Today we’d like to introduce you to Michelle Ellisor.
Hi Michelle, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started my career as a Marriage and Family Therapist. I worked in a variety of settings including private practice, community mental health and even mental health crisis work. Then I stepped away from that world for quite a while. I honestly wasn’t sure if I ever wanted to go back.
Years later, my dad encouraged me to take on a project with a financial advisor specializing in retirement planning. He saw how I could utilize my background knowledge and skills to work with people in a different way. He was exploring his own retirement plans at the time and thinking about becoming a Certified Retirement Coach, so we were both kind of figuring things out together. He connected me with the financial advisory firm because they wanted to create a presentation for their clients that would help them prepare for the non-financial aspects of retirement. It was during this project that I first became really excited about all the potential of retirement. I realized how many people were not only enjoying their retirement, but also making it one of the most meaningful stages of their life.
After completing that initial project, I started meeting regularly with my dad, just to talk through ideas about helping people plan for this transition. Those conversations were invaluable – he was living what I was starting to teach, and watching him create his own version of retirement became one of my best lessons.
From there, I kept building on the work. I dove into the research, learned from others and from working with individuals, and wove it all together with what I knew about psychology and family systems. The result was a more comprehensive approach to retirement planning that went beyond just the financial piece.
I was going through my own transition at the same time because I was figuring out how I wanted to add this type of work into my already busy life. I began applying the same principles I was teaching to my own life – things like living life according to your own values and redefining your identity. I wanted to let go of ideas about what I “should” be doing, so I could build something at a pace that honors myself, my family and my two kids. My version of success doesn’t look big and flashy, and that’s okay. It feels authentic.
Now I help people plan their next chapter while trying to live that same philosophy myself.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Is the road ever smooth? One of my biggest challenges was figuring out how to ease into this work and how much I could take on. When I’m excited about something, it is easy for my to become completely absorbed and to let other things go, but I knew I couldn’t do that. I was already working at a job that I really enjoyed when I decided to take that first project. I’ve had to move much more slowly than would come naturally. I am also very involved in my children’s lives. I volunteer often at their school and I’m a fulltime soccer/baseball mom. I didn’t want to give any of that up. This is where living some of the same principals that I teach has become really important. I prioritize my life according to my values. I am also really conscious of my mental and physical wellbeing. I’m definitely not perfect at any of this, but I’m constantly working on it. If you ask my friends, they will tell you that I’m clueless about the latest TV shows, music and pop culture news. I need my sleep, and I don’t want to give anything else up so I don’t watch much TV. This is just the phase of life I’m in right now.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a Retirement & Transition Specialist which means I help people prepare for a retirement life that is personally meaningful and fulfilling. Most retirement advice is focused solely on the financial aspects of retirement, while ignoring all of the social and emotional aspects of going through a major life change. There is relevant research and best practices that can be utilized to plan a retirement life that is not just fun, but also fulfilling and healthy. Healthspan has become just as significant as lifespan in planning for retirement, so I also focus on that.
I started out primarily giving workshops and presentations on preparing for retirement. I have added in private coaching, which has been really impactful. I am always looking to bring new ideas and information into the work I do, so I am constantly learning. I have big plans, including creating a more comprehensive online course, but I am being thoughtful about how I expand.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I’m always reading or listening to audio books. I recently really enjoyed “Detach” by Bob Rosen. Age Wave is a great resource for research on modern Retirement. Exercise and friendship are also an important resource for me personally, because they help keep me creative and inspired.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mellisor.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelleellisor/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MichelleEllisor
