Fran Tarkenton is unquestionably one of the greatest quarterbacks ever to play the game of football. A true legend who rightfully earned his place in the NFL Hall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame (for his championship career with the University of Georgia Bulldogs), and on the list of the 50 Greatest Minnesota Vikings AND the 50 Greatest New York Giants. In his rookie season in 1961, Fran joined an expansion team called the Minnesota Vikings, and in the first-ever Vikings game he threw four touchdown passes and ran for a fifth, upsetting the great Chicago Bears. At the time of his retirement from the NFL in 1978, Fran owned every significant passing record: 3,686 pass completions, 47,003 passing yards, and 342 touchdowns. Legend. After retirement, Fran became a commentator alongside the one and only Howard Cosell in the Monday Night Football broadcast booth, he landed a job hosting That’s Incredible, one of the biggest sensation TV shows of the 1980s, and he became an early entrant into the software business, a visionary move that launched what would become the longest-lasting and most lucrative part of his illustrious and multifaceted career. At 84.6 years old as of the date of this interview, Fran is as sharp – and as busy – as he’s ever been. His company, Tarkenton, is as highly regarded as it is successful in helping other businesses grow and prosper. All the incredible lessons he learned growing up, on the gridiron, in entertainment, and in his many business ventures coalesce into his leadership of Tarkenton to this day. But Fran claims no responsibility for the success he’s achieved. He attributes it all to the coaching he’s received; in the NFL, from greats like Sid Luckman, Norm Van Brocklin and Bud Grant; and in business, from former IBM CEO John Akers to Walmart founder Sam Walton. In this episode, Fran shares colorful stories about his journey from the streets of Washington, DC; to Athens, Georgia, home of UGA; to the NFL; to entertainment; and ultimately to a wildly successful business career. You can learn more about Fran by Googling his name, and you can learn more about Tarkenton Companies by visiting <a href= "http://www.tarkenton.com">www.tarkenton.com</a>. Second Act Stories theme music: "Between 1 and 3 am" by Echoes

<description>&lt;p&gt;Fran Tarkenton is unquestionably one of the greatest quarterbacks ever to play the game of football. A true legend who rightfully earned his place in the NFL Hall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame (for his championship career with the University of Georgia Bulldogs), and on the list of the 50 Greatest Minnesota Vikings AND the 50 Greatest New York Giants. In his rookie season in 1961, Fran joined an expansion team called the Minnesota Vikings, and in the first-ever Vikings game he threw four touchdown passes and ran for a fifth, upsetting the great Chicago Bears. At the time of his retirement from the NFL in 1978, Fran owned every significant passing record: 3,686 pass completions, 47,003 passing yards, and 342 touchdowns. Legend.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;After retirement, Fran became a commentator alongside the one and only Howard Cosell in the Monday Night Football broadcast booth, he landed a job hosting That’s Incredible, one of the biggest sensation TV shows of the 1980s, and he became an early entrant into the software business, a visionary move that launched what would become the longest-lasting and most lucrative part of his illustrious and multifaceted career.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;At 84.6 years old as of the date of this interview, Fran is as sharp – and as busy – as he’s ever been. His company, Tarkenton, is as highly regarded as it is successful in helping other businesses grow and prosper. All the incredible lessons he learned growing up, on the gridiron, in entertainment, and in his many business ventures coalesce into his leadership of Tarkenton to this day.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;But Fran claims no responsibility for the success he’s achieved. He attributes it all to the coaching he’s received; in the NFL, from greats like Sid Luckman, Norm Van Brocklin and Bud Grant; and in business, from former IBM CEO John Akers to Walmart founder Sam Walton.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;In this episode, Fran shares colorful stories about his journey from the streets of Washington, DC; to Athens, Georgia, home of UGA; to the NFL; to entertainment; and ultimately to a wildly successful business career.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;You can learn more about Fran by Googling his name, and you can learn more about Tarkenton Companies by visiting &lt;a href= "http://www.tarkenton.com"&gt;www.tarkenton.com&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Second Act Stories theme music: "Between 1 and 3 am" by Echoes&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Fran Tarkenton is unquestionably one of the greatest quarterbacks ever to play the game of football. A true legend who rightfully earned his place in the NFL Hall of Fame, the College Football Hall of Fame (for his championship career with the...

Minnesota Vikings Legend Fran Tarkenton Scores a Touchdown in the Tech World

Bruce and Mira Brach opened Toy Utopia, an independent toy store, on May 27, 2022. Based in Red Bank, NJ, their aim was to create a “magical place that sparks interest, curiosity, imagination and creativity in children and adults.” The business is a leap for both of them. Bruce had managed a landscaping business for over 25 years. Mira was – and still is – a registered nurse. A lifelong collector of vintage toys, Bruce was ready to exit his company. Mira asked him, “What do your really want to do next?” Bruce’s response…open a toy store. And that's what they did together. Click here to learn more about <a href= "https://toyutopia.com/">Toy Utopia</a>. And if you find yourself in Red Bank, NJ, we hope you’ll give Bruce and Mira a visit.

<description>&lt;p&gt;Bruce and Mira Brach opened Toy Utopia, an independent toy store, on May 27, 2022. Based in Red Bank, NJ, their aim was to create a “magical place that sparks interest, curiosity, imagination and creativity in children and adults.”&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;The business is a leap for both of them. Bruce had managed a landscaping business for over 25 years. Mira was – and still is – a registered nurse.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;A lifelong collector of vintage toys, Bruce was ready to exit his company. Mira asked him, “What do your really want to do next?” Bruce’s response…open a toy store. And that's what they did together.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Click here to learn more about &lt;a href= "https://toyutopia.com/"&gt;Toy Utopia&lt;/a&gt;. And if you find yourself in Red Bank, NJ, we hope you’ll give Bruce and Mira a visit.&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Bruce and Mira Brach opened Toy Utopia, an independent toy store, on May 27, 2022. Based in Red Bank, NJ, their aim was to create a “magical place that sparks interest, curiosity, imagination and creativity in children and adults.” The business is...

Toy Story: When A Hobby Becomes A Second Act

Dan Spitz is a true pioneer in every sense of the word. As the lead guitarist of legendary band Anthrax, Dan was one of the innovators who birthed the entire genre of thrash metal music. Anthrax is one of the “Big Four” thrash metal bands, a group that also includes Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer. He sold millions of albums, played on the world’s biggest stages, and saw his music influence legions of acts that would follow. In 1995, as Anthrax continued to reach new heights, something changed. Dan realized his heart was no longer in it, so he quit the band without a plan for what was next. Dan had been exposed to watchmaking at a young age through his grandfather, who owned a jewelry store where he repaired watches in New York’s Catskill Mountains. That childhood experience came rushing back when he stumbled across an ad for the Bulova watchmaking school. The pieces fit together as perfectly as the mechanics of a complicated watch, and Dan enrolled, graduating a four-year program in 18 months. Then he became the first American to be accepted into a Swiss watchmaking school, and his incredible second act was official. Today, Dan is one of the world’s most sought-after master watchmakers. He’s the watchmaker who watchmakers go to when they can’t solve a problem. In this episode, you’ll hear some of the details about the birth of thrash metal, the conflict that led to Dan’s departure from Anthrax, and the journey that led a thrash metal legend become a legend in the world of fine watches. You can learn more about Dan Spitz by visiting his website at <a href= "http://www.delraybeachvintagewatches.com">www.delraybeachvintagewatches.com</a>, and <a href="http://www.danspitz.com">www.danspitz.com</a>. Second Act Stories theme music: "Between 1 and 3 am" by Echoes

<description>&lt;p&gt;Dan Spitz is a true pioneer in every sense of the word. As the lead guitarist of legendary band Anthrax, Dan was one of the innovators who birthed the entire genre of thrash metal music. Anthrax is one of the “Big Four” thrash metal bands, a group that also includes Metallica, Megadeth and Slayer. He sold millions of albums, played on the world’s biggest stages, and saw his music influence legions of acts that would follow.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;In 1995, as Anthrax continued to reach new heights, something changed. Dan realized his heart was no longer in it, so he quit the band without a plan for what was next.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Dan had been exposed to watchmaking at a young age through his grandfather, who owned a jewelry store where he repaired watches in New York’s Catskill Mountains. That childhood experience came rushing back when he stumbled across an ad for the Bulova watchmaking school. The pieces fit together as perfectly as the mechanics of a complicated watch, and Dan enrolled, graduating a four-year program in 18 months. Then he became the first American to be accepted into a Swiss watchmaking school, and his incredible second act was official.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Today, Dan is one of the world’s most sought-after master watchmakers. He’s the watchmaker who watchmakers go to when they can’t solve a problem.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;In this episode, you’ll hear some of the details about the birth of thrash metal, the conflict that led to Dan’s departure from Anthrax, and the journey that led a thrash metal legend become a legend in the world of fine watches.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;You can learn more about Dan Spitz by visiting his website at &lt;a href= "http://www.delraybeachvintagewatches.com"&gt;www.delraybeachvintagewatches.com&lt;/a&gt;, and &lt;a href="http://www.danspitz.com"&gt;www.danspitz.com&lt;/a&gt;.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Second Act Stories theme music: "Between 1 and 3 am" by Echoes&lt;/p&gt;</description>

Dan Spitz is a true pioneer in every sense of the word. As the lead guitarist of legendary band Anthrax, Dan was one of the innovators who birthed the entire genre of thrash metal music. Anthrax is one of the “Big Four” thrash metal bands, a group...

Dan Spitz and The Persistence of Time: Thrash Metal Pioneer Turned Watchmaking Legend

For most of his adult life, Henry Rock working in advertising sales representing a wide range of black media . His work brought him in direct contact with a number of inspiring, African-American entrepreneurs and that gave him an idea: what if we could inspire young black males in inner cities to explore entreprenurial opportunites? After relocating to North Carolina, Henry began pursuing this idea with the help of National Urban League and it's local chapter in Charlotte. His TEDx Talk, <a href= "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l8HiajVJDs">Creating A New Class of Entrepreneurs</a>, put the wind in his sails to launch <a href= "https://citystartuplabs.com/">City Startup Labs</a>. Over the past decade, the organization has trained over 220 young men and women to get into the startup game. Recently, City Startup Labs has focused on helping formerly incarcerated individuals pursue their business dreams. Now 72 years old, Henry reports he's the happiest he's ever been. "And I owe it to not taking my hands off the steering wheel but not gripping the steering wheel and trying to steer my life but rather allowing my life to unfold...And it has unfolded in a very beautiful way."

<description>&lt;p&gt;For most of his adult life, Henry Rock working in advertising sales representing a wide range of black media . His work brought him in direct contact with a number of inspiring, African-American entrepreneurs and that gave him an idea: what if we could inspire young black males in inner cities to explore entreprenurial opportunites?&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;After relocating to North Carolina, Henry began pursuing this idea with the help of National Urban League and it's local chapter in Charlotte. His TEDx Talk, &lt;a href= "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8l8HiajVJDs"&gt;Creating A New Class of Entrepreneurs&lt;/a&gt;, put the wind in his sails to launch &lt;a href= "https://citystartuplabs.com/"&gt;City Startup Labs&lt;/a&gt;. Over the past decade, the organization has trained over 220 young men and women to get into the startup game. Recently, City Startup Labs has focused on helping formerly incarcerated individuals pursue their business dreams.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Now 72 years old, Henry reports he's the happiest he's ever been. &lt;em&gt;"And I owe it to not taking my hands off the steering wheel but not gripping the steering wheel and trying to steer my life but rather allowing my life to unfold...And it has unfolded in a very beautiful way." &lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;&lt;img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-6706" src= "https://www.secondactstories.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Photo-5-Rock-300x263.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="263" /&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;</description>

For most of his adult life, Henry Rock working in advertising sales representing a wide range of black media . His work brought him in direct contact with a number of inspiring, African-American entrepreneurs and that gave him an idea: what if we...

TEDx to Triumph: Henry Rock Inspires A New Class of Entrepreneurs

Mark Greaney is a #1 New York Times bestselling author. His debut thriller, <a href= "https://markgreaneybooks.com/the-gray-man/">The Gray Man</a>, was published in 2009 and became a national bestseller and Netflix film starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans. He wrote twelve subsequent Gray Man novels that have been released to date. He is also the co-author of seven Tom Clancy novels. His latest book, <a href= "https://markgreaneybooks.com/josh-duffy/">Sentinel</a>, was released on June 25th, 2024. It is his 25th published work. Before emerging as a top thriller author, Mark spent 20+ years working as a bartender, waiter and midlevel office worker in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. But in his late thirties and after the death of his father, he finally got serious about writing. "I had this amazing epiphany. I was stressed about where I was in life. I didn't have a good position. And I had a lot of social anxiety. I drove a beat-up car. But it came to me one day that I loved to write and I was doing what I loved. And I realized I was successful even if I never got published...And within two years, I was published. And within four years, I was writing with Tom Clancy. And within twelve years, I had a movie out."

<description>&lt;p&gt;Mark Greaney is a #1 New York Times bestselling author. His debut thriller, &lt;a href= "https://markgreaneybooks.com/the-gray-man/"&gt;The Gray Man&lt;/a&gt;, was published in 2009 and became a national bestseller and Netflix film starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans. He wrote twelve subsequent Gray Man novels that have been released to date. He is also the co-author of seven Tom Clancy novels. His latest book, &lt;a href= "https://markgreaneybooks.com/josh-duffy/"&gt;Sentinel&lt;/a&gt;, was released on June 25th, 2024. It is his 25th published work.&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt;Before emerging as a top thriller author, Mark spent 20+ years working as a bartender, waiter and midlevel office worker in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. But in his late thirties and after the death of his father, he finally got serious about writing. &lt;em&gt;"I had this amazing epiphany. I was stressed about where I was in life. I didn't have a good position. And I had a lot of social anxiety. I drove a beat-up car. But it came to me one day that I loved to write and I was doing what I loved. And I realized I was successful even if I never got published...And within two years, I was published. And within four years, I was writing with Tom Clancy. And within twelve years, I had a movie out."&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt; &lt;p&gt; &lt;/p&gt;</description>

Mark Greaney is a #1 New York Times bestselling author. His debut thriller, , was published in 2009 and became a national bestseller and Netflix film starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans. He wrote twelve subsequent Gray Man novels that have been...

Bartender to Bestselling Author: The Man Behind "The Gray Man"

Welcome to Second Act Stories, a podcast focused on life and career change. In each episode, we bring you the story of a courageous  individual who has made a decisive career pivot and is pursuing a more rewarding life in a second act. 

The stories are in their own words and the words of friends and family that helped them find a new path. Each episode examines the “before” and “after” phases of a life or career relaunch and offers lessons learned.

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