GenX Adulting Podcast - Episode 41 - Boomer Series: JD

Name: GenX Adulting Podcast - Episode 41 - Boomer Series: JD
Uploaded: 2025-08-18T00:00:00-04:00
Duration: 3 h 16 min 54 s
Description: In Episode 41 of the GenX Adulting podcast, JD shares his experiences growing up as a baby boomer, discussing his family's history, his father's career, and the impact of moving frequently during his childhood. The conversation also touches on JD's college years, his career in sales, and the evolution of technology and its influence on his professional life.

Episode Summary

In Episode 41 of the GenX Adulting podcast, JD shares his experiences growing up as a baby boomer, discussing his family's history, his father's career, and the impact of moving frequently during his childhood. The conversation also touches on JD's college years, his career in sales, and the evolution of technology and its influence on his professional life.

Key Takeaways

JD was born in 1961, making him a baby boomer.
He moved around a lot during his childhood, living in ten different states.
JD's father served in the Korean War and later worked in human resources.
He attended James Madison University and played club lacrosse.
JD's career in sales began shortly after college, leading to a position at Cisco Systems.
He emphasizes the importance of building relationships with clients in sales.
JD believes that self-awareness and communication are key to a successful career and personal life.

Frequently Asked Questions

What year was JD born?

JD was born in 1961, making him part of the baby boomer generation.

What influenced JD's upbringing?

JD's upbringing was influenced by his father's military service and the family's frequent relocations across various states.

What did JD study in college?

JD studied marketing with a minor in economics at James Madison University.

What is JD's approach to sales?

JD believes in building strong relationships with clients and understanding their needs to provide effective solutions.

How did technology impact JD's career?

JD's career evolved alongside technology, particularly during his time at Cisco Systems, where he witnessed the growth of the internet and its impact on business.

Featured guests: JD

Read the full transcript →

Description

In this episode we welcome JD, one of the coolest boomers we know. JD shares about his experience coming from a large family of five children, which included many moves throughout his childhood. We learn how one particular moment he witnessed while living in Baton Rouge, Louisiana changed his perspective on life forever. We discuss youth sports and the impact travel sports has had on recreational leagues. JD confirms that the movie "Dazed and Confused" was an accurate depiction of his high school years in the mid to late 1970s, as well as how much the college application process has changed. He reflects on his college years at James Madison University, where he played lacrosse and made lifelong friends. Life after college included starting a business with his buddies that became integrated into the software revolution of the 1980s. JD’s next move was working for Cisco Systems, a position that put him on the forefront of the preparation for Y2K as well as offered him the opportunity to travel the world as a Global Account Manager. JD offers valuable sales advice and wisdom based on his vast experience, and we highly encourage anyone considering a career in sales to pay extra attention to that part of the episode. We discuss marital and domestic life when one spouse travels for work, as well as when you come to the point in your life where you truly appreciate what’s important. JD shares his utter joy at becoming a grandfather, and once again offers great advice, this time on the topic of how to be a welcoming and supportive in-law to your child’s spouse. We learn how his parents struggle with dementia and Alzheimer's lead him to becoming a Eucharistic minister, and how it has changed his life. Mentions of his wife, son and daughter throughout the entire episode make it clear how much they mean to him, and how proud he is of his ever-growing family. Finally, we touch on how the younger generations, especially Millennials and GenZ, view Boomers in general. As expressed earlier, JD does not fit the typical “Boomer reputation” in any way, and we thoroughly enjoyed hearing his story as well as his outlook on life and thank him for sharing valuable advice and insight!

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Chapters

00:00:00 Intro

00:00:12 Introduction