Never Too Old to Get Rich : The Entrepreneur's Guide to Starting a Business Mid-Life

**Start a successful business mid-life**When you think of someone launching a start-up, the image of a twenty-something techie probably springs to mind. However, Gen Xers and Baby Boomers are just as likely to start businesses and reinvent themselves later in life.__Never Too Old to Get Rich__is an exciting roadmap for anyone age 50+ looking to be their own boss and launch their dream business.This book provides up-to-date resources and guidance for launching a business when you're 50+. There are snappy profiles of more than a dozen successful older entrepreneurs, describing their inspirational journeys launching businesses and nonprofits, followed by Q&A conversations, and pull-out boxes containing action steps. The author walks you through her three-part fitness program: guidelines for becoming financially fit, physically fit, and spiritually fit, before delving more deeply into how would-be entrepreneurs over 50 can succeed.- Describes how you can find capital to start your own business- Offers encouraging stories of real people who have become their own bosses and succeeded as entrepreneurs- Written by PBS Next Avenue's entrepreneur expert, Kerry Hannon- Teaches you how to start your own business__Never Too Old to Get Rich__is the ideal book for older readers looking to pursue new business ventures later in life. Never Too Old to Get Rich 3 Contents 9 Foreword 11 Acknowledgments 15 About the Author 19 Introduction 21 Most Successful Entrepreneurs: Middle Age and Beyond 23 Refuting the Conventional Wisdom 23 Older Entrepreneurs versus Younger Ones 23 The Importance of Work Experience for Successful Ventures 24 The Movement Is Just Getting Underway 26 The Time Has Come 27 How to Use This Book 30 Also by Kerry Hannon 33 Part I TURNING A PASSION INTO A BUSINESS 35 Chapter 1 Lights, Camera, Action 37 Making It Work 40 Shape Your Network 48 Chapter Recap 50 Chapter 2 Money Maven 53 Bringing Empathy to the Client’s Table 54 Making It Work 57 Black Women Entrepreneurs: The Good and Not-So-Good News 61 Black Women Entrepreneurs: The Revenue Lag 62 Why So Many of the Businesses Are Micro 63 Starting a Side Business 63 A Lack of Resources and Mentors 64 The Optimistic Outlook 64 Where to Get Advice 64 Chapter Recap 65 Chapter 3 Military to Merlot 67 Launching in a Male-Dominated Field 69 Making It Work 70 Kerry’s Blueprint for Entrepreneurs 73 Get Financially Fit 73 Consider Working for Someone Else While You Get the Wheels in Motion 73 Continue to Save for Retirement 73 Ways to Set Up Saving for Retirement 74 Do the Paperwork 75 Shop for Health Insurance 75 Redeploy Your Existing Skills 76 Do Your Prep Work 76 Add the Skills Necessary 77 Do One Thing Daily to Work Toward Your Goal 77 Line Up Sources of Funding 77 Assemble Your Team 77 Seek Out Virtual Advice 78 Take Inventory 78 Write a Business Plan 79 Brace for Holdups 79 Chapter Recap 84 Chapter 4 Cockpit to the Coffee Shop 85 Making It Work 87 Fear of Success, Not Failure 88 Chapter Recap 92 Chapter 5 Bejeweled 93 Making It Work 95 How to Hire Employees Wisely 97 Chapter Recap 100 Chapter 6 Scooting Ahead 101 Making It Work 103 Financing Your Start-Up 105 Chapter Recap 110 Chapter 7 Write Stuff 111 Making It Work 114 Chapter Recap 117 Chapter 8 Horsing Around 119 Making It Work 122 Getting Started 124 Do a Test Ride 124 Teach 125 Sell Merchandise to Other Aficionados 126 Talk About It 126 Check Out What Others Are Doing 126 Chapter Recap 129 Part II BUILDING A WINNING SENIOR–JUNIOR PARTNERSHIP 131 Chapter 9 Ginning Things Up 133 Making It Work 135 How to Run a Family Business Successfully 139 Chapter Recap 142 Chapter 10 The Whole Million-Dollar Package 145 Making It Work 148 LendingTree’s Latest List of Places for Entrepreneurs 150 No. 1: San Jose 150 Other Cities Called Best for Boomer Entrepreneurs 151 The Ranking’s Worst Big Cities for Boomer Entrepreneurs 151 The LendingTree Methodology 152 Concerns About the Numbers 152 How to Choose a Place to Start a Business 152 Chapter Recap 153 Chapter 11 Cookie Contessas 155 Making It Work 158 Chapter Recap 164 Part III THE PATH TO SOCIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP 165 Chapter 12 Girl Power 167 Making It Work 169 Chapter Recap 175 Chapter 13 Food, Glorious Food 177 Making It Work 179 Chapter Recap 184 Chapter 14 Hope in Harlem 187 Making It Work 191 Chapter Recap 194 Chapter 15 The Magic of Musi 197 Making It Work 200 Chapter Recap 204 Part IV WINNING STRATEGIES OF FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS 205 Mid-Life Women and Entrepreneurial Mojo 206 Serious Concerns for Women Entrepreneurs 207 Struggles in Year One 207 Chapter 16 Health and Happiness 209 Making It Work 212 Chapter Recap 219 Chapter 17 Chilling Out 221 When One Door Closes 223 Family Ties 224 Making It Work 224 Chapter Recap 229 Chapter 18 Design from Within 231 Making It Work 234 Chapter Recap 240 Chapter 19 Nutty for Opera 241 Making It Work 244 Chapter Recap 249 Chapter 20 The Holistic Path 251 Making It Work 253 Women Entrepreneurs: Get Certified as a Woman-Owned Business 255 The Payoff for Getting Certified 255 Who Qualifies for Certification 256 4 Major Types of Women-Owned Business Certification 257 Federal versus State Certification 258 Why Women Entrepreneurs over 50 Hold the Aces 258 Starting a Beverage Company in Her 50s 258 No Special Obstacles as Women Entrepreneurs 259 More Capital of Their Own 259 Launching in a Male-Dominated Field 260 Paying It Forward 260 Fran Hauser, Start-Up Investor and Media Executive 263 Chapter Recap 265 Afterword 267 Index 269 EULA 275 Start a successful business mid-life When you think of someone launching a start-up, the image of a twenty-something techie probably springs to mind. However, Gen Xers and Baby Boomers are just as likely to start businesses and reinvent themselves later in life. Never Too Old to Get Rich is an exciting roadmap for anyone age 50+ looking to be their own boss and launch their dream business. This book provides up-to-date resources and guidance for launching a business when you're 50+. There are snappy profiles of more than a dozen successful older entrepreneurs, describing their inspirational journeys launching businesses and nonprofits, followed by Q&A conversations, and pull-out boxes containing action steps. The author walks you through her three-part fitness program: guidelines for becoming financially fit, physically fit, and spiritually fit, before delving more deeply into how would-be entrepreneurs over 50 can succeed. • Describes how you can find capital to start your own business • Offers encouraging stories of real people who have become their own bosses and succeeded as entrepreneurs • Written by PBS Next Avenue's entrepreneur expert, Kerry Hannon • Teaches you how to start your own business Never Too Old to Get Rich is the ideal book for older readers looking to pursue new business ventures later in life "When you think of someone launching a start-up, the image of a twenty-something techie probably springs to mind. However, Gen Xers and Baby Boomers are just as likely to start businesses and reinvent themselves later in life. Never Too Old to Get Rich is an exciting roadmap for anyone age 50+ looking to be their own boss and launch their dream business. This book provides up-to-date resources and guidance for launching a business when you're 50+. There are snappy profiles of more than a dozen successful older entrepreneurs, describing their inspirational journeys launching businesses and nonprofits, followed by Q & A conversations, and pull-out boxes containing action steps. The author walks you through her three-part fitness program: guidelines for becoming financially fit, physically fit, and spiritually fit, before delving more deeply into how would-be entrepreneurs over 50 can succeed. Describes how you can find capital to start your own business. Offers encouraging stories of real people who have become their own bosses and succeeded as entrepreneurs. Written by PBS Next Avenue's entrepreneur expert, Kerry Hannon. Teaches you how to start your own business Never Too Old to Get Rich is the ideal book for older readers looking to pursue new business ventures later in life."--Amazon.com