Which working mom do you know who has it all together? I can't think of anyone. Oh wait…why don’t we ask the same question about dads? Why aren’t they called working dads?   Being a parent is an incredibly fulfilling experience, but it comes with a heck of a lot of challenges, none of which you can ever be fully prepared to face. But the truth is working moms face different challenges, not just in their homes, but also, especially in the workplace. Gender bias, ageism, imposter syndrome, and...

The term "Silver Tsunami" has gained prominence in recent years, signifying a considerable demographic change with far-reaching impacts. This phenomenon refers to the rapid increase in the aging population, primarily due to the aging baby boomer generation. But we like “The Super Age” as a description better for obvious reasons. A quarter of the U.S. labor force will be 55 or older by 2030. This presents new challenges for employers, with many boomers exiting the workforce and taking the...

“Anything worth doing is worth doing slowly.” - Mae West  Do you feel like you're constantly running on the treadmill of life? Not sure how to pause and stop feeling like you always have to be doing something? Anyone else just tired…all the time? In this ultra-modern world, we are encouraged to be busy, juggle tasks, and be as productive as humanly possible. It's not always easy to slow down when everyone around you is going fast, but it turns out that slowing down is exactly what we need...

Do you want to make a living doing more of what you love? Are you ready to discover the joy of solopreneurship and the freedom it brings? Have you been curious about whether you can take a side hustle into a primetime slot? Today's episode features Larry Cornett, a Business Advisor and Leadership Coach. He works with frustrated employees who dream of leaving their 9-5 jobs and launching their own businesses someday. Larry spent over two decades in the Silicon Valley tech industry at top...

Note: Due to tech issues with my headphones and microphone, my audio on this show isn’t of the typical quality for It Gets Late Early. But Dan sounds great! If you love comedy and work in tech, you must have watched HBO's Silicon Valley. If you haven't…fix that immediately, but it's a show about the struggles of Richard Hendricks, a Silicon Valley founder and engineer trying to build his own company, Pied Piper. The comedic genius of that show is straight-up legendary! Today, I have Dan...

You may not consider yourself old at 40, but you begin to think about it when you see most of your co-workers in their 20s or 30s being commended for their youthful “energy,” “enthusiasm,” or “hunger.” Many employees strive for success in mid-life and beyond, but they also regularly struggle with varying degrees of ageism - and it’s especially bad at the workplace.  If ageism is an issue in your organization, what can you do? How can you challenge stereotypes about aging and show that people...

Have you ever felt like you’re checking all the boxes in life to be considered a success, but you’re still left feeling unfulfilled? Do you ever think to yourself, well, as soon as I get this promotion, or as soon as I make some money, I’ll be happier…but then that thing happens, and you’re still feeling empty? Do you ever wonder whether the stress was worth it? Stress is an ever-present challenge for us all in modern-day life, and rampant in the high-pressure tech world. No matter your...

Not sure if your resume and interview skills are up to par to land you your next great role? Bryan’s courses will give you everything you need. Use coupon code "GETSLATEEARLY" for a 10% discount. Imagine planning to buy a new house in the new city where you’ve moved for your new job, when, all of a sudden, you’re told you’re being let go. You thought you were being called into a regular meeting, and then they dropped the bomb. Losing a job is often a stressful and overwhelming experience,...

Have you ever questioned whether you're in the right company or on the right career path? Are you suffering from burnout or feeling trapped in a toxic work environment and need to talk to someone but have no one to turn to whom you can trust? Today, I have an HR expert turned content creator who knows precisely what that's like, and she's here to offer sound advice on how you can survive as an employee in Corporate America - in a hilarious, candid way. Leigh Elena Henderson - who, despite...

Ever wondered what it's like working on Wall Street? The allure of working in the finance realm endures. But why would a guy leave Wall Street to work in a tech startup or, specifically, a company all about fertility and family planning?  Today, I have Anthony Franzese, who has embarked on an unlikely and interesting career path. He started his career on Wall Street and later landed in the tech space at Headspace. He now works as a Strategic Partnership Executive at Stork Club, a...

Although stereotypes about older people proliferate in our culture, employers are not supposed to rely on them when making workplace decisions. Several state and federal laws prohibit employers from discriminating against employees based on age, gender, or race. Still, age and other forms of bias are prevalent in tech and other industries. What protection do older workers have? What exactly does the ADEA (Age Discrimination in Employment Act) say about age discrimination? Today, I have...

Today’s episode features a good friend and tech veteran, John Parisi, who is 63 and currently applying for tech jobs. Although he started working at practically the same age as everyone else, he woke up one day wondering, "When did I become the old man at these companies?"  A decade ago, I was THAT person who made fun of him for being the oldest guy in the workplace. Now, I join his ranks as an "old person" in tech. And that is what we call karma. So, now we wonder, “Is there hope for...

Today’s episode features millennial comedian and tech sales icon Ross Pomerantz, also known as Corporate Bro, or, increasingly, Corp. After selling SaaS solutions in Silicon Valley, Ross exited the full-time tech sales employee route in favor of focusing on, well, a lot of other stuff: comedy, filmmaking, advising, investing, speaking, acronyms, writing, and more… but, mostly, influencing (sorry Ross, had to).  He also recently launched an impressive project, an eight-part comedy web...

As we continue to explore what it’s like to get older in tech, we’ll get stories and insights from people who have seen and experienced it firsthand while working at a range of companies in many different cities and regions. Today’s show features a conversation with my friend, Matt Curtis. He is essentially a Silicon Valley native who started his career in tech 25 years ago. Matt is now 46 years old, and he reports widespread anxiety for older peers looking to interview in tech companies...

Over the last year, top talent has flooded the market after a string of tech layoffs, making things more difficult for everyone from the unemployed to the unhappily employed. Given the headlines, it might come as a surprise to know that some people have been able to find and land not just any job, but fantastic jobs in tech…and today’s guests are here to tell us how we can do it too. Yes, even if you’re over 40 in the tech world. Julie Chase and Mai Hoang of Dream Job Catcher are with me...

In raising the topic of the experience of aging in tech, a big question loomed for me: “What do experienced older workers bring to the table for their employers?” Today's guest has made answering this question his life’s work.  Daniel Jolles, a one-time tech consultant, is a researcher in behavioral science at the London School of Economics (LSE), studying to get his Ph.D. in Psychology. Daniel’s studies apply behavioral science to age-diversity efforts and age inclusion in the workplace....

Today we have a special guest, Devin Moonbeam (a pseudonym, her choice!). She is an accomplished VP of Marketing in her 50s who has had a long career in the tech industry. Devin will share why getting older in tech is tough, especially for women. She points out the root causes of this issue and candidly shares what she has seen and experienced. But despite these challenges, she has had a killer career due to her talents, confidence, and mindset. Devin will call out ways older applicants hurt...

Looking for a job but realizing they seem to be looking for someone…younger? In this episode, I sit down with “The Burnout Coach,” Lori Prutsman, who worked as a tech recruiter at multiple agencies, and within tech itself at both Amazon and Booking.com. She left tech after experiencing burnout - in part due to her own fears of ageism - and now coaches clients across all industries about how to avoid burnout and live well. Lori shares what it felt like being an older employee at Amazon,...

Do you work in the tech industry and worry that you're considered old, even though you may not even be 40 yet? Do you feel like younger colleagues are getting all the opportunities and promotions while you are worrying about “aging out” of tech before you can even retire? If so, you're not alone. Welcome to It Gets Late Early, a podcast about the experience of aging as an employee in the tech world. I'm your host, Maureen Wiley Clough, and I know what it's like to feel "old" for...

Have you ever looked around the proverbial Zoom room at your tech company and found yourself to be among the oldest there, despite not being even close to “old?” Have you worried about “aging out” of tech if you don’t reach a certain title by a certain time?  What is “old,” anyway? Well, it turns out that in the tech sector…it gets late early. Really early.  If you have had these thoughts, made similar observations, or harbored some fear about aging in the tech world, you’re far from alone....