After seeing my father struggle with retirement following my mom’s passing, I discovered my true calling: helping others create the retirement they deserve.

I’m Mike, a professional retirement coach with deeply personal calling to help people live out a meaningful next chapter.

I’m a father and adventurer who’s grateful for having explored over 50 countries. I know firsthand what successful life transitions look like because I’ve lived them.

My journey took me from cooking in luxury hotels across four continents—including a Michelin-starred property in Jersey, Channel Islands, to hotels in Whistler, Japan, Australia, and France—to building an ever-evolving, 18-year photography career. Each move meant adapting to new languages, cultures, and ways of seeing the world—skills that proved invaluable in every transition that followed.

In 2006, I traded in my chef knives for a camera, and my photography has since been used in over 80 countries. I became a top contributor to Getty Images, ran the photography program at Powder Mountain Catskiing, was the official photographer for Tourism Whistler, documented a ski touring expedition in Greenland, and earned recognition as a multi award-winning landscape photographer. My career transition and growth in photography taught me invaluable lessons about adaptation, resilience, and finding purpose in new chapters. But it was my parents’ experiences that changed everything.

In 2020, I held my mom’s hand on her deathbed, promising I would take her ashes to Tuscany—her dream trip she and my dad had the time and means to take but never did. After her passing, I watched my father struggle with loneliness, lack of purpose, and declining health. I watched him realize too late that all the financial planning in the world couldn’t fill the void left by postponed dreams and lack of direction.

These two experiences—my mother’s deferred dreams and my father’s struggle to find meaning—ignited my passion to ensure others don’t face the same regrets. Stepping in to move my dad across the country in 2022, and becoming his caregiver opened my eyes to the critical gap between retirement dreams and reality. Retirement decisions and the amount of planning deeply impact not only ourselves, but those close to us as well.

My approach goes beyond financial planning to focus on what truly matters: building the emotional, social, and purposeful foundations vital to thriving in your retirement years. Through navigating multiple career transitions and exploring diverse cultures worldwide, I’ve developed unique insights into what creates a deeply fulfilling life. I’ve distilled these lessons into my 6 Pillars of a Fulfilling Retirement—a comprehensive framework that guides everything I do.

Whether you’re planning your transition or already retired and seeking more meaning, I’ll provide the pathway many wish they’d had from the beginning. Let me help navigate this important chapter with confidence, purpose, and joy—because retirement isn’t just about having enough money; it’s about creating a life worth living before it’s too late.