Ageless Startup

Rick Terrien,  May 27, 2020.   Strategy Driven Older workers are facing profound work challenges. Almost all areas of commerce have been impacted by the health crisis. How we respond will define our business and personal lives for years to come. Among the groups that will feel a lasting effect will be our older workers. As older workers, we have a choice. We can accept that we are stuck with working around misguided employment assumptions, or we can create smarter, newer options that serve your own purposes and goals. Creating your own small business is not a prescription for quick riches or fast results. It is an approach to life that highlights your own passions and puts in place effective tools and policies to help that effort – and the communities and industries we love – succeed. Start Small. Start smart. Start right now. It’s not hard. It’s just new. READ THE FULL ARTICLE

How to bootstrap a new business in midlife or in retirement—even in a pandemic. People think it’s scary to start a business. In my opinion, it’s much scarier not to start your own business. If you give your life to forces outside your control, you’re asking for trouble. Rick Terrien, a Pittsburgh serial entrepreneur and author of the new book “Ageless Startup,” is a firm believer that you’re never too old to launch a business. In fact, he thinks becoming an entrepreneur — either full time or part-time — in your 50s or 60s may be the best time of life to do it. Yes, even in a pandemic. Based on Terrien’s experience and success, I think he’s worth listening to if you’re considering launching a business in midlife. I recently spoke with him for his tips; highlights of our interview are below... Richard Eisenberg   May 28, 2020 READ THE FULL INTERVIEW

"I just finished reading the book Ageless Startup by Rick Terrien who is a visionary and award-winning writer about post retirement – and people who make a difference in industry and innovation by creating new solutions for today’s world."   "Real wisdom people can learn and earn by." Andy Asher Bloomer Boomer interview, May 2020. Andy described their 'quirky format' especially the background graphics.  What fun! LINK TO THE FULL INTERVIEW

This webinar is a shout-out to our most experienced workers.  The world needs you.  Your communities need you.  Markets you love need you. Give yourself permission to explore entrepreneurship in the second half of life. Here is a link to the registration site: http://entm.ag/dne1 Welcome!

Rather than simply keep your head above water, take steps right now to build economic resiliency. The world has changed. This is not a drill.  Older workers are especially vulnerable to being left behind. No matter what our career is, we are all facing a new normal in our work life . There are more than 100 million people in the U.S. between the ages of 40 and 65. All of us need to consider new options to create value  and work in the future. If older workers wait for help, we will likely find ourselves waiting a long time. We need to get ahead of this entire problem, not just the immediate issues this crisis presents. Planning for the recovery means taking stock of where you will be working 10 or 15 years from now — or even a couple years from now. You can choose a course for yourself of just keeping your head above water in roiling business currents, or you can take active steps right now to build more economic resiliency into your life. A bette...

Ageless Entrepreneurs and Rick Terrien. Our first article in Forbes, sourced through Next Avenue. "People think it’s scary to start a business. In my opinion, it’s much scarier not to start your own business. If you give your life to forces outside your control, you’re asking for trouble. It’s not a picnic. I don’t want to be Pollyanna about it. But now's the time to do it." READ THE FULL ARTICLE IN FORBES

Yes, you can start a business at any age. That’s the subtitle of the book. Making a difference is ageless.   The ability to start something small - a one - or two-person business - it's not hard.  It's just new.   In fact, he thinks becoming an entrepreneur — either full-time or part-time — in your 50s or 60s may be the best time of life to do it. Yes, even in a pandemic. With a small amount of money and a few months to get organized, bootstrapping is a hell of a skillset. READ THE FULL INTERVIEW  - Advice for Ageless Startups, Even in a Pandemic.      Next Avenue   Richard Eisenberg   May 20, 2020 Next Avenue is an NPR channel.  I especially like their tagline:  Where Grown-ups Keep Growing.  Thank you Richard Eisenberg.

This webinar provides action strategies to help you launch your own small enterprise, based on the new book  Ageless Startup: Start a Business at Any Age  (Entrepreneur Press, April 2020). Most people in every field will need to make a new life out of the ‘new normal’. This is especially true for older workers.  This can be good news. Our more experienced workers have the knowledge, know-how, and networks to build resilient new small businesses. Webinar info and registration.

"So I believe this – despite the mess we’re in – is the beginning of the Renaissance Age of entrepreneurship. Everyone can and should participate.  We owe it to our communities, we owe it to our industries, to look for new solutions, and look for entrepreneurial ways to deploy them – and make the world a better place." Rick Terrien. May 2020 Audio .     Thank you for  this great conversation  Succession Stories !

Laurie Barkman:  "Now is an unprecedented time.  Maybe its time to focus on your  'what's next'... and also an opportunity to support what comes next for our economy and our communities." Laurie is a great business person, a wonderful interviewer, and a really nice person. Laurie and I met for a conversation recently that was recorded for her 'Succession Stories' podcast. Thanks for a great conversation, Laurie! Listen to Succession Stories interview with Rick Terrien

Elizabeth White wrote a great book recently called, '55, Underemployed, and Faking Normal:  Your Guide to a Better Life.'  She also contributed a very generous testimonial to Ageless Startup.  We are kindred spirits.  I'll post links to Elizabeth's work and her great book below.   Elizabeth was interviewed on NPR this weekend and shared some great insights for their 'Life Kit' series. " With degrees from Harvard and Johns Hopkins universities and a successful import business, White found her business suddenly drying up. When companies that used to hire her began to retrench, she said, as a contractor, she was the first to go. She had to overcome feelings of shame to take the necessary steps to get through that period of her life." What follows is Elizabeth's take on rebuilding (resilience circles) and going forward with new lives (don't try to make sense out of things too soon).  Important contributions.  I look forward to working w...

I'm really looking forward to conversation with School For Startups host Jim Beach this coming Tuesday, May 12.   Join host Jim Beach every day at 2 PM EST on AMFM247 Radio as he interviews entrepreneurs and great authors that can help you grow your business of start one.  Thanks for the invitation Jim! Link to School for Startups Radio

Looking forward to joining Mary Jane Popp for a conversation on Monday May 11th, on KAHI - The Voice of the Foothills in Sacramento, CA. We'll be recording Mary Jane's 'Poppoff' show at 4 PM Eastern, 1 PM Pacific.  On the KAHI site there is a 'Listen Live' option. You can also listen to 'Poppoff' on demand later using the 'LISTEN' menu. LINK to KAHI

From Ageless Startup... Identify your "Why". "Many people in the second half of life want to make a contribution back to their communities and their world. They want to pay it forward, to take the knowledge and skills they have developed with the support of others and make a difference in the lives of others, to serve the industries they know and love, as well as to help communities they live in or are communities of interest they share with others around the world. Others have an extensive skillset (often  cultivated in a leadership role) that they want to not only use, but monetize for the next phase in their professional life. Perhaps they have skills and know-how, but aren't sure how to make it a business. Or perhaps they have the spark of an idea borne of years in the corporate trenches that they are ready to create a startup around." 

I'm looking forward to my conversation with Amber Mac and Michael Bancroft tomorrow on The Feed.  The interview will be live beginning about 9:45 AM Eastern.   It then replays on the Air Times schedule posted below. The Feed is a Weekly SiriusXM Radio show.  The Feed airs nationally in both the U.S. and Canada.  Each week on The Feed, Amber Mac and Michael B showcase the latest world of technology and social media with their SiriusXM Canada Talks Channel 167 audience across North America. Download from iTunes, PodBean, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, or Google Play Podcasts. Air times for replay are ( all Eastern Time) Saturdays at 8AM, 11AM, 7PM, midnight Sundays at 5AM, 9AM, 1PM and 5PM Mondays at Noon. Thanks for the invitation Amber Mac and Michael B.  This is going to be fun! LINK TO THE HOME PAGE FOR THE FEED

This past week I had a great conversation about Ageless Startup with Doug Wagner, morning show host at WMT in Cedar Rapids, IA . Audio of the post was just posted online  HERE I really enjoyed our conversation.  Thanks for the invitation Doug! (No need to sign up for anything along the way.  Just click through to the interview.)

I was interviewed by Entrepreneur.com this morning for a new series they are producing called 'Recovery Planning'.  The business world - and every other corner of society - has been upended and forced into crisis planning for the past months.  It is encouraging to be be part of the next phases of this evolution to work to support recovery planning and all that might entail. For ageless startups, the answer is to start small, start smart, and start right now. I'll post the link when this webinar goes live.

I got a nice note today from Lynn Price, Founder at Camp To Belong alerting me to a shout out she provided on her LinkedIn news feed for Ageless Startup.  Thank you Lynn!   Lynn provided a great interview for Ageless Startup.  When I asked her what was the best piece of advice she would share with someone in the second half of life considering entrepreneurship, she answered with the following:  "Do it!  It is an opportunity to live your passion, be a role-model for your family, make a difference in something meaningful to you, and leave a legacy of caring through action." Lynn's role at Camp to Belong (borrowed from LinkedIn)... "Lynn Price, founder of Camp To Belong, had a vision to create significant connection opportunities for siblings who had been separated through the foster care system. Lynn successfully created a replicable program model and sales approach to tackle one of society's greatest challenges in various sectors of child welfare...

AARP just posted a nice review of Ageless Startup in their inaugural newsletter for Purpose Prize winners and fellows,  May 2020 .   "This past April, Rick had his first book, "Ageless Startup: Start a Business at Any Age" published.  The book provides a roadmap to kick starting an entrepreneurial journey at any age.  It offers tips and insight in to entrepreneurship and contains interviews with past Purpose Prize  Winners and Fellows.  The book embodies the core mission of the Purpose Prize. "  (emphasis added) "Rick Terrien is a 2015 Purpose Prize Fellow   and an entrepreneur repeatedly recognized for innovation excellence. He spent his career building creative business solutions to address societal problems.  He received the 'Fast 50 Award' from Fast Company, the United States Small Business New Product of the Year Award. And now, he can add ‘author’ to his list of accomplishments." About the AARP® Purpose Prize® Award...