Too Young to Retire, Too Old to Take Orders? Yeah, Me Too.

Here’s how I’m dealing with it and why I call this site Redefining Retirement…

Redefining Retirement isn't specifically about retirement — the 401ks, IRAs, or golfing all day. It's not about whether you want to retire or even can right now. It's more about making a change you can actually live with for the rest of your life and looking for ways to get paid on your own terms.

Maybe you got laid off or downsized or whatever. Or maybe you're just sick of the BS and looking for something different, like I was back in 2013. You want to do something that feels better, make more money, whatever.

Either way, the key is this: if you're going to make a change anyway, you might as well work toward things you actually love to do that also support the lifestyle you want now and down the road.

There's that old saying, “if you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life.”

I've reinvented myself multiple times. The last time I knew I needed out of the cubicle, I told myself: if I'm doing this again, I'm working on stuff I actually want to do. Stuff that could eventually support a retirement. So yeah, I do want to retire someday, but in the meantime, why not build toward something I enjoy?

That's what I've spent the last 10-15 years doing. Finding stuff I like to work on, that's marketable, that supports my lifestyle, and finding people I like working with then letting the rest sort itself out (for example, this newsletter and my podcast check these boxes).

The goal is to put myself in a position where whether I can retire or not, I'll still feel like I'm already retired because I actually like the shit I do. It gives me the flexibility to do it whenever and wherever I want, on my own terms.

That's why I'm always trying new things. I'm endlessly curious. I like to tinker, reminisce, philosophize, and geek out about things with other people.

That's what all my content is about - the blog, newsletter, videos, podcasts, etc. It's a diary of the things I'm working on and philosophizing around getting paid on my own terms while trying to have some fun and not take things so damn seriously along the way.

Sign up and come hang out…

Our 5 Pillars of Redefining Retirement

1. Job Security Was Always a Myth
   The job-for-life thing isn't coming back — I learned that the hard way, watching people who worked harder than me get shown the door. I'm not saying go start a company. I'm saying don't put all your eggs in one employer's basket, because they sure won't return the favor.

2. AI Needs Your Grey Hair
   AI without real-world experience is just expensive autocomplete. Decades of doing actual work gave me the thing AI can't fake — judgment, and knowing which questions to ask. I'm not here to tell you AI is the end of the world or the answer to everything. I just use it, mess it up sometimes, and tell you what's actually useful.

3. Platforms Come and Go. Email Sticks Around.
   I've watched people build huge followings on platforms that changed the rules — or disappeared — overnight. Email's the one thing that's stuck around through every shift I've seen. Not exciting, but it's mine, and nobody can bury it in an algorithm change.

4. Build Things, Not Just a Resume
   A resume is a list of things you did for someone else. I'd rather spend time on stuff that keeps paying off after I've moved on — newsletters, courses, whatever. Things that compound instead of resetting every two weeks.

5. Retirement Isn't the Finish Line
   I'm not "done," and I'm not trying to be. The goal isn't to quit working — it's to get to a point where it doesn't matter whether I "have to" or not, because I'm doing stuff I'd do anyway.

Who Is Redefining Retirement For?

This is for Gen Xers who are:

• Too Young To Retire: You're not ready to quit working quite yet, but you're done with the corporate rat race.

• Too Experienced For BS: You're tired of watching less qualified people become your boss or take your job just because they're younger.

• Too Smart To Wait: You know there's a better way than grinding it out for the next 15-20 years hoping your 401k holds up.

I'm not going to tell you I've got this all figured out, or that there's some replicable formula. What I can tell you: I went from being the guy in the cubicle to running my own thing, and most days it doesn't feel like work. If anything I've found along the way is useful to you — that's the whole point of this.

Uh, Ok?! Who the hell are you?

I'm Corey Koehler (sounds like KAY-ler), and man, have I been where you are. I'm a guy who:

• Worked the floor in a foundry before any of this. Pouring metal, shift work, LOTS of heat, the whole thing.

• Got fed up as a mechanical draftsman watching my designs save the company thousands (while I got a measly raise and the old "pat on the back")

• Turned my frustration into a six-figure one-person business managing Googles Ads and Digital Marketing for clients in a crap ton of niches.

• Started making and marketing music in my late 30s (yeah, really - two albums and 100+ shows later)

• Built a few different income streams by just writing about stuff I actually cared about — fantasy football, music, digital marketing.

Most importantly, I'm the guy who figured out how to turn decades of experience and stuff I love learning about into income without the typical entrepreneurship cringe (something I suffered through in my network marketing/MLM days). No fancy MBA needed, no complicated business plans - just taking what I already knew and adding some digital tools to make it work.

And now I'm doing the same thing with some AI mixed in — same curiosity, same approach. Some of it works, some of it's a waste of time, and I'll tell you which is which.

Best Issues And Stories

Still not sure if Redefining Retirement is your thing? Here are some reader favorites that'll give you a taste of what we're about:

• Gen X: The Unexpected Winners of the AI Revolution: Everyone's freaking out about AI, but here's the thing - we're the original internet adapters. I show you how the OGs of internet adaptation are perfectly positioned to profit from artificial intelligence.

• How I Built a One-Person Business at 50 with Blogs and Newsletters: Starting with a couple of blogs about fantasy football and music, I'll show you how I went from a $40K desk job to running a one-person business I love (for over ten years now).

• How to Monetize a Newsletter: The 2025 Gen X Income Guide: Stop leaving money on the table. I break down the exact 'Gen X' way to turn your email list into spendable cash—from sponsorships to digital products—without acting like a desperate influencer.

• The "Quiet" AI Side Hustle Perfect for Gen X: Trading time for money is a young man’s game. Here is why the 'Quiet Business' model (using AI + Beehiiv) is the smartest play for us 40-somethings who want to build an asset, not just another job.

• Honest Beehiiv Review 2025: Why I Ditched WordPress: I tested them all so you don't have to. Here is the no-BS breakdown of why I run my entire business on Beehiiv, plus the pros, the cons, and a 20% off code if you decide to jump in.

• AI Newsletter Fast-Track: Step-by-Step Guide: You don't need to quit your job or post every day to start a newsletter. I show you the exact 'One Post, Two Platforms' system I use to build a growing asset in just a few hours a week. No burnout allowed.

• The ChatGPT Newsletter Strategy (Audience to Income Map): Most people fail because they start writing before they have a plan. I created a custom ChatGPT prompt that maps out your entire business model—niche, growth, and income potential—before you ever hit publish.

And yeah, when you subscribe, you get access to every story, strategy, and AI shortcut in the archive. It's all there for you to dig into.

Redefining Retirement (My) Guarantee

Bottom line, I see a lot of 40 and 50-year-olds out there who are stuck in jobs they don’t like, getting passed up because of their age and looking for more out of life.I was stuck in jobs I hated too.

I am constantly trying different things to do make my work more meaningful and connect with people interested in doing the same.

Here's my promise:

• Weekly Value: Every Sunday, you get something you can actually use.

• Real Talk Only: No corporate buzzwords, no "hustle culture" cringe, just practical strategies that work (and if you hear any cringe, please call me out).

• Crash Test Dummy: As AI and digital tools evolve, I'm constantly testing what works (and what doesn't) and sharing it all with you.

• Complete Transparency: I share everything - the wins, the face-plants, and all the shortcuts I discover along the way.

Hit reply anytime and tell me what you're stuck on — I read and respond to every email. I don't have all the answers, but whatever I do have, I'll share with you.

Ready to join us?

P.S. Still on the fence? I reply to every email. Sign up and tell me what you're working on—I'd love to hear it.