Lifestyle
Why Grant isn’t retiring anytime soon (and you might feel the same)
Meet Citro’s first Chief Customer Officer, Grant Thom – he plans to never fully retire as there’s too much he still wants to do.
By Maddie Southall
For many Aussies, continuing to work past retirement age, ideally on their terms, is looking more and more attractive. Many of us have always dreamed of retiring and giving work the flick, but when that time is finally on the horizon, work is suddenly looking more attractive. If that sounds familiar, you are definitely not alone.
We sat down with our first ever Chief Customer Officer (CCO), Grant Thom, who found himself in this very position.
Find out more about Citro’s CCO program:
When it comes to thinking about fully retiring, Grant, 61, knows where he stands. “I don't think that's ever gonna happen,” he laughs. ‘Retiring’ just doesn’t feel like the right fit for him – he’s too passionate about being “a doer”. As a people person who thrives on connecting with others, he’d rather keep sharing his experiences and knowledge through mentoring, podcasting, writing and presenting.
Kicking goals after 50
Grant is originally from South Africa, but has lived in Australia since 2009 with his partner Karen. “I love Australia, if there’s a beach, I’m walking on it,” he says. That means starting each morning with a beach walk with Karen near their Sydney home, or a coffee with their circle of friends before the day officially kicks into gear.
The couple have 2 sons: one living in England and the other in Dubai with their 3 grandkids. While Grant finds it hard being far from family, he also sees it as a great excuse to travel – there’s always someone to visit.
While he adores dogs, Grant and Karen don’t have pets to allow for easier travel – but they happily play with any dog they come across on their walks. “Everyone’s dog is my dog!” he tells Citro.
Apart from getting some exercise on the sand, Grant enjoys Toastmasters and public speaking. He regularly visits clubs and businesses to give speeches and flex his public speaking muscle. Since Grant finds his fulfillment through sharing his knowledge of brand, advertising and marketing, Toastmasters has been a great avenue to share his passions with others.
Semi-retirement suits Grant completely
After running a number of marketing and advertising agencies through his earlier life, Grant semi-retired in 2019. He now shares his knowledge with other companies to help them navigate a similar path. “I work as a kind of brand scientist and help business owners unlock value in their business by building their brand,” he explains.
Working in this kind of mentor/advisor capacity could be a good pathway for anyone close to retirement age who’s not actually ready to retire. In fact, Grant’s part-time approach to retirement is common – according to the Stanford Center on Longevity, only 40-50% of people go directly from full-time to zero employment. So the kind of abrupt, all-at-once retirement (historically with a gold watch to boot) is turning into the exception instead of the rule. With 60% of retirees experience feelings of disorientation after leaving the workforce, mentoring or consulting can be a great way to maximise your working experience and keep a flexible foot in the door of your industry.
Check out these resources for mentors on how to best share your expertise.
Grant agrees that one of the best perks of semi retirement and takes full advantage of the work-life balance this era of his life allows. “I don’t work Saturdays or Sundays because that’s my partner’s time, but [during the week] I’m one of those people who can’t sit still,” he explains. “So I’m reading, or I’m talking on a podcast, or I’m writing an article, or I’m presenting. I’m presently writing a book, so I’m busy with that.”
Grant’s book is an extension of his current work life, drawing on his knowledge of brands and sharing some of his formulas to generate greater brand value.
Ticking off the bucket list
He’s busy, but staying part-time in the workforce certainly doesn’t mean Grant and Karen aren’t planning plenty of fun and leisure in the future.
Grant would love to see what it’s like to live on a cruise for at least a year; to be able to open his window every morning and see a different port. That’s if there’s wifi onboard to stay looped into his work projects of course! Other than that, he wants to spend his time having special experiences with his grandkids at unique destinations.
“I don't think the bucket list should ever empty – we should have a hole in the bucket,” he laughs.
Wanna start filling your own bucket and need some inspo? Check out Citro’s Aussie Bucket List guide.
Advice to younger self
If Grant had his time again, he would have planned this life stage better and dreamed bigger. “In preparation for retirement age, it’s a case of how quickly time goes by. Never forget to look after your health, never stop dreaming, never stop creating experiences, and keep your bucket list really full,” he advises.
Grant still has plenty of amazing things on his bucket list and he’s committed to experiencing as much of it as possible.
Feelings towards the future
When asked about his feelings towards this life stage, he says it comes around very quickly. “You always think you’ll never get there, and that when you do you’ll be ready, but you never are.”
Mostly, Grant just feels grateful to be here and have the chance to keep adding value wherever he can. His philosophy? “How can I make the most of this last quarter so that I can have the very best experiences that are the most memorable, precious and important,” he says. Sounds like a plan to us!
Fast-faves
We asked Grant our rapid-fire fast-fave questions to find out his favourite:
Person: Nelson Mandela (Grant had the honour of meeting him in 2007).
Destination: Exploring the Scottish Highlands, including the Lake District and whisky distilleries.
Hobby: Painting (Grant hopes to one day submit a portrait to the Archibald Prize).
Food: Pizza and spaghetti bolognese (simple pleasures are the best).
Movie: Top Gun (both the original and the sequel).
Book: Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy (a business classic; Grant worked with David in the mid-80s).
Life advice: "It takes curiosity to learn, it takes courage to unlearn."
Feature image: Courtesy of Grant Thom
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