Who Reads 1929?
Readers who have interest in a perspective based on a winding life experience, a Wall Street career, a sometimes educator, and student of the encyclopedia.
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” — George Santayana, 1905
“Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” — Sir Winston Churchill, 1948
“Nothing is eternal, except change.” — Everett Dirksen, 1964
Why Is The Newsletter Titled 1929?
The year 1929 was historic in numerous ways:
End of the Roaring 20’s
The year of The Great Crash and the start of 15 years of hardship
A lead event to World War II
A lead event for the great expansion post WWII
Why do I find this important? I see similarities, cyclical similarities, historical reflections:
We are again in the Roaring 20’s (2020’s)
The stock and housing markets are booming
Europe is at war
The Roaring ‘20s Once Again
The Roaring ‘20s, the Great Depression, World War II, followed by 50 years of unparralled growth and prosperity. There is hope. There is light at the end of the tunnel.
Over the last 10 years, I have had hundreds of conversations with friends and acquaintances searching for the "next gig," the next phase in the life/job cycle.
The conversations follow a similar map, I've done this job, had this identity for 10, 15, 20 years, and now it's over.
How will I ever support myself and my family and make it to some sort of peaceful retirement?
I'll never replace the income and forget about our former lives' stature and intellectual challenge earned along Wall Street and trading floors.
It's true. The income will almost assuredly not be replaced. That time is over.
If lucky, one will make 1/2 or 1/4 of the previous compensation. The money is just not there in teaching, owning pizza parlors, accounting, management at Lowe's, and for those who do find work in our old industry - you are the lucky ones possibly making fifty percent of peak income.
Life Transitions And New Careers
After so many similar conversations with people searching for the next phase, worried about how to survive the change emotionally and financially, specific recurring themes appeared.
What was lacking was a simple or even complicated solution of transitioning at 45 plus years of age from a very high-paying, prestigious career to something else.
Ageism, sexism, racism probably play a minor role in the transition difficulties, but it's more than that.
The world has changed. Jobs are gone. Skill sets are different. Technology has replaced labor.
Yet, we still have to eat. So I have set off on a quest to answer some of the transition questions.
The Author And Podcast Host, Tom Levine
Following a 25 year career in capital markets, Tom Levine founded Zero Hour Group in 2014.
The Los Angeles, California-based firm provides consulting, strategic analysis, and real estate services.
Services are offered nationwide and across a variety of sectors. The firm's clients range from family offices and high net worth individuals to institutions and professional investors.
Real Estate related transactions are brokered through our subsidary firms, Native Angelino Real Estate and WEHO Realtor.
Tom Levine is a Native Angelino and graduate of USC Marshall School of Business, Claremont Colleges, and spent a term at the London School of Economics. Additionally, he is a certified Short Sale Specialist under the National Association of Realtors.
Podcast
The Native Angelino Podcast is underwritten and produced in conjunction with the Zero Hour Group, a consulting and strategy firm, parent to 1929, Native Angelino Real Estate, and associated real estate assets.
Native Angelino description found on iTunes:
“From a vantage point within sight of the Hollywood Sign, seated beneath a palm tree, Tom Levine takes you on a twisted, exploratory tour of popular thought, the upside-down theories of classical economics, politics, and other strange things.
Tom talks all things Los Angeles, bright new ideas, and complex topics of interest to creative thinkers and discerning skeptics.
L.A. locals state with pride, "You can surf in the morning and ski in the afternoon." Well, if you get a really early start, it's true. Sometimes.
Los Angeles is the City of the Angels, and Tom Levine is a Native Angelino”.
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