In this episode of Leading You, Julie Hyde sits down with financial advisor and retirement strategist Jenny Brown to challenge the way we think about retirement.

Because for most people, retirement has been framed as an end point. Work hard, build your career, save enough… then stop. But what happens after that?

Jenny brings over 30 years of experience to this conversation, along with insights from her book Retirement: The Great Escape Plan, and what becomes clear very quickly is this… retirement planning is not just about money. It’s about how you want to live.

Together, they unpack the biggest mistake people make when planning for retirement, why starting with numbers can lead you in the wrong direction, and how to shift your thinking towards purpose, identity and lifestyle.

This conversation explores:
Why retirement is a transition, not a finish line
The importance of designing your life before you design your finances
The four stages of retirement and what to expect at each phase
The identity shift that comes when work is no longer your anchor
Why structure, connection and meaning matter more than you think
The reality of aged care and why it requires early awareness, not reactive decisions

If you’re in your 40s, 50s or beyond, this episode will challenge how you think about retirement and give you a more intentional way to approach what comes next.

Because retirement isn’t something you drift into. It’s something you design.

 

Episode Timestamps

00:00 Aged Care Minefield
00:39 Meet Jenny Brown
01:46 Why She Wrote the Book
04:04 The Four Stages of Retirement
08:53 Aged Care Reality Check
12:49 Mastermind Break
14:00 Common Retirement Planning Mistakes
16:50 Identity After Work
19:29 Creating Rhythm in Retirement
21:36 Finding Your Financial Freedom Number
23:17 The Retirement Mindset Shift
24:11 Wrap Up and Next Steps

 

Key Takeaways
Retirement is not a finish line. It’s a transition that requires intention, not assumption.
Most people start with the wrong question. Instead of asking “How much do I need?”, start with “What do I want my life to look like?”
The people who thrive in retirement are not necessarily the wealthiest. They are the ones who have built purpose, connection and structure into their lives.
Identity plays a bigger role than most realise. When work stops, many people struggle with who they are without it.
Aged care is one of the most complex and emotional parts of retirement planning. The best decisions come from slowing down, asking questions and understanding your options early.
If you’re in your 40s or 50s, now is the time to start thinking about your next phase, not just financially, but personally.

00:00 Aged Care Reality Check

00:39 Meet Jenny Brown

01:46 Why She Wrote It

04:04 Four Retirement Stages

06:55 Planning Before You Quit0

8:53 Aged Care Minefield

12:49 Mastermind Break

14:00 Purpose Before Numbers

16:50 Identity After Work

19:29 Rhythm And Routine

21:36 Your Freedom Number

23:17 Retirement Mindset Shift

24:11 Wrap Up And Reviews

 

Links:
Learn more about my group coaching program here

Connect with Julie:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/
Instagram:@juliehydeleads
Website: https://juliehyde.com.au

 

Connect with Jenny:
Website: https://jbsfinancial.com.au/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennybrownjbs/
Book: https://jbsfinancial.com.au/the-great-escape-plan/

In this episode of&nbsp;Leading You, Julie Hyde sits down with financial advisor and retirement strategist Jenny Brown to challenge the way we think about retirement.
Because for most people, retirement has been framed as an end point. Work hard, build your career, save enough&hellip; then stop. But what happens after that?
Jenny brings over 30 years of experience to this conversation, along with insights from her book&nbsp;Retirement: The Great Escape Plan, and what becomes clear very quickly is this&hellip; retirement planning is not just about money. It&rsquo;s about how you want to live.
Together, they unpack the biggest mistake people make when planning for retirement, why starting with numbers can lead you in the wrong direction, and how to shift your thinking towards purpose, identity and lifestyle.
This conversation explores:
<ul>
<li>Why retirement is a transition, not a finish line</li>
<li>The importance of designing your life before you design your finances</li>
<li>The four stages of retirement and what to expect at each phase</li>
<li>The identity shift that comes when work is no longer your anchor</li>
<li>Why structure, connection and meaning matter more than you think</li>
<li>The reality of aged care and why it requires early awareness, not reactive decisions</li>
</ul>
If you&rsquo;re in your 40s, 50s or beyond, this episode will challenge how you think about retirement and give you a more intentional way to approach what comes next.
Because retirement isn&rsquo;t something you drift into. It&rsquo;s something you design.
&nbsp;
Episode Timestamps
00:00 Aged Care Minefield 00:39 Meet Jenny Brown 01:46 Why She Wrote the Book 04:04 The Four Stages of Retirement 08:53 Aged Care Reality Check 12:49 Mastermind Break 14:00 Common Retirement Planning Mistakes 16:50 Identity After Work 19:29 Creating Rhythm in Retirement 21:36 Finding Your Financial Freedom Number 23:17 The Retirement Mindset Shift 24:11 Wrap Up and Next Steps
&nbsp;
Key Takeaways
<ul>
<li>Retirement is not a finish line. It&rsquo;s a transition that requires intention, not assumption.</li>
<li>Most people start with the wrong question. Instead of asking &ldquo;How much do I need?&rdquo;, start with &ldquo;What do I want my life to look like?&rdquo;</li>
<li>The people who thrive in retirement are not necessarily the wealthiest. They are the ones who have built purpose, connection and structure into their lives.</li>
<li>Identity plays a bigger role than most realise. When work stops, many people struggle with who they are without it.</li>
<li>Aged care is one of the most complex and emotional parts of retirement planning. The best decisions come from slowing down, asking questions and understanding your options early.</li>
<li>If you&rsquo;re in your 40s or 50s, now is the time to start thinking about your next phase, not just financially, but personally.</li>
</ul>
00:00&nbsp;Aged Care Reality Check
00:39 Meet Jenny Brown
01:46 Why She Wrote It
04:04 Four Retirement Stages
06:55 Planning Before You Quit0
8:53 Aged Care Minefield
12:49 Mastermind Break
14:00 Purpose Before Numbers
16:50 Identity After Work
19:29 Rhythm And Routine
21:36 Your Freedom Number
23:17 Retirement Mindset Shift
24:11 Wrap Up And Reviews
&nbsp;
Links: Learn more about my group coaching program&nbsp;<a href="https://juliehyde.com.au/leadher-mastermind">here</a>
Connect with Julie: LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/" data-href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-hyde/</a> Instagram:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/juliehydeleads/" data-href="https://www.instagram.com/juliehydeleads/"> @juliehydeleads</a> Website:&nbsp;<a href="https://juliehyde.com.au">https://juliehyde.com.au</a>
&nbsp;
Connect with Jenny: Website: <a href="https://jbsfinancial.com.au/">https://jbsfinancial.com.au/</a> LinkedIn: <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennybrownjbs/">https://www.linkedin.com/in/jennybrownjbs/</a> Book: <a href="https://jbsfinancial.com.au/the-great-escape-plan/">https://jbsfinancial.com.au/the-great-escape-plan/</a>

Want to know the secret to confident and successful leadership?

Every week, Leading You showcases leadership of all kinds and you get the scoop on how to be an effective, modern leader who makes an impact.

There’s one thing we all have in common. We’re all leaders. First and foremost, you’re a leader of you. You don’t need a title to be a leader. Leadership is a mindset which anyone can adopt to create influence. The more leaders the world has, the better it will be.

I'll let you into something I know to be true - You can’t be a leader of others unless you’re a leader of self first. So if you want to have impact that leads to prosperity and happiness, it all starts with you. With your mindset and personal leadership toolbox, which Leading You will help you build up.

Leading you is hosted by Julie Hyde, an entrepreneur, corporate drop out and passionate leader. Julie knows one thing: you can’t control what happens to you but you can control how you respond. It’s why Leading You is important.

Each week, guests share their secret sauce. They reveal their roadmaps to success. How they’ve stayed anchored to who they are, insights into their courage and resilience and how to be emotionally and behaviourally agile. It’s a conversation, not an interrogation, and you’ll hear the human side of household names.

Want to know the secret to confident and successful leadership?
Every week, Leading You showcases leadership of all kinds and you get the scoop on how to be an effective, modern leader who makes an impact.
There’s one thing we all have in common. We’re all leaders. First and foremost, you’re a leader of you. You don’t need a title to be a leader. Leadership is a mindset which anyone can adopt to create influence. The more leaders the world has, the better it will be.
I'll let you into something I know to be true - You can’t be a leader of others unless you’re a leader of self first. So if you want to have impact that leads to prosperity and happiness, it all starts with you. With your mindset and personal leadership toolbox, which Leading You will help you build up.
Leading you is hosted by Julie Hyde, an entrepreneur, corporate drop out and passionate leader. Julie knows one thing: you can’t control what happens to you but you can control how you respond. It’s why Leading You is important.
Each week, guests share their secret sauce. They reveal their roadmaps to success. How they’ve stayed anchored to who they are, insights into their courage and resilience and how to be emotionally and behaviourally agile. It’s a conversation, not an interrogation, and you’ll hear the human side of household names.

A Podcast dedicated to business owners and leaders to inspire you to make it count

Leading You

Want to know the secret to confident and successful leadership?
Every week, Leading You showcases leadership of all kinds and you get the scoop on how to be an effective, modern leader who makes an impact.
There’s one thing we all have in common. We’re all leaders. First and foremost, you’re a leader of you. You don’t need a title to be a leader. Leadership is a mindset which anyone can adopt to create influence. The more leaders the world has, the better it will be.
I'll let you into something I know to be true - You can’t be a leader of others unless you’re a leader of self first. So if you want to have impact that leads to prosperity and happiness, it all starts with you. With your mindset and personal leadership toolbox, which Leading You will help you build up.
Leading you is hosted by Julie Hyde, an entrepreneur, corporate drop out and passionate leader. Julie knows one thing: you can’t control what happens to you but you can control how you respond. It’s why Leading You is important.
Each week, guests share their secret sauce. They reveal their roadmaps to success. How they’ve stayed anchored to who they are, insights into their courage and resilience and how to be emotionally and behaviourally agile. It’s a conversation, not an interrogation, and you’ll hear the human side of household names.