Looking Forward Our Way

"Tax Fairness for Homeowners": "We need to keep senior citizens in their homes or disabled folks or veterans so they get to keep their homes by doing something for the property taxes so they don't get taxed out of their houses." - State Senator Bill DeMora

In this episode, we look into the pressing issue of the housing crisis and its impact on property taxes in Ohio. Joining us is Ohio State Senator Bill DeM...

In this episode we welcome back Tammy Wharton, President and CEO of Girl Scouts of Ohio's Heartland, to give an update on the Dream Big initiative and the new STEM Leadership Center at Camp Ken-Jockety.

Tammy shares the excitement surrounding the opening of the building and its functional purpose, emphasizing that it serves not only the girls but also the wider community and youth in Central Ohio.

Top takeaways

1. STEM Leadership Ce...

Facing Retirement: "But isn't it interesting that once you retire, as we call it, right, and you leave that organization...you're faced with that "what am I gonna do now?" Well, what do I wanna do? Well, you haven't thought about it because remember, those thirty years, they were spent all about the organization, all about the next career move, the promotion, the stock options, the 401k." - Eric Pennington, Spirit of EQ...

Rethinking Retirement: "People now look at that phase of life after you leave your career, 65 or older, could be 55 or older, as an opportunity to live life differently than you have before." Mark Matson

We sit down and talk with Mark Matson about transitioning into new phases of life and building a rewarding encore career while giving back to the community. As Mark nears 70, he finds himself with more time for personal interests li...

What steps should you take if you suspect your identity has been stolen?

We are joined by guest Victor Russell, Operations Manager at Apprisen, to explore the pervasive issue of financial scams and how individuals can protect themselves.

The discussion covers various scams, primarily targeting seniors, such as the "grandparent scam" where victims are manipulated into sending money continuously until they realize they have been decei...

Our focus is on VOICECorps, an essential service for individuals with visual impairments in Ohio.

Featuring guests Mark Jividen, the Executive Director, and Dana Sims, the Marketing and Development Director, the episode explores the organization's impactful work, its adaptation to new technologies, and the crucial role of volunteers.

Mark Jividen starts by discussing how the prevalence of blindness has shifted over time. Previously,...

The federal government created individual retirement accounts (IRAs) in the mid-1970s as a retirement savings vehicle. Over time, the financial landscape has changed, impacting tax consequences and distribution rules for IRAs, especially inherited non-spousal accounts.

We welcome expert Larae Schraeder from Schraeder Law to discuss Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) and the associated financial and tax consequences, particularly ...

"In Ohio, small businesses drive $1,700,000,000 of economic impact. And in 2023, Ohio jobs create or Ohio businesses small businesses created 10,747 new jobs in 2023."

Brett Johnson and Carol Ventresca invite Kelly Fuller, a seasoned guest expert and the Senior Vice President of the Columbus Chamber Foundation, to discuss entrepreneurship. Emphasizing local resources, Kelly provides a wealth of recommendations for those starting or...

We are thrilled to present an episode rich with insights for aspiring and current entrepreneurs, with tips from several local experts. Each guest brings a wealth of experience and valuable advice for those looking to start or grow their businesses in Ohio.

We begin by discussing the significance of self-confidence and the myriad of questions that come with starting a business. Our first guest, Katie Ellis, the president and CEO of t...

Welcome to the new year!

We are celebrating our five-year mark as we enter 2025.

We began during the COVID-19 pandemic and have since produced over 124 episodes.

We appreciate our loyal listeners and enjoy making the podcasts.

We emphasize the importance of having the right co-host and maintaining a good rhythm in their conversations.

Our podcast focuses on interviewing experts to provide valuable information to listeners.

We encourage l...

How can the death of a spouse affect the surviving partner's financial stability and credit score, and what steps can be taken to mitigate these impacts?

We discuss financial challenges facing Ohioans aged 50 and over, with a specific focus on surviving spouses. Featuring consumer law attorney Laura Nesbitt, the episode focuses on the financial instability that can arise after the death of a spouse, emphasizing the importance of man...

The latest episode of "Looking Forward Our Way" features an engaging discussion about the pivotal role of advisory councils in addressing the needs of older adults at the state and local levels.

The episode brings together Anna Tobin and Melissa Owens, two prominent figures in the aging services sector, to share their insights and experiences. Grant Ames, Government and Community Relations Manager at the Central Ohio Area Agency on...

"This was a a really strong convening then for employers and education to to better communicate and then plan on how to improve that connectivity between graduating students and employment."

We welcome guest experts John Hambrick, Work-Based Learning Coordinator at the Educational Service Center (ESC) of Central Ohio, and Lauren Stowe Jones, Senior Director of K-12 Partnerships at Columbus State Community College.

John Hambrick, who ...

Employee resource groups (ERGs) are vital in providing support to veterans, helping them feel less isolated and more integrated into their new work environments.

We sit down with Ronnie Bailey, the Human Resources Manager at Bullen Ultrasonics, to talk about a critical topic during this National Veterans and Military Families Month: the value of veterans in the civilian workforce.

We explore the challenges veterans face when transiti...

Empowering Voters: Understanding Campaign Financing, Fair Districting, and Poll Participation

Brett and Carol chat with Jen Miller, the Executive Director of the League of Women Voters Ohio, about the nitty-gritty of ballot issues and voting policies.

Jen talks about a cool bipartisan effort to draft a new amendment (Issue 1), mentioning notable figures like Maureen O'Connor and Yvette McGee Brown. This amendment has some serious bac...

In this episode, we are joined by Josh Kinzel from Seniority Benefit Group to discuss key changes and updates for Medicare Open Enrollment 2024, highlighting how these alterations might impact current and prospective enrollees.

Josh Kinzel brings 18 years of experience, with a focus on Medicare for the past 16 years. He assists individuals with the often intimidating and multifaceted choice of Medicare plans, alleviating concerns wi...

Are you curious about how Central Ohio plans to evolve its transportation network to support future growth?

MORPC leads strategic transportation planning and coordinates the allocation of federal transportation dollars to local governments.

Our guest, Maria Schaper, is the Transportation Study Director at the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC). The central focus is the upcoming levy and its significance for the region’s f...

We are joined by career expert Sharon Hamersly to discuss how artificial intelligence (AI) can be a crucial tool in the modern job search, while also emphasizing its limitations and the critical role of human input.

**Crutch Words in AI Writing**

A common issue with AI-generated content: the over-reliance on generic phrases and crutch words such as "consequently" and "furthermore." These phrases can result in writing that appears ins...

**Disaster Preparedness**: "If we are separated and a disaster occurs, where's our meeting place a little bit away? Right? Where are those 2 or 3 meeting places in the 20 mile radius, 50 mile radius, where we know that you're gonna be if I can't reach you." — Cory Paul 

We welcome Cory Paul, the Executive Director of the Greater Columbus Chapter of the American Red Cross. We discuss a range of crucial t...