What We Do
It all begins with an idea. What if we could capture the stories and wisdom of ordinary people aging with extraordinary vitality? Maybe you have just turned 80 and continue writing short stories. Or you realize you are not too old to keep performing in your community theater.
We are two former journalists with an abiding interest in people. The answer seemed simple enough: Create a podcast interviewing individuals of all ages and backgrounds and financial status who inspire us to make our own best decisions about how we engage life as we age.
We’re talking about those who see aging as an opportunity, a chance to create another fun chapter, determined to chart their own course, to write their own stories. Creating podcasts interviewing people like that is what we do. With, maybe, a few of our own observations and experiences thrown in.
Who We Are
Bill Barnes
At age 59, after selling the communications company he founded and ran for 17 years, Bill said, “Hell yes” to a lifetime dream of outfitting a sailboat and cruising full time in the Caribbean. With his wife Charlene as crew, for the next 14 years he explored new horizons while confronting the fears and challenges of safely sailing a small boat on the open ocean.
Between voyages, he co-founded a pioneering solar energy company which built the industry’s first utility-scale solar farm in California. Turning 73, he sold his beloved sailboat and stepped ashore to face new fears and challenges in the form of prostate cancer, which he battled successfully.
Looking back on his life (including nearly a decade as a working journalist), Bill realized the secret to thriving in life’s later chapters: Marry wisdom with experience with curiosity, a beginner's mind, and a willingness to evolve and say, “Hell yes” to challenges.
Bill and Charlene now live in Santa Cruz, California with their happy black Labrador, Duchess. When not interviewing interesting people, you can find him surfing, mountain biking, or chilling out with a good mystery.
Deb Mayo
When Deb moved to California, becoming a grape grower and winemaker with her own label was the farthest thing from her mind.
She was used to story development - whether working in film production, writing and producing internet radio, or as a publisher for an online periodical that focused on the people behind the camera.
Having lived in Seattle, Los Angeles, London, and Boston, her last move took her back to her beloved West Coast, where she became friends with Bill and his wife, Charlene. While continuing to write and publish from her home office, Deb met her partner John who introduced her to winemaking. And from there, the rest is history.
Now embarking on this new endeavor with Bill, the duo hope to investigate, examine and possibly unravel this particular life chapter in which they both now find themselves.