Episode 14: Why Financial and Lifestyle Planning Are Both Critical for a Successful Business and Retirement with Toni Petrillo

Show Notes

Why Financial and Lifestyle Planning Are Both Critical for a Successful Business and Retirement

In this episode of the Real Retirement Show, Yasmin and Kathleen welcome Toni Petrillo, a seasoned financial industry leader with over 25 years of experience, to discuss the multifaceted world of retirement. Toni emphasizes the importance of addressing both financial and lifestyle plans for a fulfilling retirement, detailing her journey from a financial planning executive to a retirement coach. She shares insights on the emotional challenges retirees face, the importance of building trust with clients, and her unique approach to retirement coaching that combines financial and non-financial aspects. Through real stories and expert advice, this episode aims to help retirees transition confidently into the next chapter of their lives.

00:00 Building Trust with Clients

01:17 The Real Retirement Show Introduction

02:00 Meet Toni Petrillo

03:26 Toni's Retirement Journey

05:24 Challenges and Solutions in Retirement Coaching

11:14 Connecting Financial and Lifestyle Planning

24:21 Advice for Future Retirees

25:57 Final Thoughts and Resources

Antoinette Petrillo is a seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience in the financial industry, where she excelled in building and leading teams. Recently retired from her role as a financial executive, she identified a significant gap in resources for corporate professionals navigating the transition from a thriving career to a fulfilling retirement.

Throughout her career, Antoinette has been passionate about helping others lead with confidence, both in their personal and professional lives. This dedication has driven her to provide valuable support and guidance to individuals facing the unique challenges of transitioning from the corporate world to retirement. Her mission is to empower others by offering insights and strategies that foster confidence during this transformative phase of life.

Committed to leveraging her extensive experience, Antoinette now contributes her expertise to those seeking guidance, ensuring they navigate this transition with assurance and purpose. She continues to inspire and support professionals in redefining what retirement can mean for them.

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinette-petrillo-cprc-cfp-27245198/

Website: https://retirewithintention.com/

Ask A Retirement Coach: https://boomingencore.com/community/people/a3e323c9-7af5-48ec-989b-739ec3173230

Real Retirement Video Podcast: Real Retirement - YouTube

Creators and Guests

Guest

Kathleen Mundy

Guest

Toni Petrillo

Guest

Yasmin Nguyen

What is Real Retirement?

Welcome to "Real Retirement," a groundbreaking podcast where your hosts, Yasmin Nguyen and Kathleen Mundy, delve into the multifaceted world of retirement beyond the numbers. This isn't your typical retirement discussion; it's a vibrant journey into what retirement truly means in today's world.

Each episode of "Real Retirement" brings you compelling conversations with guests who bring a wealth of expertise and authentic retirement life experiences. Our goal? To inspire and educate our listeners to approach retirement with intentionality and a broader perspective.

But "Real Retirement" is more than just a podcast. It's a community for those navigating the uncharted waters of retirement, whether you're just starting to plan or are already on this deeply personal journey. We explore a wide array of topics, including:

• 
  Physical and Mental Well-Being: Understand the importance of health in enjoying a fulfilling retirement.


• 
  Family Dynamics: Navigate the changing relationships and roles that come with this new phase of life.


• 
  Retirement Transitions: Learn how to smoothly transition into retirement life.


• 
  Purpose & Identity: Find meaning and redefine your sense of self post-retirement.


• 
  Social Connections: Discover ways to maintain and build new social ties.


• 
  Legacy & Impact: Contemplate the mark you want to leave on the world.

What sets "Real Retirement" apart? It's our commitment to authenticity. We bring you real stories from real retirees, discussing real challenges, surprises, joys, heartaches, and the myriad emotions that come with retirement. From addressing family dynamics to confronting identity shifts, we tackle the issues that truly matter to retirees.

Join Yasmin and Kathleen as they journey through the honest and often unspoken aspects of retirement. "Real Retirement" isn't just about ending a career; it's about beginning a new, exciting chapter of life with all its complexities and joys. Tune in and be part of a conversation that redefines retirement in the most real way possible.

Toni Petrillo: We're in the
business of building trust with

our clients.

It's not just about the
investments and before they hand

over their portfolio to you.

They have to know that they can
trust you.

and if you only talk about
money, it will solve money

problems.

It won't solve the emotional and
psychological concerns that they

may have.

Retirement planning today really
has two parts to the equation.

There's the financial plan and
the lifestyle plan, and you need

to prepare for both so this is
something that I used to coach

my financial planners all the
time when I was reviewing their

plans, I would ask them, okay,
so here's your financial plan.

You've created a good map in
terms of how much they're going

to need, annually and live on,
and how long the money will

last.

And then I said, tell me a
little bit more about the

client.

What are their dreams in
retirement?

What do they wanna do?

how do they wanna spend their
time?

and.

They could tell me a little bit
about the client, but not a lot.

They know all the financials.

They know exactly what their
risk profile is and what kind of

investments they like, and we
have to, that's our due

diligence.

We have to get that.

But I said just tell me a little
bit more about the client and

talk to me about them.

And I wait.

And the pause is quite long
because they don't have a lot to

say.

So I said, we need to dig a
little bit deeper.

And at the end of the day, how
can you actually build a

financial plan for a client if
you don't know what their

lifestyle plan

Yasmin Nguyen: Welcome back to
the real retirement show.

My name is Yasmin here with my
cohost Kathleen, whether you're

retired or thinking about
retirement, we delve into the

multifaceted world of retirement
beyond the finances.

This isn't your typical
retirement discussion.

It's a vibrant journey into what
retirement truly means in

today's world.

We bring you real stories from
real retirees and experts

discussing real challenges,
surprises, joys, heartaches, and

the myriad of emotions that come
with retirement.

From addressing family dynamics
to mental and physical health to

finding purpose, we tackle the
issues that truly matter to

retirees and those thinking
about retirement.

We are thrilled to welcome Toni
Petrillo, a seasoned financial

industry leader with over 25
years of experience in building

and leading teams.

After retiring from her
executive role, Toni recognized

a critical gap in resources for
corporate professionals

navigating the transition from a
thriving career to a fulfilling

retirement.

With a deep passion for
leadership and confidence

building, Toni now dedicates her
expertise to empowering

individuals through this major
life shift.

She provides valuable guidance,
insights, and strategies to help

professionals embrace
retirement.

With assurance and purpose, join
us as we dive into Toni's

journey and the challenges
professionals face when stepping

away from a corporate world and
her mission to make retirement,

not just an end, but an exciting
new beginning.

Welcome Toni.

So glad to have you here today.

Toni Petrillo: Thank you so
much.

Thank you.

It's, it's a pleasure to be
here.

Kathleen Mundy: I was really
excited to know that we were

doing this today because
Canadians are sticking together

and I love that you're a
Canadian.

Toni Petrillo: yes, exactly.

at the end of the day, we have
great relationships and we have

to maintain that.

So, all just white noise that we
need to just forget and keep it

out there and remember and focus
on what's important.

Kathleen Mundy: What's
important?

Absolutely.

And that's what we're gonna be
talking about today.

Yasmin Nguyen: well, Toni, I'm
curious, would you share with us

a little bit about your journey
and what inspired you to focus

on this retirement transition
and experience?

Toni Petrillo: sure.

That's a great place to start
actually.

So, let's talk a little bit
about my story.

as you mentioned earlier, I
spent, I.

30 years in the financial world,
building and managing, financial

planning teams actually.

So I spent a lot of time on the
financial part of retirement

planning and, I was, as much as
I loved the role and I loved it,

did it for 30 years, I was
excited about retirement and I

had a dream.

So while I was working and
building my career, I always had

a dream about.

What I would like to do in
retirement, and that would be to

open up a coaching practice.

wasn't sure exactly what the
niche would be, but I knew I

wanted to open up a coaching
practice.

So, as I approached retirement,
I was really excited about it

and I.

I didn't expect though, was the
emotional rollercoaster that

came with it.

and as much as you have a plan
and you spend a lot of time

planning on the financial side,
like a lot most people do,

right?

They make sure that their
investments are in order and

they have enough funding for
retirement.

what I didn't prepare for was
what my life would look like

after work.

And even though I had a plan or
somewhat of a plan in terms of.

What my vision would be.

it really made me think and it
said, if I'm struggling this

way, imagine that others are not
struggling the same way.

And, it made me think that this
is what my niche is gonna be.

and as much as I wanna open up a
coaching practice, I wanted it

to be retirement coaching.

And the message is really to
raise awareness just like all my

other colleagues and my peers.

for anyone that is struggling
out there and is not really

understanding why they're not
happy in retirement, that there

is help for you out there.

and that's my job really to help
them navigate this transition

into retirement with confidence
and get and excitement for this

next chapter.

Kathleen Mundy: you summed that
up beautifully and I'm wondering

what were some of the biggest
challenges when you started this

journey?

Toni Petrillo: for me the
biggest challenge was, really

getting the word out there and
making sure that, Everybody

really understood that there was
a retirement coach.

what are retirement coaches?

from a personal side, one of my
challenges was really a lack of

structure thrive in a very
structured environment and, not

having this sense of structure,
leading teams or a sense of

purpose.

it was something that was a big
part of my, my new life, right?

So, I quickly had to redefine
what purpose and productivity

meant for me in retirement.

so when I was building my
practice, I really based it on

those pillars in terms of,
helping people to understand how

to maintain their identity, how
to build their social

connections and, their
wellbeing.

So those four pillars were
really the basis of my.

Coaching practice.

Retired with Intention.

Yasmin Nguyen: would you share
with us some of the challenges

that you actually face that,
that may have inspired, a sense

of relatability with those
clients that you're working

with?

Toni Petrillo: so some of the
challenges that I faced, again,

it goes back to when I closed
that office door.

and it's not literally, it was
figuratively because it was

during the pandemic.

So it's really more when I
closed my Zoom call.

but.

When I did close that, it was a
very surreal moment for me

school.

So after 30 years having this
sense of purpose and this

identity, which I realized at
that point that as excited as I

was about retirement, I realized
how closely my identity was tied

into my career, and I had to
quickly look around and say,

okay, well, This is something
that is, is if I'm struggling

with, like I said before, I
think a lot of other people are

struggling with as well.

So it really made me reflect and
I went into, a self-discovery

mode.

I went to find out who am I
beyond my work and my career?

Who is Toni or who was Toni
before she started building her

career and who is she
afterwards?

And, That question is really
something that is built in, and

hardwired into my coaching with
my clients as well.

So it's really finding that that
feeling of disconnection, social

connections and feeling lonely.

Those were the biggest
challenges for me.

I would say

Yasmin Nguyen: Thank you for
sharing that, Toni.

we're not alone in this journey
and what you shared is really

powerful experiences that, we
get a chance to navigate.

and are there particular types
of clients that really are,

ideal fit for you?

in terms of their backgrounds,
where they're coming from and

what they're experiencing?

Toni Petrillo: Sure.

so I mainly focus on career
professionals, professionals,

people that have really
dedicated, of their lives

towards a very long and
successful career.

And as, as excited as they are
about retirement, they too, end

up.

Feeling a little bit lost.

So there's what we call the
honeymoon phase, right?

And the minute they complete
that phase and they start

realizing that, there's a sense
of disconnection.

There's a loss of identity.

not really understanding why
they're not happy and thriving

in retirement, when in fact they
should be.

so these are really The target
audience or the clients that I

help.

having been there and having
gone through that and crossed

over into retirement, and gone
through all of those, that

emotional rollercoaster, feel
like those are the ones that I

can help the most and reach out
to the most.

And that's where my job right
now is to really help them

transition into this, next phase
of their life and next chapter

of their life with a lot of
confidence and happiness really.

'cause otherwise they're not

Kathleen Mundy: You know what
you're outlining to me is

wonderful because you've
actually lived it and you have a

personal experience and I'm just
wondering what makes your

approach this retirement
journey?

I.

Different from others in your
field?

Toni Petrillo: so others in my
field.

I'm gonna ask you, Kathleen, do
you mean other, retirement

coaches

Kathleen Mundy: Yes.

Toni Petrillo: planners and
financial advisors?

'cause they also do retirement
planning, so

Kathleen Mundy: what you've
outlined for us is dealing with

kind of the soft side of it, not
the financial end of it.

And I'm just wondering other
people who are working in that

field that are helping with that
retirement journey, what makes

your methodology and, different
and sets you apart?

Toni Petrillo: so it goes back
to my 30 years in the financial

world.

So I'd have to say that having
my financial background is very

much into the mix and, where
traditional retirement planning

does involve a little bit of.

not a little bit, but involves
the money side.

but what I like to say is, I
have both the 30 years of

coaching a sales team, so that's
definitely a strength that I

bring into the mix and a little
bit of my financial background

and only because.

I understand what the retirement
conversation is, and what

clients are living on one side,
and I wanna really compliment

the other side of that.

So having seen the financial
side, I know there's definitely

a gap in the conversation, with
clients and financial advisors

and I wanna be able to,
compliment that when they are

retiring.

it's a mix of both, Kathleen.

it's really throwing into the
mix.

The, my financial background, my
coaching background.

I always tell clients, there's
two forms of spending in

retirement.

There's spending of time and
spending of money, and you

really do have to prepare both.

And understanding both sides of
the equation is something that I

think, is what I bring to the
table.

That's, that's a strength for
me.

Kathleen Mundy: that certainly
is a unique approach compared to

many others, so thank you for
sharing that and really

explaining it in detail to us.

Yasmin Nguyen: Toni, with your
extensive experience in the

financial services world, and
I'm curious are you finding that

more advisors are, open to
having these conversations

beyond the financial piece with
their clients, or is that

something that they're looking
for outside expertise to support

them?

Hmm.

Toni Petrillo: are financial
advisors that are starting to

see the importance and the
relevance of incorporating, a

holistic conversation and that
it does entail both the

financial and the lifestyle
plan.

they're not ready to do it
themselves.

and I don't blame them having
run my financial planning team,

I experienced it firsthand as
important as they understood

what it was.

They weren't ready to or even
equipped to have that

conversation with their clients.

a lot of them.

Really started reaching out Hey
Toni, what do you do as a

retirement coach and how can we
work together?

And it's, I have a call this
afternoon and right after this

with a financial advisor, from
one of the major banks here, and

he wants to know a little bit
more about my business and how I

can help him and how we could
work together.

I'm working with a lot
Connections that I've had, my

previous financial planners
where a lot of them are starting

to open up and seeing the
benefits and I've created,

guides and strategies for them
as well so that they could

incorporate it within their
practice without that extra

workload.

So it's basically just giving
them triggers on.

What to look for when you're
having the financial planning

conversation so that you could
see that your client is also

struggling on the non-financial
side.

And if you make it easy for
them, give them the triggers

that they need to look for.

Perhaps some conversation
starters so that they could,

understand but not be the
subject matter expert And know

when to say and bring a,
retirement coach into the

conversation and say, look, I
work very closely with so and so

who's a retirement coach, and
they can help you with some of

these questions, and some of
these issues if you're looking

for help.

Yasmin Nguyen: Yeah.

Toni, have you noticed that
there's, any friction with

regards to adopting, this more
holistic approach and where does

you know some of that friction?

come from,

Toni Petrillo: even the ones
that do see the value, don't

know if they have the time.

they don't know the, and I'll be
quite honest with this, is

what's the, what's in it for me,

Yasmin Nguyen: Yeah.

Toni Petrillo: They're all
financial advisors are all

pretty much, I.

Evaluated on their sales.

I ran that team.

So as much as they understood
and liked the importance of it,

they weren't prepared to really
incorporate it into their

practice and not understanding
the, what's in it for me?

What are the benefits for my
client, what are the benefits

for my practice?

are the three main pillars that
I.

Focus on when I do talk to
financial advisors I really make

them understand, in terms of
what are the benefits for you

and your practice, So one thing
that they're looking for is

client referrals and how hard is
it to get client referrals?

it really does help with.

Clients becoming big ambassadors
of you and your practice.

It helps with client retention
long term.

It helps with, your asset
retention and building trust,

which is the number one and the
most important thing in terms of

the client and financial
advisory relationship.

So I really do emphasize those
three ends.

we go into a little bit more
detail in terms of how they

could incorporate that, but I
make it very easy for them to

spot when a client is struggling
on the non-financial side then

quickly understand what are the
conversation starters that you

can to incorporate me into the
conversation or a retirement

coach, not just myself, but do
your client a favor.

But those are the aspects that I
focus on, and those are the,

answer your question as Yasmin
is the.

the tension I feel is that they
don't know how to incorporate

it.

They don't wanna put in the
work, they don't wanna feel like

a one hour conversation is gonna
turn into a two hour

conversation, so make it easy
for them.

Yasmin Nguyen: Yep.

Kathleen Mundy: Wow.

That is absolutely what we have
found as well.

what you're doing is confirming
to us, we've done so much

research and it's important that
the clients are benefiting.

The advisors, the money managers
are benefiting.

I think it's really important to
be able to tie those two success

stories together.

And what methods have you used,
what tools do you use in,

reinforcing this concept to
your, financial planners?

Toni Petrillo: so I've built out
a few, like I said, a few guides

for them to make it easy.

and the first and foremost, I
have a very honest conversation

with them just like I did I was
their boss and they were my

financial planners.

And I said, how can I make it
easy for you or.

What is it that's stopping you
from having this conversation?

And a lot of times we get right
to the heart of what the problem

is.

I'm not ready to have a two hour
conversation on the

non-financial side.

I'm not equipped to have that
conversation.

I'm not even interested in
having that conversation.

So we really pinpoint what some
of the obstacles are.

then I've just created, based on
their feedback, and I've done a

lot of focus groups and just
meetings, lunch and learns with.

My financial planners and other
advisors and really to uncover a

lot of these little, Questions
and concerns that they have.

And then I built guides and just
conversation starters.

what is the importance of
financial retirement, lifestyle

planning, what is it?

I really, I give them all these
guides and conversation starters

and, email templates so that if
they did have to email a client

to do a follow up, just make it
very easy for them, very turnkey

equip them with just that kind
of conversation.

Toni, you're really making an
impact in the industry and

especially the type of, approach
that you're doing to simplify

this so that it makes it easier
for, those out on the front

lines to be able to at least,
have that conversation and then

get them the support Through you
or others that may be able to

dive deeper.

when you're working with a new
client, what are some of the

things that you've, discovered
is the first starting point to

be able to have a deeper
exploration with them?

they need to have an open
mindset.

And there's three things that I
focus on in my coaching and that

is, mindset is important.

So you have to have that
openness and, be curious.

'cause there are a lot of
opportunities and possibilities

out there, and flexibility.

you really wanna be flexible and
open to change, because you

could explore all the
opportunities out there and if

you're not open to change, then
you won't have a successful

retirement.

so those are the three that I
really work on and I focus, I

start coaching sessions with.

Kathleen Mundy: Because of that,
I wonder if you can share a

story with us that you found one
of your clients had a major

breakthrough using your
techniques.

Toni Petrillo: one of my initial
clients he's a retired lawyer

quite excited about his
retirement and, had all these

grand plans of very big, avid
golfer and was gonna hit all the

golf courses, everywhere and
just, have fun and enjoy the

freedom.

And, he quickly realized that,
once he left his career as a

lawyer, that he really was a
little bit lost Without his

title, he wasn't sure.

He had worked so many years and
his identity was so intertwined

with his career that as much as
he had passions and After a few

months of playing golf, he
realized that it wasn't enough

for him and he didn't understand
why that was.

The big concern is, I have all
this freedom.

I have enough funding to enjoy
my retirement, but I'm not happy

and I don't feel fulfilled.

So we quickly went into a few
exercises that I like to use.

for anybody post-career.

And, and one of them is, who am
I beyond my work activity?

And that really helps you
understand your core values,

your passions.

And we, when we did that
exercise, we realized that he

really likes to coach and to
work with young professionals,

from a mentoring capacity.

So we explored that opportunity
and, Shortly after he ended up

stepping into that role as one
of the mentors for young

professionals in the, some of
the law firms that he used to,

that he knew.

and that's what he is doing
today, is just mentoring young

professionals on all the ins and
outs.

and he's absolutely happy.

And such gratitude that we were
able to get there together.

Kathleen Mundy: that truly is,
an example of success for sure.

Toni Petrillo: was,

Kathleen Mundy: Thank you for
sharing that.

Yasmin Nguyen: Yeah.

Toni, what's been most
fulfilling for you to be able to

support and guide people through
this journey?

Toni Petrillo: For me, it's
really raising the awareness

and, knowing that there are
resources.

and this is where we started at
the beginning is when I did

retire, I was struggling with my
own identity and even though I

had a plan of more or less what
I wanted to do in retirement.

I could imagine with how people
struggle without a plan and just

go into retirement saying, oh, I
have all this freedom.

I don't need to plan.

I think my biggest, I.

Where I get the most joy is
knowing that there are resources

that we're building, and not
just myself, I work very closely

with other retirement coaches as
well.

with one of my colleague
retirement coaches, Jennifer, we

wrote a, retirement workbook
that we built these exercises

together.

and this is out there for them,
so whether they want our

coaching services, if they feel
that whatever.

they're at in terms of
retirement planning.

if they wanna do it themselves
and try to see if they could

plan for it, then our book is
available or other books are

available.

I'm just happy that we are
together raising an awareness

for.

Anybody that is in retirement
and not feeling happy, feeling

alone, feeling disconnected, and
to be honest with you, a lot of

them are very ashamed to put up
or embarrassed to put up their

hand and say, I'm not happy in
retirement, that I'm not sure

why, for fear that people will
judge them.

So knowing that we've created
resources and my practice is

there to help them, I feel very
grateful for that.

Yasmin Nguyen: Wow, that's
really powerful.

Thank.

Thank you, Toni.

Hey, when we talk about all
these different non-financial

challenges and transitions that
people might face as a financial

planner, how do you connect the
dots between those?

experiences that people may be
going through with the

implication of it financially.

as those things come up, like
how do you connect the dots

between, the financial planning
piece with the non-financial

life pieces that's going on in
people's lives?

Toni Petrillo: so this is
something that I used to coach

my financial planners all the
time when I was reviewing their

plans, right?

I would ask them, okay, so
here's your financial plan.

You've created a good map in
terms of how much they're going

to need, annually and live on,
and how long the money will

last.

And then I said, tell me a
little bit more about the

client.

What are their dreams in
retirement?

What do they wanna do?

how do they wanna spend their
time?

and.

They could tell me a little bit
about the client, but not a lot.

They know all the financials.

They know exactly what their
risk profile is and what kind of

investments they like, and we
have to, that's our due

diligence.

We have to get that.

But I said just tell me a little
bit more about the client and

talk to me about them.

And I wait.

And I, the pause is quite long
because they don't have a lot to

say.

So I said, we need to dig a
little bit deeper.

And at the end of the day, the
way I connect the dots, Yasmin,

is I tell them, how can you
actually build a financial plan

for a client if you don't know
what their lifestyle how can you

plan for that if you don't know
that's what they wanna do?

So that's how I connect the
dots.

I.

Kathleen Mundy: So it's always
about a complete understanding.

and a deep one at that and
trying to source out that

information without seeming to,
be judgmental or to invade a

little bit of their privacy.

so I think that's a fine line
when you're an advisor and

you're dealing with, quite
frankly, the unknown for them as

well, because it's a path that
they, from what you've under

just explained, they don't
understand how to navigate that

path.

Toni Petrillo: Exactly.

and at the end of the day, it's
what we've been saying.

Retirement planning today really
has two parts to the equation.

There's the financial plan and
the lifestyle plan, and it's,

you need to prepare for both,
and that's what I tell everyone

right now going forward.

That's what we need to
integrate.

And I challenge that head on
with anybody who I'm speaking to

and is, we have to have those
two parts.

Yasmin Nguyen: And I imagine
along with that, Toni is that

when someone really feels seen
and heard and understood, it

deepens that level of trust as
well.

I.

Toni Petrillo: and that's my
hook with the financial

advisors.

Is I tell them, We're in the
business of building trust with

our clients.

It's not just about the
investments and before they hand

over their portfolio to you.

They have to know that they can
trust you.

And we're in the business of
building trust, and if you only

talk about money, it will solve
money problems.

It won't solve the emotional and
psychological concerns that they

may have.

So you need to dig deeper a
little bit.

Yasmin Nguyen: Wow.

or, Toni, I'm curious what, if
you could just give one piece of

advice for someone who is
preparing for retirement, what

would that be?

I.

Toni Petrillo: So if I've
learned anything in terms of

even my own experience is, um.

you need to have an open
mindset, and you have to look at

what's ahead of you and not what
you're leaving behind.

And, always stay curious and
know what's out there for you.

Be flexible and give yourself
some time to adjust and,

surround yourself with very
inspiring people.

And, that will be a good guide
for you to get started.

for what I feel are the best
chapters in your life.

Kathleen Mundy: Toni, you've
given us so many lessons to take

from this interview.

I'm wondering, what lesson have
you learned from your clients?

Toni Petrillo: I think the
biggest lesson for me, Kathleen,

is that there's really no right
way to retire.

really is individual.

it's a, an individual journey
and it's a very personal journey

for everyone.

If I got anything from my
coaching career in, in, in

coaching in my career is that
everybody is unique and their

retirement journey is going to
be unique as well.

like I said, the key is just
stay flexible.

Remember to embrace change and
be open to it.

And because at the end of the
day, and just embrace what truly

brings you joy and fulfillment.

Yasmin Nguyen: Wow.

this conversation has definitely
brought us joy and fulfillment

as well.

And Toni, we're so grateful that
we get a chance to spend time

together and just the wisdom and
insights that you've been able

to share with us.

Where can our listeners find out
more and learn more about your

work?

Toni Petrillo: sure.

So you can, find me on LinkedIn,
Petrillo Antoinette Petrillo,

it's my full name.

You, I also contribute, on a
regular basis to a, magazine

called Booming Encore.

I.

good friend of mine, Susan
Williams, found that and is

running it.

And, we run a, segment called
Ask a Retirement Coach.

So I often have, contribute to
that segment as well.

And obviously, there's my
website, there's a lot of

resources there, free guides.

Called, Retire With Intention.

So I invite you to take a look
around, take a look at that, and

it's really bent to help people
design a, a, a happy and

fulfilling retirement.

Yasmin Nguyen: Wonderful.

we'll make sure to include all
of those resources in our show

notes so we can access directly.

Kathleen, any final thoughts
before we wrap up?

Kathleen Mundy: every time we
have a conversation, I learn

things and, I, I have learned so
much and it was attitudinal as

much as a hard, fast.

conversation.

I think the one thing that I
learned is to have an open mind

and be flexible and a
reinforcement that everyone's

journey is different, and it
sounds to me as though you're on

top of those, multitude of
changes and opportunities for

people.

So I wanna thank you so much for
bringing those to us today, and

we look forward to hearing more
about what your journey is like.

Toni Petrillo: Absolutely.

It's been a pleasure.

Thank you so much for having
this conversation.

I enjoyed it thoroughly,

Yasmin Nguyen: Thank you for
taking the time to join us

today.

If you enjoyed this episode or
found it valuable, please

subscribe, follow, and leave a
comment or review on your

favorite platform.

If you have friends, clients, or
loved ones who are retired or

thinking about retirement, we
invite you to share this show

with them.

Check out the show notes with
links to resources mentioned in

this episode at
RealRetirementShow.

com.

Remember, retirement is a joyful
journey we get to experience

together.

Join us next week for another
Real Retirement Conversation.