| A growing number of us can now expect to live close | | | | journalist found his work shifting from working on |
| to or past 100 years, so 50 has become midlife. Today | | | | articles to working with administrators. The |
| instead of approaching midlife with the obligations of | | | | bureaucratic and political hassles that came with the |
| work and family, baby boomers are looking to a | | | | job of editor of a consumer magazine were no longer |
| second half they pretty much design as they wish. For | | | | what he wanted. |
| many of them, the results don't look much like what | | | | Figuring there was a good chance he'd live to 90 or |
| their parents and grandparents called retirement. | | | | beyond, he started thinking about what he wanted to |
| Whether because of layoffs or because they're | | | | do with the next third of his life. Luckily he'd developed |
| weary of their jobs, many are considering new | | | | a passion for pottery in his 40's and the more he did it, |
| possibilities for their post-50 years and that includes | | | | the more he liked it. So when offered a chance to |
| starting a business of their own. Many of these | | | | retire early at 63, he jumped at the chance to turn his |
| business endeavors combine their passions and talents | | | | hobby into a second career. |
| into a revenue-producing career. This marriage fits their | | | | His biggest challenge was to find ways to market his |
| goals in ways a salaried job rarely could. Some work | | | | work, and he found doing studio sales several times a |
| full-time, but some work part of a day, week, month, or | | | | year worked for him. He and his wife purchased a |
| year. Many are pursuing work similar to what they did | | | | 20-acre home in Virginia, and remodeled a four-stall |
| when employed, while others are staking out entirely | | | | barn into a studio workshop and living quarters. Three |
| new careers. | | | | years later, between the studio sales, galleries that |
| The obstacles that post-50s face in starting a business | | | | carry his work, annual crafts shows, his Web site and |
| are not substantially different from those anyone else | | | | some great publicity his business is growing well. |
| faces when becoming self-employed. Without | | | | Best of all he loves what he does and envisions doing |
| exception, most consider their age as an advantage in | | | | it until they carry him out. He sees no reason for not |
| communicating credibility to clients and customers. | | | | having another 30-year career after his first. More and |
| What a difference from the ageism experienced by | | | | more "old gray mares" are following the same path. |
| so many on the job! No wonder the U.S. Small | | | | So if you're nearing or are 50, you are coming up to |
| Business Administration is finding the ages of start-up | | | | bat in the second inning of your life. Why not hit it out |
| entrepreneurs is trending older. | | | | of the park! |
| I know of a friend who after a 30-year career as a | | | | |