ‘designing for good’ and ‘peace in the present’ are keys to an abundant work-life experience. Here are lessons from a 20-something graphic designer*: Stay Connected. For Rebecca, work-life has always been connected. Contrary to work and life being isolated […]
Choose a Life, Not a Job: Why You Shouldn’t Buy Milk on Sunday
Danielle’s best advice to her son and daughter? Choose a life, not a job. This is precisely what Danielle* and her husband have done. They recently moved from Boston, MA to Basel, Switzerland. They’ve chosen a life for themselves and their children. Danielle isn’t an expat, she is a local employee at her Swiss company. […]
Purpose from the Inside Out
“I had it all wrong. I was planning for my life and my career externally, not internally.” Mary Brown is a business designer and her ability to help others design their work-life is based on her own success*. She says when she first started out, she had spreadsheets and plans for what would happen with […]
Aligning Vision and Values – 3 strategies for growth and 1 test for success
Mika (a pseudonym) is loving her new place. She has just moved in and on the scale of change, this year has been a biggee. In addition to her move with her nearly-five-year-old daughter, she has also left her job as a senior executive at her firm. It’s scary but she’s owning it, driving through […]