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Gen X Legends

Gen X Legends

Written by: Gen X Legends
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 We’re not the lost generation. We’re the underestimated one.

While the internet obsesses over Gen Z and glorifies Boomer dominance, Gen X remains the generation history keeps skipping. This show changes that.

Gen X Legends features real Gen Xers: coaches, creators, founders, executives, and reinvention artists who’ve outgrown the old playbook and designed careers worth living.

Forget the hype, the hustle-posting, and the midlife glow-up myth. This is the generation that weathered dot-com crashes, financial crises, and digital disruption without performative reinvention—and came out smarter, sharper, and still in motion.

We don’t chase virality. We design for longevity.

If you’re tired of the noise and hungry for honest, grounded, human wisdom…You’re in the right generation. And now, you’re on the right show.@ 2025 Gen X Legends Careers Economics Personal Success Social Sciences
Episodes
  • #47 Darcy Eikenberg: Red Cape Rescue for Burnt-Out Gen Xers

    #47 Darcy Eikenberg: Red Cape Rescue for Burnt-Out Gen Xers
    Jun 16 2025
    Meetings are endless, your manager’s Slack tone feels like a personal attack, and quitting sounds like the only escape plan. But Gen Xers know better than to throw it all away without a backup parachute.

    In this episode, executive coach and author of Red Cape Rescue, Darcy Eikenberg offers an alternative to resignation: reinvention from the inside. Drawing on years of coaching and a dose of neuroscience, she shares how to shift your mindset, rewrite your story, and reclaim your power—without updating your résumé.

    For anyone who’s ever whispered “I can’t take this anymore” during a Zoom call, this is your comeback plan.

    >>The Red Cape Isn’t a Costume—It’s Control
    “When your shoulders go back and you feel in charge—that’s your red cape moment.”

    Darcy reframes confidence as something you create, not something you wait for.

    >>Your Brain’s Lying. Kindly Ignore It.
    “Our lizard brain doesn’t know the difference between a tiger and a Slack ping.”

    She unpacks how fear hijacks our workday—and what to do about it.

    >>Change Starts with Three Levers
    “We only control what we say, what we do, and what we think. That’s enough.”

    Forget fixing your boss or your org chart—Darcy redirects attention to what is in your control.

    >>The Jar Label Problem
    “You can’t see the label from inside the jar.”

    She offers a surprising exercise that helps you step out of your stories and into clarity.

    >>Rescue Yourself Without Leaving the Company
    “One client didn’t get the promotion. She didn’t quit. She spoke up—and now leads the agency.”

    Darcy shares real-world examples of reinvention without walking away.

    >>Fear Strategy Beats Fearlessness
    “You don’t need to be brave. You need a plan.”

    Instead of idolizing courage, she teaches how to prepare for fear when—not if—it shows up.

    >>Burnout Is Not One-Size-Fits-All
    “One person’s burnout is another person’s boredom.”

    She closes with a reminder that self-awareness is the ultimate Gen X leadership edge.

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    Connect with: Darcy Eikenberg
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    37 mins
  • #46 Benedikt Oehmen: Turning Layoffs into Life Lessons

    #46 Benedikt Oehmen: Turning Layoffs into Life Lessons
    Jun 16 2025
    What happens when the company you’ve devoted half your life to suddenly disappears?

    Benedikt Oehmen spent 17 years at Blizzard Entertainment, moving from gamer support to managing teams across seven languages. But when corporate priorities shifted and layoffs hit hard, he didn’t just walk away—he rebuilt.

    In this episode, Benedikt shares how he turned a painful downsizing experience into a mission to help others, building a coaching practice and writing a book centered on his signature “Big Three” framework: Be Kind. Be Present. Be Open. It’s a mindset that’s not just for career survival—but for reinvention with soul.

    >>From Gamer to Guide
    “I thought I was taking a semester off from physics. It turned into a 17-year journey.”

    Benedikt recounts how a student gig at Blizzard became a defining career. From player support to managing pan-European communities, he found joy in collaboration—and in building something that felt like family.

    >>The Culture Shift No One Saw Coming
    “We were all passionate. Then the merger changed everything.”

    After Blizzard merged with Activision, the company’s soul began to shift—from people to profits. The once-collaborative culture gave way to numbers-first decision-making, culminating in layoffs that wiped out entire departments—and the community spirit with them.

    >>When Family Gets Downsized
    “We went from 10 community managers to one. It broke our hearts.”

    Benedikt describes the emotional toll of watching his close-knit team vanish under corporate restructuring. But instead of retreating, he leaned into leadership—guiding others through the grief and uncertainty.

    >>Coaching as a Way Forward
    “I didn’t want to just survive—I wanted to help others do the same.”

    The experience sparked something new: a desire to coach others through job loss and change. He pursued certification, built his practice, and found a new mission—supporting the “geeks and quiet warriors” navigating their own career crossroads.

    >>The Big Three: Kind. Present. Open.
    “Writing the book wasn’t the goal. Becoming an author was.

    ”His philosophy is simple but profound. Be kind—to yourself. Be present—in your journey. Be open—to what’s next. Whether coaching a client or finishing a book, Benedikt’s framework turns fear into forward momentum.

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    Connect with: Benedikt Oehmen
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    31 mins
  • #45 Collin Plume: Ownership, Not Optics—Teaching Real Wealth to the Next Generation

    #45 Collin Plume: Ownership, Not Optics—Teaching Real Wealth to the Next Generation
    Jun 15 2025
    In the second half of his conversation, Collin Plume moves beyond financial products into financial legacy—sharing how Gen Xers can teach resilience, ownership, and critical thinking to the next generation. From diversifying income streams to protecting family futures with real assets, Collin reveals why wealth isn’t about a flashy portfolio—it’s about building something that lasts, even when systems shift.

    For Gen Xers tired of flashy advice and ready to raise wiser, stronger humans, this episode delivers the quiet tools for lifelong financial independence.

    >>Inflation, Instability, and the Fight for Financial Control
    “Gold has kept up with the cost of living for over 150 years.”

    Collin explains why owning tangible assets isn’t just smart investing—it’s a fight for personal freedom and future-proofing your life against system shocks.

    >>Diversification Isn’t Optional Anymore
    “The mistake isn’t just losing—it’s being stuck in one idea forever.”

    He shares why today’s market demands diversified thinking, constant learning, and rejecting loyalty to any one asset class—including real estate.

    >>Retirement Will Never Look the Same
    “People aren’t retiring—they’re reworking life.”

    Collin talks about the shifting realities of work, aging, and how side gigs, flexible income, and purpose-driven work are rewriting retirement for Gen X and beyond.

    >>The Rise—and Risk—of Finfluencers
    “Algorithms reward appeal, not expertise.”

    He calls out the dangers of taking financial advice from unverified influencers, and why critical thinking is the real currency in today’s information economy.

    >>Teaching Kids the Real Value of Money
    “Experience and education over stuff.”

    Collin shares how he’s raising his three kids to value assets over toys, experiences over things, and knowledge over hype—with gold and silver as real-world teaching tools.

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    Connect with Collin Plume
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    37 mins
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