Many accomplished leaders reach a moment where the career that once defined them suddenly falls away – through a layoff, an exit, or a quiet inner knowing that it’s time for something more. What follows can feel disorienting, humbling, and deeply personal.
In this episode, Janet Ioli and Jack Calhoun explore what happens when a professional identity dissolves and how to rebuild a meaningful next chapter rooted in wisdom, not ego.
Jack Calhoun is a former wealth management partner turned founder of Encore Career Lab. Drawing from lived experience and years of working with career-invested professionals, Jack shares why traditional retirement thinking no longer works and how our later years can become a powerful season of contribution, fulfillment, and reinvention.
In this episode of The Inner Edge:
Why leaving a long career can trigger an unexpected identity crisis
The difference between fluid intelligence and crystallized intelligence
How achievement culture shapes our sense of worth from childhood
What an encore career really is
How to find purpose, structure, and income in your next chapter
Why community and connection are essential during reinvention
About Janet Ioli:
Janet Ioli is a globally recognized executive advisor, coach, and leadership expert with over 25 years of experience developing leaders in Fortune 100 companies and global organizations.
She created The Inner Edge—a framework, a movement, and a message that flips leadership from mere success performance to presence; from ego to soul. Through her keynotes, podcast, and programs, Janet helps high-achievers find the one thing that changes everything: the mastery within.
Her approach redefines leadership presence—not as polish or tactics, but as the inner steadiness people feel from you and the positive imprint you leave on individuals and organizations.
The Inner Edge | Leadership, Self-Mastery, and Reinvention for a New Era is your invitation to step beyond conventional wisdom into conversations that matter.
Your host is Janet Ioli, leadership expert, executive coach, and trusted advisor to global leaders, with executive experience across four Fortune 200 companies. In this podcast, she explores the interconnected nature of leadership and life—tackling real challenges like reinvention at midlife, navigating transitions, leading with intuition, and integrating your authentic self in both personal and professional spheres. This isn’t about quick fixes or surface-level tips; it’s about the deeper inner work that creates lasting transformation for leaders ready to stop following and start creating a future aligned with their values and soul.
Connect with Janet:
- Website: janetioli.com
- Linkedin: Janet Ioli
- Instagram: @leadershipcoachjanet
- YouTube: Janet Ioli – The Leadership Sage
Connect with Jack:
Resources:
- David Brooks’ Ted Talk: https://www.ted.com/talks/david_brooks_the_lies_our_culture_tells_us_about_what_matters_and_a_better_way_to_live
- From Strength to Strength by Arthur Brooks: https://www.amazon.com/Strength-Finding-Success-Happiness-Purpose/dp/B09T3TZ3GR
If you want to become more grounded, confident, and aligned with your deeper values in just 21 days. Check out Janet Ioli’s book Less Ego, More Soul: A Modern Reinvention Guide for Women.
If you enjoyed this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts.
Produced by Ideablossoms.
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