Pelican Persistence and Glass-Ceiling Breakthroughs: Kathy Sperl-Bell’s Guide to Winning at Work and Retirement

Kathy Sperl-Bell has an abstract painting called “Dinner Time.” In it, a Pelican stares down into the sea as dark shadows betray the location of fish who, unbeknownst to them, are in serious jeopardy. What strikes me about this particular Pelican is his ability to keep his eye on the prize. His hunger is evident. That patient facade is a practiced skill, not a breezy indifference. He knows that accomplishing his goal will require calm focus and repeated effort. Dinner won’t come easy, but if he refuses to quit, his belly will eventually be full.  I don’t know if Kathy had all this in mind when her acrylic brush first touched the wrapped canvas, but it certainly would be apropos of her own story. As a woman trying to succeed in business in the 1960s, it’s amazing her head isn’t scarred from banging against all those glass ceilings. But like that pelican, she never quit. Each challenge strengthened her resolve. Finally, when the moment was right, she founded Active Adults Realty in Delaware in 2009, an independent real estate brokerage focused on helping Baby Boomers plan for retirement. It was a hit.  In 2021, she and her husband, Bill, sold the business and retired to The Florida Keys, where she spends her time focused on core pursuits like blogging about travel and retirement, painting, yoga, pickleball, and listening to as much jazz as she can get her hands on.  There may be plenty of fish in the sea, but they aren’t always so easy to catch. Kathy Sperl-Bell’s inspirational story is full of heartache, hope, hard work, and happiness. Maybe yours is, too. 00:00-Journey to Real Estate 02:42-Live from the Airstream 11:12-“I Don’t Want Any Obligations.” 12:40-A Trip of a Lifetime 16:25-Bucking the Tongue 19:22-From an In-Flight Detective to Director 24:32-A Shared Love of Jazz 26:29-Active Adults Realty 29:45-What Does “Retirement” Mean? 31:29-The Accessibility of Pickleball 34:13-MyRetirementStories.com 36:26-A True Partner 40:11-Perseverance Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices