Barbara Brooks Speaks

12/20/2025

What I'm doing on a Friday night instead of at a fabulous holiday party...

All so I can take the last week off the year off.

12/16/2025

I was honored to be a guest on Barbara Brooks podcast, The House of Middlescence where we talked about the mental load of being single women at the holidays. Take a listen to the clip and you can find the full episode at https://youtu.be/G0aS8L-CHiA
Thank you Barbara for hosting!

12/15/2025

Many of women I talk to are 40+ and single. Well, remember that, as Sarah put it, "Being single is not your identity."

Powerful words and we talk more about it and mental health as she shares tips to get through the holidays if you are in need of a little pick me up.

12/12/2025

Yes. Yes, we did. We drank from the hose and yes, we had sinks. Our upbringing was a wee bit different than today’s.

We drank from the hose.
We came home to empty houses after school as latchkey kids.
We watched I Love Lucy, The Brady Bunch and After School Specials on ABC.
We walked around with huge boom boxes on our shoulders blaring "Let It Whip" (for me that is)
We threw tinsel on our trees – and lots of it.
We watched cartoons on Saturday mornings, and the Carol Burnett Show later that night.
We weren't allowed in house during the day in the summer.
But we better be in the house when the streetlights came on!

We are Gen X.
And while all of that is true, it did more than give us awesome memories to laugh about today. It shaped how we lead, how we work, how we solve problems, and how we show up with a mix of grit, humor, independence, and instinct that you cannot manufacture. And it's not that Gen X owns those qualities. Every generation has its own version of grit and genius. Ours just came wrapped in delicious garden hose water, really good music, and Schoolhouse Rock!

12/11/2025

If you have ever searched for a job in Colorado, you already know the name. This episode gets into the reality of today’s job market, why the workforce is shifting fast, and how one man and his job list became a statewide institution. Tell me in the comments where you are in your own job search and what you want employers to know.

Live on The House of Middlescence 9am Mt Thursday

12/10/2025

Picture this. Margaret, Rob, Jasmine, and Alex work together. Each with their own take on work, life, and culture. Their perspective is shaped by what they began learning by the age of 3. That's when stereotypes start, and let’s be honest, most of the time, what they think they know about each other is wrong and deeply rooted in those stereotypes.

👩🏽 There is Margaret, who is not ready to retire simply because she is over 60. She is going strong and enjoying her career.

👨🏼‍🦰 Rob, our Gen Xer, is not a technophobe. He just prefers email and would rather the tech department handle a desktop hiccup. He can fix it, but he is saving his energy for actual work.

👩🏻‍🦱 Jasmine, the millennial, wants time away for mental health. Anyone would want that for their well-being, regardless of age. And no, she is not looking for gold stars or rewards for doing her job.

🧔‍♂️ Lastly, we have Alex, who is always on his phone. People assume he is not working because of it. He is working. On his phone. That is his communication style, and plenty of others use it the same way, no matter their age.

But here is the truth. When we stop judging and start collaborating, teams become unstoppable. This is the work I do. I break down generational stereotypes so people can see each other clearly and the way they actually work as individuals with various work styles, regardless of stAGE in life.

Sadly, our culture has branded the generations inaccurately. The labels are outdated, and they divide us.

When teammates drop the generational stereotypes and listen, not snicker or gossip or guess about each other, something shifts. Trust builds. Respect grows. And the word on the pro-age streets is that more gets done when you create an intergenerational work culture [and everywhere in between].

12/10/2025

Let’s pretend you know Margaret, Rob, Jasmine, and Alex. Each with their own take on work, life, and culture. Their take is shaped by what they learned at 25, 35, 55 and beyond. And let’s be honest. Most of the time, what they think they know about each other is wrong and deeply rooted in stereotypes.

There is Margaret, who is not ready to retire simply because she is over 60. She is going strong and enjoying her career.
Rob, our Gen Xer, is not a technophobe. He just prefers email and would rather the tech department handle a desktop hiccup. He can fix it, but he is saving his energy for actual work.

Jasmine, the millennial, wants time away for mental health. Anyone would want that for their wellbeing, regardless of age. And no, she is not looking for gold stars or rewards for doing her job.

Then we have Alex, who is always on his phone. People assume he is not working because of it. He is working. On his phone. That is his communication style, and plenty of others use it the same way, no matter their age.

Here is the truth. When we stop judging and start collaborating, teams become unstoppable. This is the work I do. I break down generational stereotypes so people can see each other clearly and work the way they actually work, not the way culture has branded them.

Because our culture has branded the generations badly. Those labels are outdated and they divide us.

When teammates drop the stereotypes and listen, not snicker or gossip or guess, something shifts. Trust builds. Respect grows. And the word on the pro-age streets is simple. More gets done when you create an intergenerational work culture and everything in between.

12/09/2025

Last Call to Join Friday’s Masterclass for Women 40+ to Get Seen, Heard and Paid in 2026. In case you didn't know, marketing and PR for [and to] midlife women is my jam. That's why I love speaking to the power of who we are today - not just the future and so if you live in Colorado and want 2026 to be the year you finally get seen, heard, and paid, my Personal Branding and Media Visibility Masterclass is where you need to be.

No overthinking. No waiting for the perfect moment. This is it.

In one morning, you’ll sharpen your message, elevate your presence, and build a visibility plan that brings clients, opportunities, and income straight to your door as it has for me in my career. As your award-winning national age-positive speaker on middlescence, age inclusion, and midlife visibility and founder of SecondActWomen, I'm excited to share my knowledge (and a few media contacts) to help you gain the system in 2026.

You'll leave with language you can use immediately and a clearer sense of who you are in the competitive market of entrepreneurs over 40. This class moves you from “hidden gem” to “clearly in the game.”

If you’ve been waiting for a sign to invest in your visibility, here it is.
2026 is not going to wait for you. It is yours to get, sister.

SAVE $20 AS A SECONDACTWOMEN INSIDER WITH THE CODE INSIDERVIP.

Register now before we close the list. I’ll see you Friday morning.
secondactwomen.com/events

It is going to be powerful, energizing, and yes, fun.

12/09/2025

CareerCon Colorado is coming in hot, and if you are job searching, career pivoting, returning after a break, or finally ready to make a bold move, this is your space. This event is especially for the seasoned professional finding it difficult to land a new job.

It’s a one-day experience built to provide real strategies that actually work in today’s hiring landscape. No theory, no tired advice, just straight talk and practical steps from the pros, including me. I’m giving you 5 ways to use age as your advantage in interviews.

We are covering it all to give you the boost you need in 2026.
• Return on Experience and how to turn your age and expertise into your strongest advantage.
• Designing your next career chapter with clarity.
• Real-world problem-solving at the roundtables.
• Finding your confidence in the search.
• How to use AI to beat the system and finally get in front of humans.
• And a candid Ask the Career Pros panel to get the answers you really want.

This is your chance to learn what hiring teams want now and how to stand out in a crowded market.

Tickets are $59 through December 15th and go up after that. Save your seat at secondactwomen.com/careercon

12/09/2025

The Real Cost of Overlooking Experience at Work

Most companies today are missing one BIG thing. ROE. It's what I call the "return on experience" seasoned professionals bring to the workplace. When experience is overlooked, you’re not saving money. Nope. Not one bit.

Instead, you’re weakening the foundation of your workplace. Truly.

Teams lose historical insight. Projects slow down because of ‘institutional wisdom’ where seasoned pros know what has been tried, what failed, what succeeded, and more importantly, why. Companies waste millions reinventing wheels, and experienced folks are the ones who can stop the big spend. Yes. Yes we can.

The experience premium is the real deal. It's the strategic advantage that comes from lived work history, resilience, pattern recognition, and the ability to navigate change without panicking.
That’s your Booming GenX’er at play.

Companies far outperform when they embrace multigenerational teams. It’s why companies also show stronger retention, better collaboration, and faster innovation. Eh hm. Think bottom line.

If your organization wants to build healthier teams in 2026, start with this question. "Are we fully leveraging the people who already know how to lead through change, deliver results, and make the work better for everyone?"

Well, this is the work I do with companies, conference audiences, and employee groups. Experience is an advantage. It’s time to treat it like one.

Want to bring this conversation to your team or your stage? Let’s talk.

Link in comments to connect with me.

12/09/2025

If you have ever job searched in Colorado, you know this man. Andrew Hudson, founder of the Andrew Hudson Jobs List, joins me for a real conversation about what is actually happening in today’s job market and why so many people over 40 feel stuck.

We'll talk about employer expectations, age bias, the myths job seekers keep hearing, and the surprising trends shaping the future of work. Andrew will also share how his famous jobs list started as a side project that blew up.

And yes, we get into what he is bringing to CareerCon in January.

New on my show, The House of Middlescence live on YouTube this Thursday at 9am MT.

The State of the Job Market at 40 Plus, What’s Working, What’s Changing and How Andrew Hudson Keeps Colorado Employed.

Watch live at 9am MT at https://www.youtube.com/. Bring your questions. Andrew always comes ready.

12/08/2025

AARP shares 5 lessons we can all learn to close the 'healthy aging' gap.

Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan shares her take on how to make the most of America’s longevity boom