As seen in October 2023 Senior Times, Volume 42 – Issue 10
The word “encore” often refers to the successful completion of a symphony or the riveting end of a dramatic theater production or other performance. For many seniors today who choose to move from one career path to the next, encore careers are also a sign of the value of a completed performance and the recognition of success for a job well done as well as awareness of the new and exciting acts to follow.
Carol Ventresca and Brett Johnson are two central Ohio seniors who after successful original careers have teamed up to create and enjoy their interesting encore careers together.
Ventresca has reinvented her career more than once. She attended Otterbein College (now Otterbein University) in Westerville, Ohio majoring in sociology and psychology. After graduation, Ventresca became a member of the administrative staff of the Ohio Bureau of Employment Services (now known as the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services). Her job responsibilities included helping to match individuals in need of work with employers in need of skilled workers.
This focus on workforce development and career programming eventually led her to The Ohio State University where she advised students in the age range of 18 to 80: from freshman orientation to adult continuing education. Her responsibilities at the Ohio State University Office of Continuing Education involved increasing educational opportunities for nontraditional students, supporting adult students who were returning to higher education, enabling individuals to complete their academic degrees, and promoting lifelong learning.
After 30 years in state service, Ventresca opted to retire. However, she wanted to try using her skills in what she described as “a retirement adventure.” She became the Executive Director of Employment for Seniors (EFS). The team members of this Central Ohio nonprofit offered support for individuals aged 50 and beyond in their search for encore careers and employment.
“My work as a nonprofit director brought many new responsibilities, including fundraising, grant writing, event planning, updating technologies, and volunteer management. Many surprises appeared along the way.”Carol Ventresca
One surprise was a new EFS marketing tool. The “Successful Encore Career” (SEC) podcast program co-hosted by Ventresca and Brett Johnson, a member of the EFS Board of Trustees. Ventresca and Johnson created over 120 programs for thousands of listeners over three years. The podcasts marketed EFS services highlighted events and featured local employers. Over 100 guest speakers provided listeners with information on how to be successfully employed.
Ventresca retired from EFS shortly before the 2020 pandemic shuttered the non-profit, along with its SEC program. Ventresca’s former co-host reached out to her with an idea for a new podcast program called “Looking Forward Our Way” (LFOW). The LFOW podcast provides information that targets adults over age 50. The goal of the LFOW podcast is to determine and address the important issues affecting older adults in our community. And transform the educational and informational world of seniors. Ventresca said that this podcast has launched her second encore career.
Brett Johnson is a graduate of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. “My major was Mass Communication, but I’m not sure if that’s even a major anymore,” laughed Johnson.
“I always loved listening to the radio, and I grew up watching ‘WKRP in Cincinnati’ episodes on television. That show was my major inspiration to work in radio broadcasting.”Brett Johnson
After working at a variety of radio stations, Johnson learned that stations can change their formats quickly. A station that featured rock-and-roll music one day could become a country music station overnight. When the music format changed, the on-air rock-and-roll personalities were fired and replaced by new on-air personalities for the country music format.
“I noticed the station managers didn’t fire the salespeople. The station managers kept sales staff because they knew how to bring money into the business. So, I decided to change from on-air broadcasting to sales,” said Johnson. He is also the married father of two now-adult children.
Johnson worked for nearly 22 years as a local sales manager for the North American Broadcasting Company (NABCO) which now includes popular radio stations WRKZ (99.7 The Blitz), Active/Mainstream Rock, WJKR-FM (Country 103.9), WMNI-AM 920 (Fox Sports Radio Columbus), and WJKR-HD2 on 94.1FM (Star 94.1).
In 2002, Johnson became a Board Member of EFS (where he worked with Ventresca). He was President of the EFS Board of Trustees from 2011 until 2017.
While at NABCO, he began using his 30+ years of knowledge in content creation, sales and marketing skills, and became a consultant to entrepreneurs and a variety of business owners who sought Johnson’s expertise in developing their own podcast programs.
In 2016, he realized that his creative podcast development sideline was growing so much that he could no longer “do justice” to his work at NABCO. “I gave my 2-week notice, and ‘on my last day, I didn’t even go in, spending the entire day working on my encore business. I absolutely love what I do!” Johnson exclaimed. He is now the full-time self-employed owner of Circle270 Media Podcast Consultants. And partners with Ventresca to produce the “Looking Forward Our Way” podcast.
Ventresca and Johnson suggest that you learn more about how to get to your encore career. Take a listen to these episodes from their podcast.
Like any performance encore, as we discover encore careers, we definitely are worth of some applause.
For more information visit Circle270Media Podcast Consultants and Looking Forward Our Way. and
Mary Anne White is a local freelance writer and frequent contributor to Senior Times.
