Professional Retirement Coaching: Design Your Best Years with my 6 Pillars Framework

Passive is for income, active is for retirement lifestyle planning.

You’ve built a nest egg. Now let’s build the nest.

I saw my father struggle in retirement—and it changed my life.
He’d saved for decades and built a solid nest egg. But when retirement finally came, he was lost. The purpose, structure, and identity he’d built vanished.
Here’s what nobody tells you: Retirement is one of life’s biggest transitions—yet most people only plan financially. They forget to plan for the life itself. Money is only half the equation. The other half? Creating a life of meaning: The relationships that will sustain you. The passions that will energize you. The purpose that will drive you forward.
That’s why in 2024, I created the 6 Pillars of Retirement—a framework that goes beyond the financial plan to help you design a retirement actually worth retiring for.

Lifestyle Planning isn’t optional – it’s protection!

48%

of workers feel emotionally prepared for retirement (vs. 67% who feel financially prepared)

*Employee Benefit Research Institute

1 in 3

retirees experience
loneliness—and among those who are
unhappy in retirement, that number rises
to nearly half.

*2024 MassMutual Retirement Happiness Study

48%

of retirees retired
earlier than planned (due to changes at
work 33%, illness 25%, burnout 17%)

*2024 MassMutual Retirement Happiness Study

15-20%

of adults older than age 65 in the United States have experienced depression.

*Geriatric Mental Health Foundation

63%

of people approaching retirement feel stressed about
the transition, and 32% struggle to establish a routine once the honeymoon phase ends.

*MIT AgeLab

Mike’s 6 Pillars of a fulfilling RETIREMENT

Physical & Mental Health

The foundation of everything. Without vibrant health, all other pillars weaken. Prioritize wellness routines that energize both body and mind. This can include your faith, spirituality or higher purpose.

People

Humans thrive on meaningful connection. Nurture existing relationships that matter and cultivate new ones that inspire you. Your social circle becomes your support system.

Purpose

Discover what motivates you to rise each morning with anticipation. Create your legacy through sharing knowledge, giving back, and making an impact in ways uniquely yours. Embracing your post work identity.

Passion

Immerse yourself in activities that light your soul—whether exploring distant countries, mastering culinary arts, conquering mountains, or simply losing yourself in creative pursuits. Stay curious.

Places

Curate environments that nourish your spirit. From your sanctuary at home to the spaces where you volunteer, learn, create, play, and grow. Your surroundings shape your experience.

Planning

Design a flexible blueprint for living that balances thoughtful preparation with spontaneous joy. The right plan empowers rather than constrains your retirement journey. Have your house and finances in order.

the retirement coaching journey.

1. Book a free 30 minute discovery call

A no-pressure conversation to discuss your retirement journey, understand the coaching approach, and determine if we’re the right fit.

2. complete your client intake form

Key questions to understand your retirement goals, concerns, and what matters most so we can create your personalized pathway.

3. one on one/Couples coaching with your Lifestyle workbook

Move from uncertainty to clarity about your retirement. Through one-hour sessions and strategic exercises, you’ll design a lifestyle plan that excites you for your next chapter.

4. Create the Retirement You’ve Always Imagined

Through our work together, you’ll develop a tangible pathway for your ideal lifestyle. Move forward knowing you have the plan, the tools, and the clarity to make it happen..

book your free discovery call today.

Meet Mike Crane

My mission is simple: help you avoid retiring with regrets. Here you’ll find the insights and opportunities to design a retirement filled with purpose—because your best years shouldn’t be left to chance.

  • How to create a meaningful retirement
  • Best retirement coaches in Canada
  • Mike Crane - Professional retirement coaching services in Canada
Meet Mike, your guide to the next chapter.
[email protected]

Let’s connect, I am here to listen.

Ready to transform your retirement journey? Your path to a more fulfilling retirement starts with a conversation about your unique story.

Connect:

3 Ways to Start Your Journey.

Explore at your own pace, or jump straight into creating your retirement action plan.

Retirement Blogs

Retirement lifestyle insights that matter. My blog covers real strategies for health, purpose, relationships, and adventure—articles to inspire.

Watch Next Chapter TV

Meet real retirees living their best years. Hear their honest stories, lessons learned, and what they wish they’d known sooner. Get inspired—then get moving.

Book a free discovery call

Let’s talk about your retirement vision and concerns. Explore how coaching can help you create a clear action plan. No pressure—just clarity. Schedule a call.

Frequently asked questions.

Retirement coaching answers the questions financial planning doesn’t: What will give me purpose? How do I stay vital and connected? What will I actually do? Using my 6 Pillar Framework, we build your complete retirement lifestyle plan—so you retire to something, not just from something.

High-achievers who’ve spent decades building successful careers—and now face a blank calendar. You’re financially ready but unsure what replaces the purpose, structure, and identity work provided. You’ve been intentional about every major decision. You’re not about to wing the next 30 years.

The honest answer? Ideally 2-5 years before retiring—giving you time to intentionally design your next chapter, not stumble into it. But it’s never too late. Many people years into retirement want to change course. The best time is now. The real question: Are you ready to be intentional about this chapter?

I help you design the life you want in retirement using my 6 Pillars framework: Physical Health, People, Purpose, Passion, Places, and Planning. We identify what matters most and build a concrete action plan. This isn’t therapy or financial advice—it’s strategic planning for a major life transition. I bridge the gap between financial security and actual fulfillment.

Financial planners help you afford retirement. I help you enjoy it. They answer “Can I retire?” I answer “What will I DO in retirement?” Money is necessary but not sufficient—you can be financially secure and completely miserable. We solve different problems that work hand-in-hand.”

We dig into what’s really going on and what you actually want. Sessions are conversational but focused—I ask questions that make you think differently about retirement. We identify what’s working, what’s missing, and what’s holding you back, then create specific action steps. Every session is tailored to your situation, whether that’s loss of identity, finding purpose, or building new routines. You leave with clarity and a plan, not vague encouragement.

Investment in coaching starts at $725 for an intake analysis, workbook and 3 coaching sessions.
I offer additional sessions at $195, and group coaching options. The number of sessions varies for each client to successfully navigate the transition.
Yes, it’s an investment. But consider what’s at stake: you’re planning the next 20-30 years of your life. Most people spend more researching which car to buy than planning their actual retirement lifestyle.

That’s exactly why coaching exists. Most people start without clarity—just knowing something feels off. Maybe retirement sounds boring. Maybe you can’t imagine life without work. That’s normal. My job is helping you discover what matters, not telling you what should matter.

I’m a Professional Retirement Coach, but my real qualification is lived experience. After working as a chef in luxury hotels across four continents, I transitioned to build a successful photography career. I’ve reinvented myself professionally multiple times and understand what it means to derive identity from work—and then let it go.
My real purpose in becoming a coach was seeing my father, a successful and driven man, completely lose himself in retirement. No purpose, no plan, just endless empty days. That struggle taught me what retirement planning actually requires, and it’s not what most people think.

RETIREMENT LIFESTYLE BLOG.

VISIT THE BLOG
| | |

How to Make Friends (Ideally Before) and After Retirement: 12 Ways That Actually Work

Watching my parents navigate retirement taught me something important about friendship. My mom had her own social life—friends she’d see, activities she’d do, a world outside their marriage. My dad?…
Read more → How to Make Friends (Ideally Before) and After Retirement: 12 Ways That Actually Work
| | | |

Estate Planning for Retirees: How to Get Your Home and Affairs in Order

A Guide to Organizing Your Retirement Life There might be an elephant in the room(s) that many retirees are avoiding: the overwhelming amount of “stuff” accumulated over decades of life,…
Read more → Estate Planning for Retirees: How to Get Your Home and Affairs in Order
Living a meaningful retirement and navigating your post work identity.

Subscribe and Download your Free PDF

Start your journey with my complimentary introduction to retirement planning.

DOWNLOAD FREE PDF