Unfireable

𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗲: 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀.

Most people don't go from concert halls to coding. Toolie did.

She wasn't born a geek. She was a classical musician. Working on computers was her day job until Microsoft recruited her. Ten years there. Then 9 years running her own business. Then back to corporate: Agile contracts with Boeing, Amazon, Disney, Expedia, Starbucks, JPMorganChase.

Then 2025 hit. Laid off.

"I've been secretly wanting to return to entrepreneurship for years but didn't have the financial cushion. Well, so much for that plan! Being laid off pushed me back into it whether I was ready or not."

Sound familiar?

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲'𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁:

After 14 years in Agile software development, she noticed what's broken. Nobody trains the people who actually lead the teams — Scrum Masters, Kanban Managers, Product Owners. They lead by influence, not authority. Way harder. Nobody teaches them how.

So Toolie's building what's missing.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗲'𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴:

YouTube videos teaching Agile leadership. A mentorship program for Agile leaders working alone in their companies. A free chat community for real-time help. Certification classes teaching Agile practices that actually work.

𝗛𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼: "𝗛𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘀 == 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗼𝗳𝘁𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲™"

While everyone obsesses over AI, Toolie focuses on the humans writing the code. Because if developers aren't empowered to push back when things aren't working, they'll produce crap whether they're using AI or not.

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘀𝗵𝗲'𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝟰𝟬 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗨𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗱:

"The Community provides accountability and the chance to share information that benefits everyone. It's not the kind of accountability that makes you feel guilty, you feel uplifted when things don't happen as expected."

And this: "Entrepreneurship is really a combination of zig-zags and sidesteps before you achieve a rhythm that propels you forward. The Community and Jason's coaching help you find that rhythm."

Toolie® Merchant, SPOC®, SMC®, SAMC®, SCT®, SAC® gets it. Entrepreneurship is scrappy. It's building something because the system pushed you out whether you were ready or not.

Welcome to the community, Toolie.

— Jason

𝗧𝗼𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗲'𝘀 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝘀:
Certification: https://www.remotescrumstudy.com
Chat & Support: https://www.practicalscrum.com
Corporate Agile: https://www.rsscorporateagile.com
Leadership Content: https://www.youtube.com/

𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲!
https://www.skool.com/second-act-ai-3035/about

I sent over 800 job applications.

No offers. No callbacks. A lot of silence.

I'm 57. By every measure the job market uses, I'm done.
Except I'm not.

We started Over 40 and Unemployed because we needed a place for people like us. Not a job board. Not a networking group full of toxic positivity and resume tips that don't work. A real place.

Where you can say "I've sent 300 applications and I'm losing my mind" and someone actually gets it.

We have almost a thousand members on Skool right now. People building freelance businesses, monetizing their writing, landing consulting clients, making their first dollars outside traditional employment. People who were written off. Building anyway.

This page is an extension of that. A place to share what's working, what's not, and what the job market will never tell you about your own worth.

And there's something else coming.

Something bigger than a community. Bigger than a course. A movement for workers the system forgot. People who've been employees their whole lives and now need to be more.

It's called The Unfireables.

I'm not ready to say everything yet. But it's coming. And if you've been shut out, written off, or told you're overqualified one more time this year — it's for you.

For now: follow this page. Join the free community: https://www.skool.com/second-act-ai-3035/about. And if you've sent 100+ applications with nothing to show for it, drop a number in the comments.

Let's see how many of us are out here.

Read it on Substack:

https://jasonweiland.substack.com/p/the-unfireables-why-im-building-a

Become...

Starting over after 40 isn’t a setback. It’s a strategic advantage.

I’m seeing more and more professionals walk away from careers that no longer fit — and step into businesses, projects, and creative work that actually matter to them.

They’re not crazy.
They’re not reckless.
They’re ready.

Because after 20, 30, 40 years of experience, you know exactly what deserves your time and energy.

🔥 You spot distractions faster.
🔥 You choose wisely.
🔥 You create with purpose.

If you’re thinking about a second act, you're not behind.
You're right on schedule.

This week’s Second Act Letter dives into why starting something new after 40, 50, or 60 might be the smartest move you’ll ever make.

➔ [Read the Sunday edition here]
https://jason-weiland.beehiiv.com/p/starting-over-at-40-or-50-or-60-isn-t-crazy-it-s-courageous
➔ [And if you believe second acts deserve support, check out the Second Act AI Indiegogo here]
https://igg.me/at/secondact/x/32741061 #/

Your next chapter isn’t waiting for permission.
It’s already inside you.

Starting Over at 40 (Or 50 or 60) Isn’t Crazy — It’s Courageous Sometimes all we need is a little boost

You're not too old. You're just getting started.

I've been thinking a lot lately about how we treat aging — and how wrong so many of those old ideas are.

They told us success had an expiration date.
That if you didn't "make it" young, you missed your chance.

But the truth is... some of the greatest success stories happened later in life:

🌟 Colonel Sanders founded KFC in his 60s.
🌟 Dara Torres won Olympic medals in her 40s.
🌟 Eddie Brocklesby completed an Ironman at 74!

They didn't stop. They didn’t give up.
They started again, stronger than ever.

And so can we.

I wrote about this in my latest article:
Age Is Just a Number: Embracing Success at Any Stage of Life
https://medium.com//age-is-just-a-number-embracing-success-at-any-stage-of-life-506720c08ad7?sk=4620f8fdc0b7531a6c710a62c98f5a78

I hope it reminds you that your next chapter can be your best yet.

If this resonates with you, I’d love for you to also check out the project I’m building — Second Act AI, a creative companion designed to help people rediscover their voice and build their second act with confidence.
👉 Support Second Act AI on Indiegogo
https://igg.me/at/secondact/x/32741061 #/

Thanks for being here. Let’s keep dreaming. 🖋️✨

Age Is Just a Number: Embracing Success at Any Stage of Life Redefining Aging and Unlocking Potential Beyond the Conventional Timeline

I used to think a longer to-do list meant I was getting closer to my dreams.
Turns out, all it did was pull me further away from myself.

✅ More tasks.
✅ More hustle.
✅ Less clarity.
✅ Less joy.

When I finally started my second act, I didn’t need another list.
I needed a new story.

Second Act AI is built for those of us ready to stop measuring life in checkboxes — and start creating something meaningful.

Not faster.
Not bigger.
More true.

💬 If that resonates with you, I’d love for you to join me:
https://igg.me/at/secondact/x/32741061 #/