The Boomer Woman’s Podcast

Things Feel Different… Now What? A Real Conversation About Life After 60 with Host, Agnes Knowles

Have you noticed that quiet sense that something has shifted? Not dramatically, not overnight—but enough that the old answers don’t quite fit anymore. In this solo episode, Agnes reflects on what many women are quietly navigating right now—and asks a simple, powerful question.

• Why life after 60 can feel “unsettled” even when nothing is obviously wrong
• The real questions women are asking (but not always saying out loud)
• Why inspirational stories don’t always translate to real life
• A grounded, no-hype perspective on AI and how to approach it
• The subtle shift in conversations that actually helps

Sometimes the most powerful step forward is simply naming what you’re trying to figure out.

There's more at the website: The Boomer Woman's Podcast

What’s Still Possible After 60? Mindset, Motion, and Taking the Next Step with Debbi DiMaggio

What happens when you stop asking “Can I?” and start asking “What if I did?”

In this conversation, Debbi DiMaggio shares the story behind running the LA Marathon just before turning 60—but more importantly, what that experience revealed about mindset, transitions, and what’s still possible at this stage of life.

In this episode:

• Why focusing on “the next step” changes everything
• What to do when you feel stuck, lost, or unsure what comes next
• The reality of mindset vs real-life limitations
• How to reconnect with yourself after years of caring for others
• Why perfection keeps us stuck—and how to let it go
• Where to find support when you feel like you’re doing it alone

Sometimes it’s not about doing something extraordinary—it’s about being willing to take the next step, wherever you are.

Find Debbi at http://debbidimaggio.org/

Learn more about Debbi and find all her links at The Boomer Woman's Podcast: Debbi DiMaggio

 

Financial Dependency Isn’t About Intelligence — Taking Back Control at Any Age with Estelle Gibson

Many women didn’t “choose” financial dependency—it was simply how things were done. But when life shifts, that quiet pattern can suddenly become overwhelming.

In this conversation, Estelle Gibson shares how even with a strong financial background, she found herself needing to rebuild—and how women can step back into financial confidence at any stage of life.

• Why financial dependency isn’t about intelligence—it’s about patterns
• The emotional side of money: shame, avoidance, and fear
• The simple financial basics every woman should know
• Why “it’s too late” is one of the most damaging beliefs
• How small actions can rebuild confidence quickly
• Why staying involved matters—even if you’re not the expert

Taking back financial control isn’t about becoming perfect—it’s about becoming aware, involved, and willing to take the next step.

Find Estelle at: https://www.journey-to-freedom.com/

Learn more about Estelle and find her links at The Boomer Woman’s Podcast: Estelle Gibson

Retirement Isn’t About Savings — It’s About Income | Estate Planning, Risk & Real-Life Mistakes with Mark Kollar

Most of us did what we were told — we saved, we planned, we were responsible.
So why does retirement still feel uncertain?

In this conversation, Mark Kollar shares real-life stories and hard-earned insights about what actually puts retirement at risk — and why estate planning may matter more than you think.

• The difference between building wealth… and turning it into income
• The “invisible risks” that can quietly derail retirement
• Why procrastination may be the most expensive mistake of all
• What really happens when estate planning is missing or incomplete
• How market timing — and “black swan events” — affect your long-term income
• Why clarity matters more than how much you’ve saved

This isn’t just about money — it’s about protecting your life, your choices, and the people you care about.

Find Mark at:

• Retirement Income Strategies
• Kollar Insurance Services
• Learn more about Mark and find all his links at The Boomer Woman's Podcast: Mark Kollar
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The Influence Grandmothers Don’t Realize They Have | Shaping the Next Generation with Antwaun Thompson

Grandmothers often underestimate the role they play in shaping the next generation—but what if their influence is more powerful than they think? In this conversation, Antwaun Thompson shares what decades of mentoring young people have taught him about resilience, accountability, and the quiet impact of the adults who show up consistently.

• Why today’s teens are struggling in ways previous generations didn’t
• The surprising role grandparents play in shaping character and confidence
• How to influence without overstepping boundaries
• The power of conversation—and why kids feel unheard
• Simple ways to build trust, resilience, and connection
• Why legacy is built in everyday moments, not grand gestures

Sometimes the smallest conversations become the stories our grandchildren carry for a lifetime.

Find Antwaun Thompson at https://www.jltfieldhouse.org/

Learn more about Antwaun and find all his links at The Boomer Woman's Podcast: Antwaun Thompson

 

Giving Back That Actually Matters: Smart, Heart-Led Philanthropy with Katherine Lacefield

At a stage of life where many women begin asking “How do I give back in a way that actually matters?”—this conversation offers both clarity and relief. Katherine Lacefield brings decades of experience in the nonprofit world to unpack what giving really looks like today—beyond guilt, perfection, or confusion.

• Why “doing good” doesn’t require perfection
• How to find a cause that genuinely fits you
• The truth about fundraising, salaries, and sustainability
• What most people misunderstand about “administration costs”
• Monthly giving, peer-to-peer campaigns, and real impact
• Why heart-led giving may matter more than purely data-driven decisions

Giving back isn’t about doing it perfectly—it’s about finding where you belong and choosing to begin.

Find Katherine Lacefield at https://www.justbecause.consulting/

Learn more about Katherine and find all her links (and a pic of Mr. Pickles) at The Boomer Woman's Podcast: Katherine Lacefield

 

When “I’m Fine” Isn’t the Whole Story with Madelaine Weiss

There are moments in life when everything looks fine on the outside… and yet something inside feels unsettled. In this conversation, Madelaine Weiss and Agnes explore what’s really happening during life’s transitions — from retirement to shifting identities — and why feeling “stuck” may actually be a sign of growth.

• Why feeling stuck may actually mean it’s time to grow
• The hidden stress in “positive” life transitions like retirement
• What “I’m fine” really means — and why we say it
• The role of emotions as data, not decisions
• How childhood coping strategies quietly shape adult lives
• The influence of grandparents — and the stories we pass down

A thoughtful, gently challenging conversation about growth, identity, and learning to trust what’s happening beneath the surface.

Find Madelaine at https://madelaineweiss.com/

Learn more about Madelaine and find all her links at The Boomer Woman's Podcast: Madelaine Weiss

 

Curiosity, Gratitude, and the Plot Twists of Life with Agnes, Solo

For the first time in years, Agnes Knowles takes the microphone solo. After dozens of conversations with remarkable people over 60, she reflects on the unexpected truth she keeps seeing: life doesn’t shrink as we age—it opens up in surprising ways. From senior-discount adventures to reinvention, curiosity, and gratitude, this episode is a thoughtful chat about embracing the plot twists that shape our later chapters.

• Why saying “yes” can open doors you didn’t expect
• The surprising freedom many people discover after retirement
• Plot twists: the mindset that helps us navigate life’s unexpected turns
• Curiosity as a possible “fountain of youth”
• Letting go of perfectionism and focusing on what actually matters
• The role of gratitude in shaping a positive outlook on life

Life doesn’t have one act—it has chapters, and every plot twist might just be the beginning of the next one.

Find more about Agnes and Boom With A Bang at https://boomwithabang.com/

 

Finding Mary Smith: A DNA Search Across Decades with Al Isaacs

What would you do if the story of your life suddenly changed at age fifty-two?

When Al Isaacs learned—almost accidentally—that he had been adopted through the “gray-market” adoption practices of the late 1960s, it set him on a journey through DNA testing, genealogy research, and long-buried family secrets that would ultimately reconnect him with his birth mother’s story.

In this episode:

• The moment a doctor casually revealed the truth about Al’s adoption
• Why his parents’ dementia made the search both urgent and complicated
• The surprising clue that helped him find his birth mother, a folk singer named Mary Smith
• How DNA testing is reshaping what “family secrets” even mean today
• Why some late-discovery adoptees feel their identity shattered—and why Al experienced it differently
• What people considering a search for their origins should understand before they begin

Sometimes the truth doesn’t arrive when we expect it—but when it finally does, it can change how we understand our entire story.

Find Al and his memoir at https://www.alisaacs.com/

Learn more about Al and find all his links at https://boomwithabang.com/the-boomer-womans-podcast-al-isaacs/

 

The Long Game of Change: Permanent Action After 50 with Stanley Bronstein

As he approached 50, Stanley Bronstein faced a sobering question: where would he be in five years if nothing changed? At nearly 367 pounds, he chose not surgery or shortcuts — but daily walking, nutritional shifts, and a decision to act permanently on what he already knew. What followed was not just weight loss, but the creation of a personal operating system for excellence.

In this episode:

• The turning point that led to a 220+ pound transformation

• Why “get started again” matters more than motivation

• The difference between perfection and excellence

• Why you can’t exercise your way out of a poor diet

• Expanding “intake” beyond food to thoughts and environment

• The powerful story behind the question: “What would Peggy do?”

Because sometimes the next chapter begins not with inspiration — but with a decision you refuse to undo.

Find Stanley at The Way of Excellence

Learn more about Stanley and find all his links at The Boomer Woman's Podcast: Stanley Bronstein