Act II: Dynamic CEO Pens New Role As Playwright

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Donald Loftus had a difficult upbringing in Cleveland, Ohio. His father left him and his two sisters at a young age. His mother worked at Sears and struggled to make ends meet. From grades 1-8, he was a C student.

But in 9th grade, his world changed when a class trip brought him to New York City. His class saw four Broadway plays that weekend and it completely changed his life.

He graduated from Cleveland State University with a degree in theatre and business. Following a first job at The May Department Store Company, he rose up the ranks of the luxury beauty industry eventually serving as the US President/CEO of P&G Prestige, Cosmopolitan Cosmetics, Sanofi Beauté and Gianni Versace Profumi.

But the theatre was now in his blood and he wrote plays every morning from 4 to 7 am before heading off to a demanding job in the c-suite. After retiring from Corporate America in 2018, he has pursued playwrighting on a full time basis. More than 200 productions of his work – a mix of full-length plays, one-act plays and musicals – have been seen by audiences around the world.

Visit his website, www.DonaldLoftus.com, for more on his amazing work.

Empowering Moms: She Left Corporate Real Estate to Launch A Breast Pumping Startup

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Patrice Meagher had a lucrative career in real estate. For 15 years, she worked in New York City as an Executive Vice President at CBRE, one of the world’s largest, corporate real estate firms.

But like other working parents, she struggled with the challenge of balancing her work life and raising a family of four children. A specific pain point in her career — returning to work after maternity leave and breast pumping milk for her new child. Like many new mothers, she was told to pump in the bathroom which she describes as unhygienic, embarrassing and not sustainable. “For me, breast pumping at work was by far the single-most, inefficient thing I did as a working mom. I knew there had to be a way to make it easier.” 

In March, 2020, she left CBRE and founded MilkMate so that other mothers wouldn’t have to choose between family and career due to the challenges of breast pumping at work. Collaborating with engineers, patent attorneys and other experts, the company created an FDA-approved, multi-user breast pumping system built for the workplace wellness room. And with the recent passage of the PUMP for Nursing Mothers Act, MilkMate is helping employers meet the new federal requirements while supporting employees who wish to breast pump in the workplace. Click here to learn more about Patrice Meagher and the unique offerings of MilkMate.

A MilkMate installation in a corporate, wellness room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lawyer to Clown to Children’s Musician: Robert’s Unusual Journey

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Robert Markowitz was a criminal defense attorney in Palo Alto, California. But the work caused him a great deal of stress and he started developing all sorts of physical ailments. So he quit and headed to Mexico to escape the job he hated. When he finally returned to the United States, he was 37-years-old, broke and living with his mother back in his boyhood home in New York.

Going through the help wanted section of The New York Times, he came across an advertisement for a company that would train you to be a clown. So he became “Bobo, The Clown” and he started performing at children’s birthday parties. “Bobo the Clown” eventually made the transition to “Robert, The Guitar Guy.” He has been performing for young children — mostly 3, 4 and 5 year-olds — for over 25 years now.

His latest move — authoring a debut novel called “Clown Shoes.” The story is a fictionalized narrative of Robert’s major life experiences. And like his performances, the book is fast-moving, funny and highly-entertaining. We hope you’ll order a copy on Amazon.

Robert Markowitz’s debut novel, Clown Shoes, was released in June, 2023.

 

On Patrol: Deputy Royce James Trades Financial Service for Public Service

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After growing up in what he describes as the ghettos of Daytona Beach, Royce James spent a decade working as a financial advisor, ultimately reaching the elite level of working with high-net-worth individuals. In spite of that success, he was frustrated by the fact that very few of his clients followed his advice. He knew it was time for a career change, but to what? And was he crazy to leave the security of a solid career for a huge unknown?

One fateful day, looking down at the highway from the Tampa skyscraper where he was working, a revelation struck. Royce saw a line of police vehicles weaving through traffic, blue lights on, and his interest was piqued. Whatever they were doing, it looked cool and he wanted in. That’s when Royce contacted local law enforcement agencies to go on ride-alongs. The very first ride-along, which he describes as “the most mundane law enforcement day ever,” was all he needed to know his next step. He was hooked.

That’s when Royce made the decision to resign from financial service and enter public service. It was a massive uphill climb, moving into his mom’s apartment, going back to a minimum wage job, enrolling in police academy, living on ramen noodles and hot dogs, and slogging through a grueling year-long process that had no guarantee of a job on the other end.

Royce defied the odds at every stage of his career; his grit and determination pulled him through. Today, Deputy Royce James has built a very successful career with the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office in Florida, where his work is regularly chronicled on the Reelz and Peacock show On Patrol: Live. You can tune in and watch him in action every Friday and Saturday night at 9:00 pm ET.

In this episode, Royce discusses how he built his career in financial service, the struggle he faced in making an unlikely career change, and the case he solved that earned him an accolade as Law Enforcement Officer of the Year by the State of Florida.

Second Act Stories theme music: “Between 1 and 3 am” by Echoes

“I Work With My Hands Everyday”…Ex-Consultant Finds Bliss Crafting Custom Furniture

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Sergio Raynal was at the top of his game. With a staff of 25+, he was responsible for KPMG’s real estate and hospitality consulting for Pacific Asia and the West Coast of the United States.

Woodworking was always a hobby and a way to relieve stress from his high-pressure job. But it became a “side hustle” and eventually a full-time pursuit following a falling out with the management team at KPMG.

“The reward is the sense of accomplishment and creation. That’s what I like about working with my hands. I’ll sometimes be bone tired. I feel every ache and pain but at the end of the day there is a great deal of satisfaction that comes from a day well spent in the shop.”

Sergio uses old-world furniture making and cabinetry techniques – never using a nail or screw in his work. You can view his handiwork at www.SergioRaynal.com.

Conference room table built by Sergio Raynal.
Phonograph table created by Sergio Raynal
Custom desk built by Sergio Raynal

 

‘From the Vault’ How Noa Shaw, an Overweight Drug Dealer, Became a SoulCycle Instructor

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We hope you enjoy this ‘From the Vault’ episode, which reintroduces one of our favorite guests: Noa Shaw.

Noa Shaw has led a hard life. Drugs and alcohol took hold of him at an early age. And he has struggled as both a drug addict and drug dealer for most of his adult life.

But eight years ago his life took a turn for the better when he wandered into a SoulCycle studio that was just opening up in Los Angeles. SoulCycle is a fitness company that is the gold standard in cycling workouts.

After his first workout, he was hooked. For three months, he attended every day – sometimes two workouts per day. He lost 100 pounds and got himself into shape both physically and mentally. The team at SoulCycle saw something in Noa and they invited him to audition as a fitness instructor.

At 57 years old, he is the oldest SoulCycle instructor on the planet. And here in New York City, Noa has built a dedicated following of riders that are inspired by him on a regular basis.

He is a certified life coach and in February 2021 released an inspirational book “Stop Thinking Thoughts That Scare You.”

After years of people telling him to write a book, Noa Shaw finally penned “Stop Thinking Thoughts That Scare You.”

Noa Shaw can be reached on Instagram (@noashaw26) or by email (noashaw@mac.com).

Alt Rock Icon Finds New Gig Teaching Music To Toddlers

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Tracy Bonham built a reputation as a “badass rocker” with the debut of  “Mother, Mother,” a powerful anthem that made it to #1 on Billboard’s “Alternative Rock” charts. The song and her “The Burdens of Being Upright” album were nominated for two Grammy awards and led to arena tours with Aerosmith and the Blue Man Group.

But in March 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down live music across the world, Tracy launched Melodeon. The new enterprise is aimed at teaching a younger audience she lovingly calls “young music enthusiasts.” Inspired by Sesame Street, Electric Company and School House Rock, she created an innovative, music education curriculum for pre-school children. In April 2021, Tracy released her first children’s album, Young Maestros along with a series of music videos.

Tracy Bonham’s “Young Maestros” album is filled with entertaining and educational songs with subtle (and not so subtle) music lessons.

Click here to learn more about Tracey, Melodeon and songs like “Feeling Pretty Major,” “I Like Big Beats” and “Let’s Take the Subway.”

Sweeter Days Ahead: How Baking Transformed Janie Deegan’s Life

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In 2009, Janie Deegan returned home from college with a serious alcohol and drug problem. Eventually, she found herself homeless and living on the streets of New York City.

Fast forward to today…she is the owner of “Janie’s Life Changing Baked Goods,” a thriving business with three, NYC bakeries and booming e-commerce division. At the center of her success is the “pie crust cookie” — essentially a baby pie that comes in five, different flavors. Her company and her cookies have been featured on Good Morning America, The TODAY Show, CNN and The New York Times.

The company is dedicated to helping other young women through mentorship and second chance employment. As Janie shares in the podcast, “The person you show up for at the interview is the person we’re looking at. We’re not doing background checks…we have formerly incarcerated employees, homeless staff and those with addiction problems. It’s been really beautiful to see how people blossom when they are given a chance.” 

Janie and the team at “Janie’s Life Changing Baked Goods.”

Interested in trying Janie’s pie crust cookies? They come in apple, pecan, triple berry, chocolate and cherry and can be ordered from www.JanieBakes.com.

Like her second act story, Janie’s “pie crust cookies” are truly amazing.

 

Meet A “Salvage Angel”…Hair Stylist Cuts A New Path In Restoration

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After graduation from high school, Carolyn Curtin enrolled at the Wilfred Academy and received a degree in cosmetology. For years, she worked as a hairstylist. But her path changed in 2002 when she purchased a 100-year-old, Victorian house in Asbury Park, New Jersey and set about restoring it to it’s original glory.

The city was in the midst of a major revitalization and historic buildings were been “clear cut” to make way for progress. Carolyn saw both beauty and historical significance in these structures and she started to extract items of value in advance of the wrecking ball. She began offering items she didn’t need for her own restoration — columns, railings, doors and reclaimed lumber — to others around her. Local Asbury Park Historian Helen Pike gave her the moniker of “Salvage Angel” and that ultimately became the name of her new company.

Carolyn Curtin is Asbury Park’s “Salvage Angel” having saved thousands of historical items from the junkyard.

Today, “Salvage Angel By The Sea” has hundreds of thousands of items for sale — moldings, exterior doors, custom made rugs, stained glass, lighting, plumbing fixtures, tile, furniture, nautical fittings, bathtubs, mantles and housewares. And it’s all things that were headed to the junkyard but Carolyn figured out a way to reclaim and save it for others. It’s housed in a 20,000 square foot former Canada Dry warehouse which Carolyn acquired in 2014.

“Salvage Angel By The Sea” is housed in a 20,000 square foot building that used to be a Canada Dry Warehouse.

In the past seven years, she has also begun renting items to the television/film production industry and her wares have been featured in shows ranging from The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel to West Side Story to Pretty Little Liars. Production crews now represent 70% of the company’s revenue.

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Grateful Ted: A Second Act In Psychedelic Rock Poster Art

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Ted Bahr’s career in magazine publishing and trade show management spans 35+ years. He held senior management positions at publishing giants Ziff-Davis and Miller-Freeman before launching his own firm, BZ Media.

When he sold BZ Media in 2017, he returned to an early passion: the collection of psychodelic, rock poster art. Ted launched the world’s first art gallery to focus on this narrow niche of first-printing posters primarily from 1966-1970. Via the Bahr Gallery, Ted collects and sells works of art designed to promote the concerts of the Grateful Dead, Big Brother and the Holding Company, Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Jefferson Airplane and others. Beautifully framed in museum quality glass, the posters range from $1,000 to upwards of $20,000.

Ted Bahr and renowned, psychedelic rock poster artist Stanley Mouse at the Rock Poster Society Festival in San Francisco

According to Ted, “When I sell these posters, they’re going to somebody who is filled with joy, Probably 35% of my sales are gifts. So people are buying these posters for somebody in their life that has no idea they even exist. They are getting this gift of Santana poster from 1968 — an original poster with the screaming colors beautifully framed. I get massive psychic reward from this.”

 

You can view his amazing collection of 600+ posters online. But the best way to see this art and get a personal tour by Ted, is to visit the Bahr Gallery in Oyster Bay, Long Island (just an hour outside of New York City). A sampling of six posters from the collection are shared below.

A special shout-out to Carl Landau and the “I Used To Be Somebody” Podcast for connecting us with Ted Bahr.