18 : Life after Google, Private vs Public Value & Portuguese Chicken with Paul Somers

Welcome to the mindful fire podcast, where we explore living mindfully on the path to financial independence and beyond. I'm your host, Adam Coelho. And I'm so glad you're here. 

On today's episode, I'm joined by my friend, Paul Summers, Paul and I met seven years ago when I was on a work trip for Google in Australia. As you'll hear in the interview, Paul and I bonded over Portuguese chicken, one of my favorites. 

I'm really excited to bring you this conversation with Paul today because Paul has a really interesting way of looking at life. I've always found him to be just a very carefree go with the flow, takes things as they come, type of person. Always very interested in learning, growing, learning from other people's perspectives.

We cover a lot of ground including:

• Paul’s career progression
• How he knew it was time to leave Google
• What Paul is now up to
• What Public value is and why it’s important?
• How there are actually many different types of value beside financial value
• Paul’s thoughts about the epidemic of overstressed and overworked people

 This conversation did not disappoint and I hope that you enjoy it. 

Please subscribe to receive new episodes and guided meditations every Tuesday.

Join the Mindful FIRE Legends community at MindfulFIRE.org/join.

PS: Introducing the… 🔥 FIRE Starter Group Coaching Program

You did the “money” part. You saved, invested, and built real options. But if you’re being honest… FU money alone isn’t enough—and you might still feel stuck in “one more year syndrome,” unclear on what you actually want next.

In 10 weeks or less, we’ll help you get clear on what you want—and start living it now—using envisioning, mindfulness, and practical mini-experiments (not endless overthinking).

Interested? Let’s chat: https://mindfulfire.org/chat

🔥 WHO I’m creating this for

This is for you if you’re at or near FI (Coast FI or full FIRE) and:

• You feel stuck after “doing everything right,” but you’re not sure what you’re optimizing for anymore.
• You’re caught between freedom and overwhelm (“I could do anything… so I do nothing”).
• You want clarity and momentum—but you don’t want someone to tell you what to do.

🔥 WHAT we’ll do together (over 10 weeks)

In a small group (mastermind-style), you’ll:

• Get clear on what you actually want (beyond expectations, comparison, and “shoulds”).
• Create a big, meaningful vision for your next chapter—one that fits who you are now.
• Learn the brain science behind envisioning (why it works, and how to use it).
• Turn yo...