NEW 50 PLUS ENTREPRENEURIAL MOVEMENT

This is an exciting time for Boomers/Elders that want to startup a small business OR become a social and/or business entrepreneur.  However; in the USA, UK and Canada the 50+ Entrepreneur is still NOT getting the the respect and business support that we urgently need to become more successful.  On a positive note there is some light at the end of a somewhat dark tunnel in the field of entrepreneurship, especially regarding the 50+ demographic of Boomers and Elders.

There are at least three new developments happening in this area right now.  In the USA the Kauffman Foundation offered it’s first-ever course tailored specifically to Baby Boomers in Fall/2012. I call this new development the head of the dragon that in my opinion needs to be spread out around the World.  At the present time in Canada we have the Startup Canada Communities Launch in May/2013 and in the UK there is the Senior Enterprise Association ‘experience never ages’ 50+ Entrepreneurial initiative.

Question- Are Adults 50 Plus Part of the Present Entrepreneurial Movement?

How many 50+ Adults have thought about what they are going to do when they retire?

Are you going to do nothing but leisure activities, volunteer in the community most of the time, startup a small business, become a social entrepreneur OR possibly even become a business entrepreneur after the age of 50?

in order to answer some of these questions and try to shed more light in this area, I am currently participating in a discussion group named YouInc.com/forum  This new website is founded by Arlene Dickinson, Author of the book titled ‘Persuasion’ and co-star of CBC TV’s Dragons’ Den.  I find Arlene’s site to be a great place where the 50 Plus can meet and tell their OWN entrepreneurial story.  Arlene also helps entrepreneurs of ALL ages share, connect and grow. 

Marion Heintzman started out my specific discussion about Adults 50 Plus being or not being part of the present entrepreneurial movement by saying, “When i retire from my current business, I am going to start a new business.  I don’t think I will ever be completely retired.”  I replied to Marian by saying that’s exactly what I did i.e. startup what I call a new project as a social entrepreneur helping all seniors 50 Plus regarding pursuing entrepreneurship and helping to eradicate seniors’ poverty in the World.

So, how do you decide what kind of a new product or service you are going to create as an entrepreneur?  I think that older adults have different expectations and they will probably need some hands-on help from mentors/coaches in order to clarify their new business idea and then make it marketable and financially sustainable.  I also need to mention here that Arlene Dickinson, founder of YouInc.com also provides some tips for how to help your business stand out from the crowd.

Question- Will 50 Plus Adults make a difference and create something new alone or in collaboration with others as required?

I think that in order to have a real 50+ Entrepreneurial movement we will probably need to think about creating something new from our internal sources and then collaborate with others to get the best results.

Since my initial post on YouInc.com/forum I have received a total of 123 replies to date.  I want to keep this conversation going in order that we can reach as many 50 Plus people as possible.  I also want to warn everybody that starting up a Second Act or Third Act career as a social and/or business entrepreneur is NOT easy.  As a result, to achieve a greater success rate for the 50+ Entrepreneur we will probably need more help eg. business operations and marketing mentoring, and some hands-on help from the retired business executives and business owners and finally, some guidance from younger social media  and eCommerce experts.

 

 

 

 

 

Physical Condition As a Barrier To Becoming a Seniorpreneur

Are you a seniorpreneur in the making?

What does it take from a ‘physical condition’ point of view to be a healthy & fit seniorpreneur?

Art Linkletter in his book, ‘How to Make the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life’ said, “not everyone is cut out to be self-employed or run their own business, and that’s fine.  Some people are just NOT entrepreneurial, and there’s nothing wrong with that.  Running your own show comes complete with many risks.  You’ve got to find startup capital, cover payroll and health-care costs, update your technical skills, handle marketing and sales, and still there’s no guarantee of success.  If starting a business doesn’t appeal to you, there are still many worthwhile ways to work, from volunteerism to community organizing.  But if you possess three important characteristics- physical readiness, the capacity to enjoy risks, and a passion for learning new things- then becoming a seniorpreneur could be the most rewarding aspect of your later life.”

Boomers/Elders are now facing a very difficult dilemma.  In a recent study prepared by the Canadian Heart and Stroke Foundation found that baby boomers may have dreams of spending their twilight years basking in the glow of good health, but a new poll suggests they’ll have to work much harder to make that vision a reality.

Focusing on the habits of mostly baby boomers the online survey found a noticeable disparity between people’s perception of their own health and the reality of their medical situation.  While 80 per cent of respondents described themselves as healthy, the poll told a very different story.

Nearly 85 per cent of respondents did NOT eat the recommended number of fruits and vegetables per day, more than 40 per cent fell short of ideal physical activity levels, a fifth described themselves as smokers and 11 per cent suggested they were heavy drinkers.  Such habits, the Heart and Stroke Foundation said, are setting survey participants for years of disappointment.

Cardiologist and foundation spokeswoman Dr. Beth Abramson said those who indulge in unhealthy behaviors now are ignoring the fact that long life is not always equated with good health.  People often live up to 10 years beyond the time their health has deteriorated, she said, adding that final decade is often spent in discomfort and dissatisfaction.

Why is achieving optimum health and fitness difficult for many boomers/elders?

In the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Terri Ciletti said that the only exercise she got before she retired was walking her dog. “I see a lot of people my age who can’t move around”, Ms. Ciletti, 66, said as she progressed from machine to machine at the suburban fitness centre.  “If I want to stay healthy, I have to stay fit,” she said.

The take-home message is “no matter how many years you have been sitting on the couch, you change your future by getting up,” said Dr. Wright, Director of the Performance and Research Initiative for Master Athletes at the UPMC Center for Sports Medicine.

Just Get Moving!

Naturopathic physician Dr. Andrew Myers believes being fit and strong is LESS about exercise and MORE about ‘movement’. Movement doesn’t require the gym or expensive equipment.  Movement means walking, gardening, dancing, or playing with the grand kids.

Frailty comes with disuse.  When you use what you’ve got, consistently and with variety, it won’t be a concern.

A final thought here, in addition to physical and mental preparedness, Boyd Lemon of Manhattan Beach, California said, “I want to call to the attention of baby boomers and anyone planning retirement or recently retired that emotional planning is important too.  Going from a full-time job to no job may seem ideal, but it is an enormous and difficult adjustment.  Too many retired people end up feeling useless, with no purpose.  Many suffer from episodic depression as a result, making what could be the best times of their lives, the worst time.  Prepare yourself by finding a passion to pursue during retirement.

Happy Seniorpreneuring to all Seniors(50 Plus) around the World who seriously want to become more active, creative, productive and prosperous in their pre-retirement and retirement life. 

 

 

 

 

Seniors’ Centres- Is it Time for a Change?

In the past many seniors retired by the age of 65 and they gladly accepted seniors’ centres as THE place to be for the Seniors’ “Lifestyle” Group.

Question- Do you think that the present seniors’ centres are still the ‘go to’ place for Seniors 50 Plus OR is there a new movement in place now spurred on by the dominating Boomer generation to create a different “Lifestyle” Group?  What is it?

Die from Doing Nothing

Jim and Olga McDonald in their book titled ‘Get Up And Go’ told a story about what they called ‘Die from Doing Nothing’.  Not too long ago, while attending a social event, Olga fell into conversation with a former acquaintance we’ll call Charlie.  when Olga told me the story of her unusual discussion with Charlie, I knew that I had to include it in this book, for it conveys an attitude that may be secretly shared by others.

When Charlie mentioned that he was now retired, Olga asked him what he was doing with all his spare time.  Charlie proudly responded by saying, “I do nothing.  I sleep until ten in the morning.  Once I have breakfast, shower, shave, get dressed, and do a few things, it’s time for lunch.”  He sipped his wine and continued on, “After lunch I go to the club and play cards with guys for the rest of the afternoon.  In the evening I watch television.” Olga listened in shocked silence as he supported his “do nothing” position with his next statement.

“Like I said, I do nothing and there’s nothing wrong with that.  When you read the paper, do you ever see a headline that says someone died from doing nothing?  Of course not, nobody dies from doing nothing!”

What an intriguing revelation.  Most people who make up the more than half of our inactive population offer excuses for their inactivity and make promises to change their ways in the near future.  Not Charlie.  He spoke of his “do nothing” lifestyle with the confidence of someone who had just found the secret to longevity.  I suspect that Charlie and his buddies at the club share similar views, and they may be typical of many more who live a sedentary lifestyle.

Sedentary lifestyles increase all causes of mortality, double the risk of cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and obesity and substantially increase the risks of colon cancer, high blood pressure, osteoporosis, depression, and anxiety.

This is a sad situation and it is complicated by the fact that too many seniors just don’t want to speak up in order that we can find out what the TRUE feelings are about their in a seniors’ centre today.  One of the best people I know to get seniors to speak up and be heard is Wendy Fisher, the founder of a retirement website called Retirement-Online.com 

There are 3 stories I would like to mention taken from Retirement-Online.com that I think can shed more light on the different roles of seniors’ centres.

The first story is from Lynne of Port Coquitlam,B.C.  She begins by saying, the seniors’ centres near me are for people 50+.  There are three seniors’ centres near me. Two of them have more activities ‘inside & out’ to offer, but I chose this particular seniors’ centre because it was the only one to offer ‘volunteering’ with lonely home-bound seniors.  Volunteer programs offer three options: 1) weekly grocery shopping (done from a list provided by the senior, shopped by the volunteers, and delivered by the grocery store for a minimum charge; 2) weekly phone calls 9for reassurance: to relieve depression, loneliness and boredom); and 3) weekly visiting with a lonely home-bound senior.  I chose visiting (to have personal contact), and the weekly 2.5 hour visit with my blind and hard-of-hearing ‘very senior’ lady is the highlight of my week.  Because seniors in their homes are vulnerable, I underwent a background criminal check done by the R.C.M.P.; I attended several hours of training and instruction put on by the seniors’ centre; and i memorized a manuel of ‘what to do’.  Lynne said,”This is not like visiting your neighbour in a nursing home or hospital; this is serious business.”

At the seniors’ centre Lynne also joined Carpet bowling (men & Women) and snooker (all men).  Carpet bowling and snooker teams play against other seniors’ centres.

Although members can join at age 50, Lynne said most people whom I have met are in their 60′s to 90′s.  They are friendly folks who have activities and interests outside the seniors’ centre and being a member here is only part of their active retirement lifestyle.

The second story is told by 81 years old, Mikey from Port Colborne, Ontario.  Mikey said, I just joined a senior centrew a few months ago.  I play shuffleboard and darts.  Nobody is very serious so we have some fun.  They do have cribbage, euchre, line dancing, bingo, tai chi and water color painting.  They are serious with their card games so I stay away from them.  When I go there I only see about 20 people but altogether I think there are about 200.  it is only a small city I live in with 17,000 people.  they also have bus trips but they are about $80 for the day.  It’s too much for my pocket book.

Mikey goes on to say, the next city from me is larger and they had a larger senior centre that was very busy.  they asked the Government for a grant to expand a little.  The Government said they wouldn’t give them a grant but would make the building three times larger and call it a ‘Wellness Centre’ and everyone could go, NOT just seniors.

Mikey says, so that is what the Government did.  They spend millions on a big beautiful building.  The only thing wrong is that they took control and made all kinds of rules and regulations which was for everyone. It didn’t feel like a seniors’ centre anymore  and the seniors didn’t like it so a lot of them stopped going.  I went up there Mikey said to see if i would like to join.  The yearly fee was $40 and each thing you did was $2.50, more than twice what it was before.  That was another reason the seniors left.  Because of that I wouldn’t join either. There was a dozen people there that day that I was shown and 5 of them were city office staff twiddling ther thumbs.  It used to be a friendly, welcoming place where seniors could spend an afternoon with friends.  Not anymore.

They used to be greeted with the welcoming smiles of friends when they walked through the door of the seniors’ centre.  Now, the staff that work at the reception desk of the new Wellness Complex are too busy to offer the polite greetings volunteers nused to offer, seniors say.  But many of the nearly 200 people who attended a public meeting said they’d gladly trade amenities like the therapeutic pool for the centre they used to enjoy.

Finally, a brief story by Genna of Palm Springs, California.  Genna said, Well Joe, I’ve never joined in any of the seniors’ centre activities except for a poetry group that the centre was kind enough to let us meet there and we weren’t all seniors.  Then, once when leaving town I left off a box of baby houseplants for folks to help themselves to.  I’m always intending to check out the activities, but so far I have never had the time to do so.

Seniors’ centres can be many things for the utilization of Seniors 50 Plus.

Question:

Are there ANY sources anywhere that are presently planning to examine the role of seniors’ centre in this new era which includes the huge Boomer demographic that is retired or about to retire?

Currently, there is an important project led by the team of three University of Alberta (Edmonton, AB) researchers who have just begun a year-long study of the Province of Alberta, Canada seniors’ centres with the aid of $70,800 grant from the Provincial Government.

The team of three researchers led by Dr. Kyle Whitfield, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Extension, will be looking at the role that Alberta’s 400-plus centres currently play in the different seniors’ lives, the challenges they face and their future potential.

“Seniors’ centres in Alberta are essential to sustaining and growing a model of successful aging in the Province,” Whitfield said at a January 21/13 press conference where the grant for the project was announced.

“Because out aging population is growing, knowing more about the needs, key issues, challenges and opportunities for capacity building amongst seniors’ centres is a necessity,” said Dr. Kyle Whitfield.

Also, the Edmonton Senior magazine February/2013 edition mentions the seniors’s centres study that the U of A researchers will be working on in conjunction with the Alberta Association of Seniors’ Centres and the Seniors Association of Greater Edmonton (SAGE).

“Seniors’ centres play a vital role in the lives of seniors who live in communities throughout Alberta,” said Roger Laing, President of the AASC and Executive Director of SAGE.

 

 

What do Baby Boomers/Elders Expect of Seniors Centres?

What is a Senior Centre?

A senior centre, much like a school and a community, is a hub.  It’s a gathering place.  It’s where people go for services and information.

Paul Flowers, President of Circa 46, a Dallas advertising firm mentioned that late boomers and elders are generally not in an ‘acquisition’ stage of life.  They are more focused on self-actualization and are more interested in acquiring experiences rather than acquiring things.

To support this view of seniors, Age Lessons: Boomer Barometer outlines four different lifestyle trends for Boomers in North America.

* Anticipate a revival of non-contact, less demanding sports options like tether ball (hold off the pickle ball), flag tag, hopscotch, and games that minimize wear and tear on ageing knees.

* Baby Boomers will pursue long-dormant artistic interests in music, painting, or writing sidelined by the demands of work and child care.

* Folklore/story telling returns with a modern twist as a social outlet that allows Baby boomers to connect with children and grand children in response to ubiquitous, impersonal electronic media.

* Grey is the new power color in grassroots politics, as aging Baby Boomers rediscover their revolutionary roots and engage in the political fray to influence the electoral agenda and outcomes.

Regarding interests and hobbies the majority of Baby Boomers like listening to music, dining out, and reading books.  Also, about the Internet, Baby Boomers invented the internet, and are more comfortable with new technology than many people give them credit.

Just recently the Province of Alberta, Canada government is pushing ahead with a year-long study of Alberta’s more than 400 seniors centres which are set to play an increasingly important role as the province,s population ages, Health Minister Fred Horne said on Monday, January 21, 2013.

The study will asses the financial sustainability of the facilities, weigh various funding models, and explore what type of services and programs the centres should be offering at a time of growing demand.

“Even though we have had seniors centres in this province for more than 50 years, very little is known about them,” said Roger Laing, president of Alberta Association of Seniors Centres.

Lifelong Learning Opportunities

In my new book, Encore! Encore! Seniors (50 Plus) as Entrepreneurs: Their Time Has Come under the heading of Lifelong Learning Opportunities, I ask the question- Should the traditional seniors centres or any future boomer centres need to change by updating the functions and activities offered?

A recent AP (Associated Press) story put it in black and white: “Susan Lather envisions a day when patinas and mocha cocktails will take their place next to fruit cups and club sandwiches on the lunch menu at the Enfield Senior Centre.  Changing food preferences are among many adjustments that senior centre directors USA nationwide, including Lather, expect to make in the next decade as they balance the wishes of their stalwarts with those of baby boomer newcomers.”

Personally, I believe that if Senior Life begins after retirement and with a longer lifespan for many seniors we will need to develop a new entity with or without the present senior center. eg. Seniors Education Center OR a Seniors Lifelong Learning Centre.

Some of these future boomer centres could provide more challenging programs and activities as compared to the traditional senior centre.  This would attract more seniors to these centres assuming the new activities are organized around the mission of Lifelong Learning and create more opportunities for achieving self-actualization.  Presently, specific courses taken such as the History of Ancient Rome or watercolor classes could be complemented with job search skills, Internet research skills, small business incubators and business and/or social entrepreneurial skills.

I understand that there will always be a practical use for traditional seniors centres because a lot of people including some Boomers enjoy the more passive and lower energy activities being offered now.  However; there will also be many Boomers/Elders (Including myself) that want to become more active, creative, productive and prosperous in their retirement life.  As a result, for those seniors that want more enhanced social engagement we will need new locations offering more creative and higher energy solutions.  And then as Boomers/Elders we will be able to say that my community provides relevant programs and activities that are necessary if seniors are going to achieve their highest potential or self-actualization.

 

 

 

 

 

It’s 2013, Are Boomers/Elders Ready For A Second Act Retirement?

First of all, A very happy and prosperous New Year to all my friends.  The year 2013 has been an interesting year starting with the USA led Occupy Movement to the Arab Spring Movement in the Middle-East, to the Canadian led Native Winter Movement and finally culminating  in the Mayan Movement.  Then, early in 2013 the USA Congress and Senate coming to some kind of an agreement to escape the dreaded fiscal cliff.

Let’s look at our retirement question above from two different points of view.

A) Boomers/Elders are NOT ready for a Second Act retirement

Take a look at websites such as RetirementOnline.com  You will find that many Adults (50 Plus) are NOT ready for a retirement life.  This site has hundreds of members where you’ll find seniors taking about how they are feeling and doing with respect to making that important transition to a rewarding retirement life. When I see seniors talk about their retirement anxiety and confusion it reminds all of us to look at this problem a little closer.  I suggest that we need more Lifelong Learning classes for the mature adult nearing retirement. This would give the pre-retiree or retiree a greater chance of success in their Second or even the Third Act of their Life. One survey, by Environics show Canadians lack preparation for retirement, even among baby boomers, who are already starting to exit the workforce. The survey also showed only 34 per cent of boomers- Canadians aged 45 to 65- have a Financial Plan in place for retirement.  I believe that any Adult 50 plus should also have a Business Startup Action Planner for those seniors that are contemplating extending their career to becoming either a business and/or social entrepreneur.

“Alarmingly,” TD (Toronto Dominion Bank) says 32 per cent said they were counting on winning a lottery to fund their retirement.  On the lottery response, TD said: “While this statement may be tongue-in cheek, according to the survey result, this group is less likely to have a financial plan and more likely to be anxious about retirement and feel behind in their savings.”

B) New Entrepreneuiral Vision for Retirement

With the help of new organizations like Startup Canada in Canada and Score.org in the USA North America is becoming a contenent of small business entrepreneurs.  Economist, Benjamin Tal, that there are several factors that appear to be driving this trend to more entrepreneurships for Canada & the USA.

Those include the aging population-the over-50 crowd represents 30 per cent of all the NEW startups; outsourcing by corporations to small firms; and the continued influx of immigrants, who represent a sizable section of the self-starters.

Tal also said older Canadians are more likely to start their own firms because they tend to have the work experience necessary; they’ve made useful contacts during the work lives; and they’re more likely to have the financial means to do so.

What is a Second Act?

Life Coach and financial expert, Stephen M. Pollan said that a ‘Second Act’ can mean changing careers, moving to a more desirable part of the Country (or World), starting a business, or dropping everything to pursue a life dream, whether it’s writing a novel, adopting a child, or traveling the world with a backpack and fishing pole.

Writing Your Second Act Script

In the case of being ready for retirement you will need to prepare ahead of time with specific goals and information that which is required to prepare an adequate financial and/or business plan.  At the same time writing your Second Act script will involve planning.

Quotation- “I have always thought that one man of tolerable abilities may work great changes, and accomplish great affairs among man kind, if he first forms a good plan, and cutting off all amusements or other employments that would divert his attention, make the execution of that same plan his sole study and business.”- Benjamin Franklin

Stephen Pollan said, “I encourage people to develop plans for all their larger life and career projects.”  Pollan believed major accomplishments cannot come without planning.  You can’t start a business or develop a social cause on a wish and a prayer.  And, you certainly won’t be able to reinvent yourself without developing and sticking to a plan, or a script for your selected Second Act project.

Second Act Script

Entrepreneurship is for everyone including the 50+ business and/or social entrepreneur.  The first page, or “scene” in your Second Act script is the MISSION STATEMENT you prepared.  It is your goal, your target, the purest distillation of what you want your Second Act to accomplish.  As such, it is the purpose of everything that follows in your script.

My own first page, or “scene” is to find out through writing a new book what the benefits are for older adults of starting a small business in their retirement life.  My extended mission statement is to empower Adults (50 Plus) to become business entrepreneurs through Lifelong Learning.  So, if you want to startup your OWN Second Act what will be your “scene” for an Encore Career?  If you need more help in starting a business and/or social project as an entrepreneur please ask your question by going to the website: YouInc.com Here, I have a relatively hot discussion group going under the title: Are Adults 50 plus part of the present entrepreneurial movement?

Second Act Planning Question Posed on YouInc.com

To explain further on YouInc.com I received an e-mail question posted recently by L. Marsh who asked the following : “I’ve been thinking a lot about what to develop while I’m still working in a completely other profession as I have been doing for many years.  This is my first time to the Arlene’s site (YouInc.com), and just reading your question (My question- Are Adults 50 plus part of the present entrepreneurial movement?), about the possibility of becoming post-50 business entrepreneur OR social entrepreneur made me light up.  I know nothing much yet about business or entrepreneurship, but have a really strong interest in social entrepreneurism.  Seeing the question made me feel it really could be possible and that others are doing it.  Thanks!

My reply to L. Marsh Question- Please go to the website: YouInc.com, register and under discussions find my specific question- Are Adults 50 plus part of the present entrepreneurial movement?

I’m looking forward to discussing the Second Act subject with all of you.

Happy Entrepreneuring Everyone!

Joe W.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

70 is the New 50- Paul McCartney Style

When it comes to the workplace or business is 70 really the new 50?

In reality aging employees face challenges when trying to stay relevant.  Cindy Krischer Goodman of McClatchy Newspapers said, “My silver-haired grandfather worked into his 80′s.  He ran his Chicago law firm on trust and signed clients with a handshake. But his last few years of practicing were rough.  He wasn’t as sharp as a decade earlier, and the young lawyers in his firm began questioning whether his handshakes were causing the law firm to get stiffed on fees.”  Clearly, attitude plays a role for Seniors (50 Plus) who want to become active, creative, productive and prosperous in their Second or Third Acts.

A nationwide survey by the Pew Research Center’s Social & Demographic Trends project finds that a majority (54 per cent) of workers 65 and older say the main reason they work is that they want to.  Just 17 per cent say they need the paycheck.  Those senior workers who hold onto the passion for their jobs or business are the ones who take the steps to stay relevant experts say.

Why Paul McCartney Style?  What has he done?

On Thursday, November 29, 2012 I personally attended a Paul McCartney Concert in my hometown of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.  This was Paul’s third concert in four days of his Band On The Run Tour In Canada.

Paul McCartney, 70 years old is one of my personal role models for someone that looks, plays and sings as if he was 50 years old or younger.  For much of his very challenging set that included 35 plus tunes his voice was strong but was willing to keep on singing even the high notes where he wavered a bit on a couple of songs.

McCartney’s power also extended to the pacing of his show.(Three hours with no official break except for Encore 1 and Encore 2).  He’s a master at moving from gravity to humor and back again, knowing when to tell a story about a dearly departed friend and when to make funny faces and point at fans as if he knows them personally.  The fans responded with mass singalongs and standing ovations.  I couldn’t believe that personally I felt I was in a secure environment and joined in the singalongs with all those adoring fans.

What a great role model Paul McCartney is for ALL Seniors (50 Plus); where we can be as athletic, vigorous and alert  as you were at fifty until you’re seventy or older.

What do I have to do?

Chris Crowley & Henry D. Lodge, M.D. in their book titled, ‘Younger Next Year’ wrote that it’s hard to summarize but there are three things.  Henry D, Lodge, M.D. said that the Three things are: Exercise. Nutrition. And Commitment.

“The biggest one- and the biggest change for most people- is excercise.  It is the secret to great health.  You should excercise hard almost every day of your life- say, six days a week.  Exercise is THE great key to aging.  This long slide…” again, the arching curve with his hand in the air, “can simply go away.  Or go up- for quite a while.  And you can be yourself for the rest of your life.”

Harry goes on.  “Nutrition, too.  You should eat the way you know you should eat but probably don’t.  If you can you should get down to your true weight.  It’s much more important to excercise, regardless of what you weigh and then learn to eat rationally from here on out.”

The Third thing is committment.  Here, you have to care about something or someone.  i.e. goals, charities, people, family, job, business and hobbies.  Especially after retirement, Henry S. Lodge, M.D. says, “you have to dig in and take hold or things can take some bad turns.  It’s specific to you.  And it’s awfully hard to generalize, but there have to be people and causes you care about.  Doesn’t seem to matter much what the causes are.  They don’t have to be important to society or make money, as long as they’re important and interesting to you.  There have to be people you care about and a reason to keep yourself alive.  If not…..”a little smile, “you’ll die.”

But remember, as you get older, steady excercise rises on the priority list because the tide is rising.  The tide has it’s priorities, and you must have yours. Or you’ll be swept away.

Happy Holidays Everyone!  Have a Prosperous New Year!

Joe Wasylyk, Seniorpreneur

 

 

 

 

RICHARD BRANSON’S (VIRGIN GROUP) REPLY TO MY SUBMITTED QUESTION.

Are you on a slippery slope- the long slide into old age and death?

It has often been said that what you need to be a Seniorpreneur in your later years is to have physical and mental readiness, a desire for taking calculated risks, and a passion for learning something new everyday.

In an effort to shed more light on this subject I emailed Richard Branson who is the founder of the Virgin Group.

My specific question for Mr. Branson was the following:

Question- What advice would you give to senior entrepreneurs who want to remain active, creative and productive in their pre-retirement or retirement years?

Richard Branson’s Answer was the following:

Older employees who have learned how to inspire and lead people, and how to remain persistent and optimistic despite changes in circumstances, will have an edge.

When I was young, my hero was Peter Pan, and he is still one of my favourite fictional characters.  After all, who wouldn’t want to be him?  He spent his days with a great gang of friends, he went on lots of adventures, and he could fly.  While I have no intention of slowing down anytime soon, it would be great to be like Peter, who never got any older.

In my experience, older entrepreneurs can use their age to their advantage, both in business and in life.  There is no reason at all to slow down.  If you are concerned about preserving your creativity, look to some new sources of inspiration- innovative ideas or fresh strategies from other fields, for example, surprising new technological developments, or art and music you find interesting.  I often find that when I take a break to learn about something new my new-found knowledge can be applied to some of our Virgin businesses, helping us to tackle long-standing problems from different angles.  A group that recently inspired me was the band we partnered with to launch out new global music venture, Virgin Live: The Rolling Stones.  After spending 50 years together as one of the world’s most popular rock bands, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Ronnie Wood and Charlie Watts are still as keen as ever to get on stage and to work on new songs.

Senior business leaders can sometimes fall into a rut by working only with the same team of colleagues and advisers they always trusted, wary of newcomers’ you and inexperience.  If you surround yourself with energetic, like-minded people, no matter what their ages, you will find that great ideas are more likely to flow.

Become a mentor

One way of expanding your contacts among younger generations is by volunteering as a mentor.  A lot of young people are not getting a fair shake when it comes to getting a start in business, so we started up initiatives such as the Branson Centres of Entrepreneurship in South Africa and the Caribbean and Virgin Media Pioneers in the U.K. I’ve benefited immensely from our exchanges- these young entrepreneurs’ ideas have been fascinating and transformative.  And do not forget to draw upon the knowledge of your wider circle of peers.  When a problem comes up, may find that they have been in similar situations in the past.

Motivation is key

Staying motivated is another worry that entrepreneurs contemplating the later stages of their careers have mentioned to me, if you done it all before what is the point of starting over?  I have never found this to be a problem, since there is always another challenge to tackle.  If you are having trouble finding an interesting new project, step back and look at your situation in adifferent light: How can you use this opportunity to make a difference and do good in the world?  Are you doing something you are passionately about?  If so, you will want to keep doing it.

Keep fit

Another thing to bear in mind is the importance of physical fitness- keeping fit will help you to remain a creative, agile thinker.  In the past few months my children Sam and Holly and I have completed challenges including climbing Mont Blanc, which is the highest mountain in Western Europe, and taking part in the London Triathlon.  And over this past summer, we broke some records for kite-surfing across the English Channel: My Son Sam broke a world record, becoming the fastest person to kite-surf across the channel, while I am the person with the most years to have done so!  A bit of action and adventure away from the office can be highly refreshing, reinvigorating your creativity in other areas, including business.

Pursue that idea

Finally, many people do not find their true calling until later in life.  Some business leaders who have done well at a steady job for many years feel the urge in their careers to start up on their own businesses.  Those who lose their jobs in cutbacks turn misfortune into opportunity and follow up on a brillant idea that they never had time for before.  If you find yourself in this situation, my advice is to go for it!  You’ll find that a lot of the skills entrepreneurs need are acquired through experience: real-life, on-the-job expertise. 

Older employees, who learned to inspire and lead people, and how to remain persistent and optimistic despite changes in circumstances, will have an edge.  Senior entrepreneurs can bring the best of both worlds to new ventures: experience and the contagious enthusiasm of a youthful mindset.  Remain flexible and look around yourself for inspiration, and you may soon find that you’re onto a winning idea.