What happens when two New York City professionals lose their jobs, move to a tiny rural town, and accidentally build one of America’s most beloved skincare brands?

Brent and Josh of Beekman 1802 reveal how kindness, community, and old-fashioned wisdom became the backbone of their business and their midlife reinvention. They share how loving your neighbor can be a real strategy, why contentment matters more than achievement, the 51% rule that keeps their partnership strong, and how better aging starts with simple kindness to yourself and others, all delivered with warmth, wisdom, and humor.

👉 If you’re ready for a kinder, clearer way to think about midlife, just press play.

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

00:59 Meet Brent & Josh of Beekman 1802

02:47 How Brent & Josh met

04:18 Brent’s upbringing & coming out journey

06:01 Becoming goat farmers & starting Beekman 1802

07:19 How the brand got its name

09:09 Turning a recession into a business opportunity

10:35 Growing from homemade soap to a global brand

12:54 The idea behind Goat Wisdom book

16:33 Their favorite principles

20:46 Community, kindness & homophobia

25:38 Brent’s family and true Christian acceptance

28:41 Being partners in love and business

29:56 The 51% Rule for decision-making

32:06 Radical transparency as kindness

34:37 Personal midlife philosophies

38:42 What they’d regret in 10 years

40:36 Redefining success as contentment

41:55 “Better aging,” social connection & kindness

45:16 Farm wisdom for life

48:56 Wisdom bumper stickers

52:12 Chip’s closing reflections

Learn more about MEA at ⁠https://www.meawisdom.com/

#MidlifeTransformation #GoatWisdom #Beekman1802 #ChipConley #MidlifeChrysalis #BetterAging #KindnessCulture #EntrepreneurJourney #LifeReinvention #ContentmentOverAchievement #LGBTQEntrepreneurs #ModernElders #AgingWisdom #MidlifeReinvention #SmallTownStories

In the very first episode of Wisdom Wednesdays, Chip Conley and Derek Gayle sit down for a thoughtful, honest conversation about what wisdom really means in midlife. Chip shares the down-to-earth definition that guides his life and talks about the small, consistent practices that help him turn everyday experiences into something meaningful.

If you’re ready for conversations that spark growth, clarity, and courage…

▶️ Start with Episode 1 and begin your wisdom journey with us.

Timestamps:

00:00 Intro

00:22 Welcome to Wisdom Wednesdays

01:37 What is wisdom and why it matters

02:55 Life lessons as raw material

03:32 Mindfully sharing wisdom

05:28 Can wisdom be cultivated

08:06 The problem with AI wisdom

08:51 The chef metaphor

10:52 Wisdom during cancer treatment

12:51 Chip’s wisdom bumper sticker

14:12 How to start your wisdom practice

15:54 Final reflection

Learn more about MEA at ⁠https://www.meawisdom.com/

#WisdomWednesdays #ChipConley #MidlifeChrysalis #MidlifeWisdom #PersonalGrowthJourney #ModernElder #LifeLessons #MidlifeTransformation #EmotionalWellbeing #MindfulLiving #SelfAwareness #MidlifePurpose #JournalingPractice #InnerGrowth #ThrivingInMidlife

Midlife isn’t a crisis. It’s your greatest awakening.

In this inspiring episode, gerontologist and coach Barbara Waxman redefines aging through the lens of “Middleessence,” a stage of growth, purpose, and renewal. She reveals how to reclaim energy with her Energy Audit, why mindset matters more than genetics for longevity, and how lifestyle medicine helps you live undiminished at every age.

✨ Learn how to flourish, not fade, in your next chapter.

▶️ Watch now on YouTube or listen on Apple Podcasts.

Timestamps:

00:00 Meet gerontologist Barbara Waxman

00:28 How she became a gerontologist

02:56 What is “middle essence”

07:18 Adolescence vs. middle essence

13:37 Why happiness rises after 50

16:42 Debunking the midlife crisis myth

18:53 Redefining legacy and purpose

20:19 Barbara’s own midlife awakening

23:03 What is the Energy Audit

24:36 What lifestyle medicine really means

28:55 The 7 lifestyle levers for thriving

30:42 Mindset’s power in longevity

32:41 Mindset studies that changed lives

35:18 Well-being burnout explained

36:23 Self-care vs. self-indulgence

38:10 Solitude, introverts, and renewal

40:09 Unlocking longevity and the third span

45:46 Living undiminished and flourishing

46:49 Wisdom bumper sticker

Learn more about MEA at ⁠https://www.meawisdom.com/

#MidlifeChrysalis #BarbaraWaxman #MidlifeTransformation #MiddleEssence #LongevityMindset #HealthyAging #LifestyleMedicine #WomenOver40 #LifeTransitions #PersonalGrowth #MindsetShift #AgingWell #HumanFlourishing #EnergyAudit #PurposefulLiving