HAVE YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW HAD A BOLD MIDLIFE PIVOT? I’d love to shine a light on their story. Email me at: alicejmorgana2 at gmail.
One of the major catalysts to my retirement was the book From Strength to Strength, by Arthur Brooks. In it, he writes about how as we age we lose quickness but gain wisdom from all that we have learned from life, and how meaningful it can be to apply that wisdom to the next chapter.
Hello next chapter! I worked in market research for 30+ years. And when you spend 30 years helping companies figure out what to call their products, among other things, and then you have to name your own thing, the stakes feel oddly high.
Here’s the backstory on why the name question existed in the first place.
When I launched this newsletter last September, I genuinely didn’t know how this would go. How often would I write? What would I write about? Would I fizzle out after six posts? Given all that uncertainty, I named the newsletter after myself – Alice Jane Morgan – so I wouldn’t get boxed in. (Side note: Alice Morgan, I learned from years of moderating focus groups, is also the name of a character on the little-seen but much-loved show Luther. Hence the “Jane.”) Happy Nesting was always a big part of what I write about, but never all of it, so I kept it as a feature rather than the marquee.
Fast forward to now: 34 posts, a clear sense of what I’m doing, and a newsletter that has genuinely replaced my job as the thing that keeps my brain active and humming along. Time to give it a proper name. Eight months in, I did what any self-respecting qualitative researcher would do when faced with a branding problem. I ran focus groups to test various names under consideration.
Two of them, actually. One-hour Zoom sessions with actual readers. Given that we “iterated” (marketing speak for brainstormed and then reacted to new names on the fly) they were actually strictly speaking “co-creation” groups. To get even more into the weeds of market research methodology, you’re supposed to also talk to prospective users – the ones who’ve heard of you but haven’t subscribed. We call them aware rejectors in the trade (thanks Kathy Doyle!) But this was a pro bono project (my own life), so readers-only it was. Let's be honest – if you've heard of this newsletter, you're probably already reading it.
Two major findings surfaced pretty quickly.
Insight: I write mostly about late midlife. There are plenty of terms for this life stage – back nine, third chapter, retirement – but none of them fit perfectly. Using the word “retirement” in the newsletter name would be good for search engines. I do write about retirement, but not exclusively, so using that word in the name would be both limiting and inaccurate. I’d rather be true to myself and write about what I want to write about.
Implication: The name needs to signal this life stage without boxing me in.
Insight: Apparently I have a distinctive voice. I was told repeatedly – by readers and, somewhat surreally, by AI – that reading this newsletter is like sitting down and having a cup of coffee with me.
Implication: Lean into, well, me.
So. Life stage plus voice. Which led me here – and if you’re reading this in your inbox, you’ve already seen the result, in which my new logo literally leans into me.
I write about late midlife reinvention: living somewhere new for a month each year, profiles of people making bold life changes, and my love of movies and Broadway.
“Act III” points to this life stage with what I hope is a playful, theatrical energy – and it gives me room to write about pretty much anything. This includes Broadway, Oz, cold plunges, Happy Nesting, and people making bold choices, without feeling like I’m off-topic. “With Alice” does the rest.
The logo was designed by my brilliant friend and colleague Kat Kirchner, who has been making my work, and by implication me, look good for coming on 15 years now.
Which brings me back to Arthur Brooks’ point about leaning into wisdom. One of the best unintended consequences of retirement has been discovering how useful it is to actually apply the skills I spent decades developing to my life, as opposed to my job. In my case: branding experience, interviewing skill, and a genuine love of writing. All three are in play here, every single week.
It turns out I didn’t leave that work behind – I just finally get to use it on something that’s entirely mine.
Random Rec of the Week
📚 I recently devoured Emma Straub’s latest novel, AMERICAN FANTASY. It is about a four-day nostalgia cruise featuring a fictitious 90s boy band. (Apparently cruises with retro bands are a thing.). This is a feel-good book, celebrating the silliness, craziness, and unbridled joy of fandom. I saw Straub in Ann Arbor on her book tour, and she is every bit as charming and delightful as her novel.
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My newsletter is 100% unpaid: all recommendations and links are simply things I genuinely enjoy.
Recent posts: What Makes People Actually Change, Cleared for Takeoff at 60, Rome Reckoning: Hail Caesar!
All past articles are collected here.
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THANK YOU to my wonderful focus group participants for your creative, smart feedback. Thanks again to Kat Kirchner, and also to Philly and Bridget for your branding counsel. Thanks to the people I reached out to who weren’t able to participate - I appreciate your reading/considering a pesky request to be in a focus group! And of course thanks, as always, to all of you for reading, and engaging. Until next time!
Love the rebrand!
Alice, I love the logo and your sub title works so well...off to the races with a very functional rebrand and always terrific writing. I enjoyed being part of your focus group. Eager for more...