Episode #75
GenX Through The Eyes of a Former 80s Kid - John Kotrides: GenXJono - Episode 75
A GenX Perspective You Won't Get Anywhere Else, From a Former 80s Kid John Kotrides spent most of his life with one foot in analog and one foot in digital, and an entire career working and hustling before he finally found the thing he was born to do. You might know him as GenXJono on social media, the GenX nostalgia creator whose childhood was "fueled by hose water and well-intentioned neglect", and now has a following of more than 2 million across YouTube, Facebook and beyond. In this episode of GenX Adulting, he sits down with us to tell the whole story. John takes us back to the beginning: Greek immigrant parents who came to America in 1965, sponsored by the Greek Orthodox Church, and the 24-hour family diner that was often referred to as the "fourth sibling", where his father routinely worked 12-to-18-hour days. He talks about his evenings watching shows like Dynasty, Dallas and Knots Landing with his beloved mother, actively translating the American vernacular for her. John reflects on his time as a feral latchkey GenX kid, decades of grinding through a career of multiple jobs, (typically being held all at once), and the moment it was love at first sight when he met his wife. Then came the plot twist: during COVID, his youngest daughter discovered TikTok, his wife didn't want her on it alone, and John, for the first time since he was a kid, wasn't working one or two jobs. He started making videos, built his platform rooted in his GenX perspective on life that is the perfect combination of nostalgia and relatability, and became a third act success story who proves it's never too late to find your thing. It's a warm, funny, deeply GenX conversation about immigrant hustle, growing up as the last analog generation, deep pride in a strong marriage and being a girl dad, and continuing to connect, resonate and thrive in midlife. Check Out GenXJono Here: Website: https://www.genxjono.com/ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@genxjono Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genxjono/?hl=en Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GenxJono YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@genxjono/featured Check Us Out Here: https://genxadultingpodcast.com/ Subscribe for more Real People. Real Stories. Real Conversations. From Every Generation. #johnkotrides #genxjono #midlife #latchkeykids #genxcreator #contentcreator #buffalobills #universityofbuffalo #bartender #banking #finance #marriage #parenting #advice #greek #comedy #nostalgia #80s #80snostalgia #popculture #genxmovies #genxtvshows #genxmusic #genxadulting #genxnostalgia #analogchildhood #feralgenxchildhood #greekimmigrantfamily #familydiner #growingupinthe80s Check us out at genxadulting.com #generationx #genx #podcast #marriage #relationship #interview #mom #family
