More Than Alumni: Finding My Tribe of Trailblazers

5 Kindred Substack Voices I Recommend

Dear Koffeemocha Friends,

In my recent post, Being Bold Together: From Pleasanton to Liberty State Park, I shared a story that began as a simple reunion — and evolved into something that can help us connect on a deeper level.

It wasn’t just about old friends gathering near the Hudson. It was about seeing in one another the arcs of transformation we’ve all lived through: from engineers to entrepreneurs, from suburban parents to grandparents, from duty-bound professionals to trailblazers redefining purpose in encore chapters of life.

That day, beneath the spring sky with the Manhattan skyline behind us, I realized:

Our alumni ties were only the beginning.

What connected us wasn’t only where we came from (Tongji), but where we’re headed:

Toward the bold unknown, with eyes open and hearts awake.

A Wider Circle of Bold Voices

That reflection led me to a new question:

Who else out there is writing from the edge of change, where endings become invitations?

I’ve spent time exploring the Substack platform where many kindred spirits share their own reinvention journeys — and I’ve discovered five writers whose voices align well with Koffeemocha.

They don’t just echo my thoughts — they expand them. They challenge me to see life’s pivot points not as disruptions, but as creative thresholds.

Here are just a few highlights from this inspiring circle:

• Jenny Blake’s Pivot: Her framework for “what’s next” reads like a guidebook for those of us who left behind safe structures to explore meaning and renewal. If Koffeemocha is the coffee, Jenny’s work is the compass.

• Steven Schlafman’s Where the Road Bends: A former VC turned coach, Steven writes like a man walking barefoot through transformation. His honesty about getting lost — and found — makes you breathe easier on your own path.

• Avivah Wittenberg-Cox’s Elderberries: Focused on the “new 3rd quarter” of life (ages 50–75), Avivah brings grace, data, and direction to those who no longer seek hustle, but harmony. Her essays feel like standing in a well-lit room filled with mirrors of possibility.

• Anne Boyd Rioux’s Audacious Women, Creative Lives: She left tenure and bought a one-way ticket to Paris — then invited others to share their “Life 2.0” stories. I hear deep parallels with my own shift from enterprise leadership to reflective writing.

• Elizabeth Gilbert’s Letters from Love: Yes, Eat, Pray, Love Elizabeth. Her Substack is a place of radical tenderness. Her courage to reinvent through loss and love speaks to anyone who has dared to say “yes” to the next chapter, even in grief.

Each is with their own rhythm, yet all part of the same movement toward conscious living and self-remaking that Koffeemocha has promoted.

Why This Matters to Us

You may ask, why feature other voices now?

Because after the Liberty Park gathering, it became clear:

Koffeemocha is not a monologue. It’s a constellation.

It began with friends and alumni…

But now, it invites every seeker, every trailblazer, every curious soul standing at the edge of “what now?”

By sharing this list of writers, I’m not just recommending great reads. I’m expanding our community. And I’m planting seeds for something new:

A network of readers who support each other in life’s transitions — career, retirement, relocation, reinvention.

We’ve built trust here, together. Let’s take that trust and carry it into wider terrain.

Your Turn: Who’s in Your Circle?

Have you read a Substack/Koffeemocha that made you feel seen in your season of change?

Do you know someone writing boldly about life beyond the job title?

Let me know.

Forward this post to someone at a crossroads.

Or simply take this as your permission to begin writing your own Koffeemocha moment.

From Pleasanton to Liberty to wherever we meet next —

Thank you for being part of this becoming.

With warmth and wonder,
Kefei
Founder, Koffeemocha