Encore! Wisdom Meets Wonder cover art

Encore! Wisdom Meets Wonder

Encore! Wisdom Meets Wonder

By: Paula Washington
Listen for free

About this listen

What happens when lived experience meets fresh perspective? Join Baby Boomer Paula Washington Business Strategist, Author, Speaker, and Encore Champion alongside Gen Z co-host Deshea Shepard, Brand Developer and Creative Brainiac, for Encore: Wisdom Meets Wonder, conversations that bridges generations through real, curious conversation.

Each episode explores timeless life themes inspired by Paula’s book Encore, with Deshea asking the big questions that many young adults want answers to — but don’t always know how to ask. From navigating purpose and identity to bouncing back from failure, this show is your front-row seat to heartfelt dialogue where generations meet to learn, reflect, and grow together.

Whether you're discovering your second act or shaping your first one, Encore is where stories, strategy, and soul meet one question at a time.

Find Paula and Deshea on LinkedIn!

Paula Washington Enterprises
Economics Personal Development Personal Success
Episodes
  • The Myth of ‘Too Late’ and ‘Too Early
    Aug 9 2025

    Have you ever felt like you missed your moment—or that you jumped too soon? In this episode, Boomer wisdom meets Gen Z optimism as Paula Washington and Deshea Shepard unpack why timing is often more of a construct than a truth.

    From cultural pressures to hit certain milestones “on time,” to breaking the myth that purpose has an expiration date, we explore how to boldly step into your next chapter—whether you’re 22 or 72.

    Inside this episode:

    • How to see age as an asset rather than a limitation
    • Why “readiness” is a myth, and why action creates clarity
    • Real examples of success found later in life—and bold moves made early
    • How to rewrite your internal timeline so it’s built on alignment, not fear
    • Practical questions to help you take bold, aligned action right now

    Encore Wisdom: “Purpose doesn’t expire. And it doesn’t need a perfect timestamp to be valid.”

    Whether you’re shaping your first act or stepping into your encore, this conversation will remind you: you are right on time.

    Show More Show Less
    54 mins
  • Broken, But Becoming: Why Rock Bottom is a Blueprint
    Aug 1 2025

    What if your lowest point was actually your greatest turning point?

    In this powerful episode, we reframe breakdowns as divine setups for breakthroughs. Paula Washington and Deshea Shepard explore the difference between being “in transition” versus “in training”—and why the hardest seasons often prepare us for the biggest chapters of our lives.

    Inside this episode:

    • How rock bottom moments can become blueprints for rebuilding with intention
    • The role of strategic pauses—gap years, sabbaticals, and life resets—at any age
    • Real stories of resilience, reinvention, and redefining success after setbacks
    • Why letting go of shame around starting over is essential for growth

    Encore Wisdom: Your breakdown isn’t your ending—it’s the birthplace of your becoming.

    Whether you’re picking up the pieces or preparing for your next chapter, this conversation will remind you that every setback holds a seed for your comeback.

    Show More Show Less
    48 mins
  • The Great Exit Strategy
    Jul 24 2025

    Where intentional exits meet generational wisdom.

    What does it really mean to leave well?

    In this episode, we open the conversation with a powerful question: What does ‘exiting with intention’ mean to each generation? From Baby Boomers who stayed for security, to Gen Zers who treat every role as a stepping stone, we explore how exits—when done right—can be sacred, strategic, and soul-affirming.

    Whether you’re planning your next career move, closing a chapter in business, or walking away from something no longer aligned—this episode is your guide to leaving with clarity, peace, and purpose.

    Inside the episode:

    • The shift from escape plans to exit strategies
    • Why job hopping doesn't always mean instability
    • The power of a clean, silent, and graceful departure
    • The emotional and professional value of leaving better than you found it
    • A personal exit criteria checklist that will help you make aligned decisions

    Talk about your next transition using our 5-question clarity check and reframe your exit not as a failure, but as a bold move toward alignment.

    “Sometimes leaving isn’t giving up—it’s growing up.”

    Tune in to reflect, realign, and reclaim the power of how you exit.

    Show More Show Less
    32 mins
No reviews yet
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.