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