The Exit Nobody Talks About: What It Actually Takes to Leave a High-Paying Career at 51

The Executive Financial Planning Podcast · Jul 18, 2026 · 35m

He spent 28 years climbing to CFO of a publicly tradedcompany, and nearly 20 of them quietly planning his exit. At 51, Mike Pettit iswalking away. Not because he hit a magic number, but because he finally is prioritizing the one thing executives never put first… their time. In this conversation, Mike reveals why his original retirement projections were wrong, the overlooked account that makes leaving in your 50s actually possible, and the "buffet trap" that keeps high earners clocking in long after their house payment stops mattering. If you've ever wondered whether you could afford to walk…