Long Life Learning Marc Freedman on Seeking Curiosity and Purpose in Midlife Transitions
In our first-ever episode of Long Life Learning, host Kavitha Bindra (Executive Director, Yale SOM Executive Education) is joined by Marc Freedman, Founder and Co-CEO of CoGenerate. Marc is dedicated to championing intergenerational projects for the greater good, and will serve as Faculty Director for the forthcoming Experienced Leaders Initiative (ELI) provided by Executive Education at the Yale School of Management.
Together, Marc and Kavitha lay the groundwork for a dynamic first season, untangling myths around aging and celebrating the joy of embracing the second half of life.
Join us as Marc and Kavitha unpack questions like: Why are so many professionals who are nearing or new to retirement now seeking adventure and a re-examination of what brings them meaning? What are the ways we can nurture connection and purpose amidst personal milestones and professional transitions? And why is it more urgent than ever that we actively work to build collaborative relationships across generational lines?
Links and Resources
For More Information on ELI and Yale SOM Executive Education:
For Resources Mentioned in today’s Episode:
- The Purpose Prize, today run by the AARP
- Gary Maxworthy’s Purpose Prize-winning plan to supply California food banks with fresh produce
- Road Scholar (formerly ElderHostel), founded by Yale alum William Berkeley
- Bill McKibben’s “Senior to Senior” voter registration program
- The Creative Act, by Rick Rubin
- The Other Significant Others, by Rhaina Cohen
- An interview with Mauro Guillén, author of The Perennials
- An interview with Arthur C. Brooks, author of Strength to Strength
For More of Marc’s Work:
- A Morningstar interview in which Marc makes the case for “Encore Careers” (Feb. 2024)
- PBS NewsHour’s “Brief But Spectacular” segment showcasing Marc’s multi-generational work (March 2023)
- “Reimagining Your Next Chapter,” a Yale SOM Exec Ed webinar (Aug. 2024)
About Today’s Guest
Marc Freedman, Yale SOM ‘84
Founder and Co-CEO of CoGenerate; Lecturer in the Practice of Management at the Yale School of Management Marc Freedman is the founder and Co-CEO of CoGenerate and Lecturer in the Practice of Management at the Yale School of Management, where heis Faculty Director of Yale’s new Experienced Leaders Initiative (ELI). Freedman is one of the nation’s leading experts on our increasingly multigenerational future and the author of five books. The Wall Street Journal named his most recent book — How to Live Forever: The Enduring Power of Connecting the Generations — one of the year’s best books on aging well. Originator of the encore career idea linking second acts to the greater good, Freedman spearheaded creation of Experience Corps, the Purpose Prize, and Encore Fellowships. He has been honored with numerous awards and fellowships, including the Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship and the Social Entrepreneur of the Year by the Schwab Foundation/World Economic Forum. A high honors graduate of Swarthmore College, Freedman holds an MBA from the Yale School of Management. He resides in the San Francisco Bay area with his wife, Leslie Gray, and their three sons.
Transcript