Who Was I Before Retirement? Who Am I Now After Retirement?

These are the questions many people ask as they enter the "retirement zone." They’re not fully retired yet, but their financial concerns are settled. Health insurance is arranged, and the formalities of their financial life are in place. But what about who they are now—their passions, their purpose, and their soul? What is their identity after retirement?

Mark Bertrang, author of "Investments Don’t Hug: Embracing the Life Insurance Asset," sits down for an hour-long conversation with Lee Rasch, past president of Western Technical College in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Together, they discuss Lee's new journey of discovery. Lee shares how, six months before his retirement, he started researching by speaking with 50 retirees about their own transitions from pre-retirement to post-retirement life.

The Medicare conversation should be easy. It isn’t. There are multiple decisions to be made and these decisions are not only for the first time you qualify for Medicare at the age of sixty-five. The decisions you make that first year could potentially lock you into a plan that you could embrace or regret for the rest of your life. There may also be annual decisions you may need to continue to make, as well. Our guest, Tina Johnson, an Elder Benefit Specialist & State Health Insurance Counselor from the Aging and Disability Resource Center in La Crosse County Wisconsin walks us through the Part A, Part B, Part C and Part D elements of Medicare. We’ll discuss original Medicare and Advantage programs, along with a visit about Medicare Supplement policies and more. Stay tune. Your health depends on it.

Laurie Finn is our guest from Finnottes. Laurie lives a life of Mission, Nuts and Chocolates. She makes a lasting impact on everyone she meets. Finnottes was established in 1986 by the husband-and-wife team Frank Finn and Laurie (Otte). Merging their lives and their last names, they have grown their business over the years to become Finnottes Nut & Chocolate Shop. This episode may be considered a course in business, but also of caring and realizing the impact that can be made from behind a retail counter; but more importantly, by coming around from behind the counter and embracing those around you as a personal mission to impact your neighborhood, your community and the world around you.

00:00 Introduction

02:10 Laurie’s Background

05:06 Caring for Customers

06:37 Faith & the Chocolate Ministry

11:21 Growing in Wisdom

18:26 Driven by Gratitude

22:53 Doug & Debbie Downers

26:33 More than just a Job

40:07 World Outlook

43:11 What if you didn’t have the store?

44:09 The History of how Finnottes started

44:43 Mark Bertrang’s Book – Investments Don’t Hug

52:10 Seasonal Candy Inventory

55:02 Online Sales & Local Deliveries

57:13 Where did ‘Finnottes’ name come from?

59:00 The Finnottes Family

01:01:42 Creating Special Moments

01:05:25 Conclusion