Our Mission
Most retirement planning focuses on money. PurposeNext is different. We focus on life.
Retirement sits in the cultural imagination as both a promise and a paradox. The promise is freedom—an escape from alarm clocks, deadlines, and the perpetual rhythm of obligation. The paradox is what arrives when that freedom actually comes.
People spend decades thinking about what they want less of: less work, less stress, less pressure. But very few spend meaningful time imagining what they want more of—more purpose, more connection, more learning, more momentum, more joy.
PurposeNext helps answer a question many people quietly carry as retirement approaches: “Am I ready for what comes next?”
“Money makes retirement possible. Purpose, health, connection, and structure make it fulfilling.”
— The PHASE™ Philosophy
See PHASE™ in Action
Watch this short video to understand how the PHASE Into Retirement™ framework helps you prepare for a fulfilling retirement.
The PHASE™ Framework
PHASE Into Retirement™ guides pre-retirees and retirees through the five non-financial dimensions that predict whether retirement becomes a season of flourishing or simply fading. These dimensions form a living ecosystem—each one strengthening and supporting the others.
P — Purpose
Meaning and identity beyond work. The compass that gives direction to retirement and answers the question: “Who am I now?”
H — Health
Physical, mental, emotional, and cognitive well-being. The engine that allows you to follow your purpose and engage with life.
A — Activities
Engagement, curiosity, and creativity. The hobbies and pursuits that give texture to time and bring retirement to life.
E — Everyday Life
Rhythm, stability, and structure. The quiet backbone that keeps retirement grounded and purposeful.
Why This Matters
Research across decades confirms that non-financial factors are the strongest predictors of retirement satisfaction.
20-30
Years
Average time spent in retirement
40%
Of Retirees
Experience depression in year one
5x
More Likely
To thrive with strong purpose
The PHASE™ framework synthesizes insights from the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging, Boston College's Center for Retirement Research, and decades of research in gerontology, psychology, and behavioral science.
How PHASE™ Works
A straightforward process designed to spark reflection and guide intentional action.
Take the PHASE™ Index
Complete a brief assessment that evaluates your readiness across all five dimensions. It takes about 15 minutes and highlights both strengths and opportunities.
Review Your Results
Receive a personalized readiness profile that brings clarity to areas often left unexamined—until retirement is already underway.
Design Your Path Forward
Use the PHASE™ Booklet and guidance resources to transform insights into action, building the retirement you actually want to live.
Who We Serve
PurposeNext helps individuals and the professionals who support them.
Pre-Retirees & Retirees
Whether you're three years away from retirement or already navigating this new chapter, PHASE™ provides the framework for designing a life of intention.
- ✓Identify blind spots before retirement begins
- ✓Rebuild purpose and structure after the transition
- ✓Strengthen the dimensions that matter most
- ✓Move from surviving to thriving
Financial Advisors & HR Professionals
Offer your clients and employees a holistic approach to retirement readiness that goes beyond the numbers.
- ✓Deepen client relationships through meaningful conversations
- ✓Differentiate your practice with comprehensive planning
- ✓Support employee well-being and transition planning
- ✓Demonstrate measurable value beyond financial advice
Our Philosophy
You cannot “accidentally” create the retirement you want. You must design it—not all at once, but gradually, intentionally, and with compassion for yourself as you navigate this significant life transition.
PHASE™ does not prescribe a “right” way to retire. Instead, it encourages reflection and intentional choices—small, manageable steps that align retirement with the life you want to live.
Retirement does not demand perfection. It asks for intention.
Your next years can be among the richest, most meaningful, and most joyful you have ever lived—not by chance, but by design.
The Team Behind PHASE™
Decades of research, technology, and real-world expertise — purpose-built for retirement readiness.
Cam Marston
Co-Founder & Managing Partner
Nationally recognized generational and workplace expert, author of five books, and speaker who has spent over two decades advising organizations on how people navigate change. Host of the podcast What's Working with Cam Marston. B.A., Tulane University.
Gerald Bierling
Co-Founder & Head of Research
Designed the statistical methodology behind the PHASE Into Retirement™ assessment. Nearly 30 years teaching research methods and statistics at McMaster University, with over 25 years as a research and statistical analysis consultant specializing in demographic change and survey design.
Kai Gray
Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer
Built the PurposeNext platform from the ground up and leads development of Grace AI™, the engine that delivers personalized retirement readiness insights. Over two decades of software development experience. M.Eng.M., Tufts University; B.S., Boston University.
Dr. Taylor Gray
Co-Founder & Research Fellow
Supports the research foundation and data analysis behind the PHASE™ assessment. Fellow at the University of New Brunswick's Faculty of Management and published researcher in peer-reviewed journals. D.Phil. in Economic Geography, University of Oxford (Clarendon Scholar).
Ready to PHASE™ Into Your Best Retirement?
Take the first step toward designing a retirement filled with purpose, health, connection, and joy.
Start the PHASE™ Index →