(Updated from June 28, 2021 Post)

In January 2016, after 36 years, I retired from my social work career. Not knowing what I wanted to do in my retirement, I began speaking to colleagues who had already retired and were really enjoying themselves. Their stories were so fascinating that I ended up interviewing 100 people from all walks of life, from coast to coast, in Canada and the US. After the interviews, I analyzed their stories, did further research, and published Life 3.0: Protirement NOT Retirement (available on Amazon). The book tells the story of how Baby Boomers have reinvented retirement and why I renamed retirement “Protirement”. Protirement is simply defined as “doing what is fulfilling in the third chapter of our lives”.

Protirement is no longer a destination like a retirement had been for previous generations. It has now become the third chapter of our life and depending on when we protire and how long we live, we may live up to a third of our lives in protirement. Yes, a third of our lives. Therefore, it is very important to be active and doing what we really want to do during these years.

I developed a Protirement Checkerboard with 17 protirement activities that people choose from to develop their own “mini” protirement checkerboards. These Checkerboards are constantly changing during Protirement. My initial Protirement Checkerboard included being a researcher, writer and public speaker. Once I finished writing the book and did the speaking circuit, I began looking for other protirement activities to add to my personal Checkerboard. Taking the advice of the 100 people that I interviewed, I began looking for opportunities to do what I was passionate about: being a change agent in the not-for-profit sector.

I knew at this point in my life, I did not want to set up my own consulting firm, but I did want to consult and help not-for-profits who were experiencing challenges. That is when I was introduced to The Osborne Group. I quickly found out that The Osborne Group was where I belonged and how I could offer my expertise to the not-for-profit sector within a team environment. Osborne is a multi-functional team of experts who leverage their collective wisdom and contacts. Everyone on its team has 20 or more years of varied for-profit, not-for-profit or public-sector experience, as well as 8 or more years at the executive level.

Between 2017 and 2021 I worked with a variety of organizations assisting them with strategic plans, organizational development, and interim leadership. In June 2021, I thought it was time to end my consulting career and follow other Protirement interests. That lasted less than six months when I realized that I was really not ready to stop contributing as a consultant. The Osborne Group welcomed me back with open arms and for another four years I have enjoyed working with numerous not-for-profit organizations.

I have now decided that it is time (once again) for me to move onto other Protirement activities and express my appreciation to all of my Osborne colleagues and clients. Thank you for contributing so many fond memories to the first (and second) phase of my Protirement life. If you are looking for an organization comprised of compassionate and caring individuals with a wide range of non-profit and business expertise to assist your agency, or a consulting firm to join, have a serious look at The Osborne Group. You won’t be disappointed.

As I prepare to leave The Osborne Group, I am updating my Protirement Checkerboard. It now includes other Protirement activities like travel, landscape painting, exploring podcasts with my wife, time with family (3 great kids and 5 amazing grandchildren, with number 6 due in October) and being a volunteer advisor with Catalyste+ an international group of mentors and advisors. I have also joined the board of a small not-for-profit life lease organization supporting seniors with housing issues.

Protirement is a time to keep active, follow your passions and your dreams. The Osborne Group has played an important part in my Protirement life. It is now time to follow other passions.

“You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.” – Buckminster Fuller

“Protirement is the new model of Retirement!” – Ellis Katsof ([email protected]) 

You can learn more about The Osborne Group and our services for both not-for-profit and business services at our website www.osborne-group.com.