John Tarnoff: podcast appearances and interviews

John Tarnoff, born in 1952, is an executive coach and author of Boomer Reinvention. He specializes in providing career counseling for late career professionals, particularly baby boomers looking to transition into sustainable second or encore careers beyond traditional retirement. With a career spanning over 40 years in the entertainment industry, Tarnoff began as a literary agent and film studio production executive before becoming a film producer responsible for titles such as Diner and Pink Floyd The Wall. He co-founded Village Roadshow Pictures in 1988 and pioneered U.S./Australian co-productions, serving as an executive producer for films including The Delinquents and Prisoners of the Sun. In the mid-1990s, Tarnoff diversified into multimedia development, licensing interactive rights and co-writing a PC/PlayStation game. He also co-founded Talkie, Inc., creating online animated conversational characters for various marketing and customer service applications, including Sprint PCS's automated customer service representative Claire. After facing career setbacks due to the dot-com bubble burst, Tarnoff pursued a master's degree in spiritual psychology and transitioned into coaching and academia. From 2006 to 2009, he worked at DreamWorks Animation as head of show development. He later served as a professor and head of industry relations for the Masters of Entertainment Industry Management program at Carnegie Mellon University. In 2012, Tarnoff launched his Boomer Reinvention coaching program and authored the book Boomer Reinvention: How to Create Your Dream Career after 50. He holds a B.A. from Amherst College and an M.A. in Spiritual Psychology from the University of Santa Monica. His background includes upbringing in New York and Paris, and he currently resides in Los Angeles.