Michael Gunther, Founder and Managing Director, Collaboration, LLC

More Baby Boomers are starting new businesses today than ever before. “Accidental Entrepreneurs” start businesses due to job layoffs or forced early retirement, while “Social Entrepreneurs” start businesses that benefit society. “Encore Entrepreneurs” return to the previous businesses they had founded in order to turn them around. Whether you’re an Accidental Entrepreneur, a Social Entrepreneur or an Encore Entrepreneur, business expert Michael Gunther has practical, inspiring advice for you!

Jan and Malcolm, world travelers, share stories of their cruises aboard Regent's cruise ships

Many people have a cruise around the world prominently on their “Bucket List.”  Jan Johnson and Malcolm Ward describe the wonders and excitement of actually completing a world cruise aboard Regent Cruise Lines in this great episode. Veterans of many cruises, both Jan and Malcolm exemplify the Best is Yet to Be! Tune in and learn some great info about the best and worst places to travel, surprising countries, and how to be a great cruiser!

Jesse Sostrin, PhD, Executive Director, Wilshire Community Services

On Friday October 21, 2011 more than 145 community members and stakeholders came together for the SLO 2025 Senior Symposium – a daylong conversation about the future of aging in San Luis Obispo County. Participants from all walks of life joined together for a series of table discussions, presentations, and educational workshops to learn about the challenges and opportunities facing the community and to explore concrete actions and collaboration needed to address them. This was not just a meeting to talk about problems; it was an interactive dialogue to start solving them.

Jesse Sostrin, PhD is the Executive Director of Wilshire Community Services, and the moving force behind the Symposium. Jesse describes the findings of this first daylong event– some of which are very surprising! If you want to know what seniors really think and want, tune in to this podcast!

Erika Luhr of Kitchen and Bath Works Gives Our First Five Callers Free Shower Grab Bars!

Janna Nichols Talks Photography, Peru and How to Find the Right Camera!

This episode of The Best is Yet to Be focuses on making your kitchen, bath and photography the best it can be! Erika Luhr talks about ways we can modify our homes for aging in place. She has generously offered our first five callers who schedule a free home safety assessment with ResCare HomeCare free designer shower grab bars, including free professional installation! Call Deborah Bayles at 805-550-2023 to schedule an appointment.

Janna Nichols joins us for our second half hour, and discusses her photography exhibit which feature the people and mysteries of Peru, including Machu Picchu. Learn how a hat can tell someone where you live, the significance of the color red, and what type of camera to buy for your next trip!

Dr. Phil Ortiz, Founder, I Care International

Dr. Phil Ortiz is quite simply a miracle worker, although he’s way too humble to look at himself or his work that way. From his start as the son of an immigrant family living out of a boxcar in Illinois, Phil managed to complete an education as an optometrist and build a thriving practice. He later combined his skills, hard-won education and incredible compassion to found I Care International, an organization that travels to developing nations to provide free vision screening and glasses to thousands each year. Hear how you can become involved in this wonderful work, and what steps you can take to preserve your own vision!

Dr. Goro Kato, CalPoly Math Professor and Theoretical Physicist

Dr. Goro Kato is one of the most fascinating, brilliant guest experts to visit The Best is Yet to Be! A true genius, Dr. Kato is a theoretical physicist and a much beloved mathematics professor at CalPoly. While sharing his incisive wit and penetrating insights on life and aging, Goro also shares his theory on the mathematics of consciousness — you must hear this!

The second segment of the show is graced by Kris Kington-Barker, Executive Director of Hospice of SLO and Pet Peace of Mind, an initiative that fosters and places the pets of hospice patients. Two fabulous guests — one fabulous show!

Dale Wolff, former director of County Mental Health; current member of the Vocal Arts Ensemble

Dale Wolff has taken a lifetime of dealing with individuals with the most challenging of mental hardships and turned his experience into song and fulfillment. He is truly an inspirational senior who is leading others to open their hearts and voices to create beautiful music worldwide.

Listen as Dale share stories and samples of his wonderful work in this great episode of The Best is Yet to Be! You’ll be humming along!

Verena Maier, Owner of Verena's Go Gourmet in Arroyo Grande

Here’s another inspiring example of a senior making the rest of her life the best of her life — and what a life it’s been so far! Verena immigrated to America from Switzerland, never having seen the US. She arrived in New York without a job and without knowing a word of English. In this lively, stimulating episode, Verena tells us how she learned English from watching Johnny Carson on TV, how she went on to obtain an MFA from Otis Art Institute, studied art in France on a Fulbright scholarship, and launched some successful businesses. You’ll be amazed, inspired and entertained!

Carl Hansen, Executive Director of the Food Bank Coalition of San Luis Obispo County

San Luis Obispo County has a higher population of seniors compared to other areas of the state, with one in five county residents age 60 or older. Statewide, one in seven residents is a senior, according to the American Community Survey. One-third of the seniors surveyed earned less than $35,000 a year, and 13 percent of seniors said they did not have at least $300 in savings. Even though SLO is viewed as having a high standard of living, more seniors are slipping into poverty each year. An increasing number of local seniors don’t know where their next meal will be coming from. Enter Carl Hansen, Executive Director of the Food Bank Coalition of SLO County and our guest expert for this episode. Carl explains the valuable role of the Food Bank and how we can get involved.

The Food Bank is the only countywide source of nutritious and low-cost food for low-income families, seniors, children, veterans and people with disabilities, and it will serve more than 40,000 county residents in 2011.

Jesse Norris epitomizes a self-made man who shares his love for his wife Delia, a life of service, and an attitude of fun!

Jesse Norris is another inspiring example of a senior making the rest of his life the best of his life. A child of The Depression, Jesse grew up in a small farm town in Missouri, where he went to a one-room schoolhouse and delivered milk each morning, fresh from his family’s cows. He quips that he graduated high school in the top 10 of his class — but there were only 9, after all, in his class. From this hardscrabble start he moved to California, went to Cal Poly and launched a career as an Ag teacher, eventually getting promoted to Deputy County Superintendent of Schools. His astute real estate investments and involvement in founding and serving key community service organizations have propelled him to a place of prominence and respect in the business and civic sectors. Jesse has a fabulous philosophy of life — listen to this show and find out his secret to happiness!