Small Business Boomers

A friend has to move her mother, with Alzheimer’s,  from Florida to their home in Vermont. 
However, there has been a delay because Mother doesn’t have a Motor Vehicle issued ID or a passport. 
It’s impractical to drive Mother those many miles, so they planned to fly.  Because Mother doesn’t have the proper ID (never thought of getting one when she didn’t renew her driver’s license), she can’t fly on the airlines in this day and age.
(I recall several years ago having to get my mother-in-law an official ID so we could take her and Dad on a flight across the country …read more

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With the current economic crunch, more boomers seem to be delaying retirement (if they have this option), getting another job (possibly parttime) or starting their own business. 
Perhaps they have a mix or two or all three of these.
Do you fit into any of these categories?  Has life affected you differently in recent years than you had planned?
We can either moan about it or treat it as an exciting adventure!
I took a parttime job in a supermarket delicatessen this summer, and it’s continued into winter.  It actually takes me back to my roots, since I worked in my mother’s small grocery …read more

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Today was Veteran’s Day in the U.S.  Without their service to our country, from the Revolutionary War forward, we might not be able to have the freedom to conduct our businesses and enjoy the choices in our life.
Many thanks to all those, including my husband, who have served and are serving so that we might have our freedom and that others around the world might experience some of what we have.
Some business owners may be participating in parades today (a lovely warm sunny one in NH), may be watching parades, may have flags flying in the breeze, and may be sharing with their …read more

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Developing a brand or image for your business or yourself  has developed into an important aspect in promoting one’s business.  This consists of creating an image that people remember, or think of you when they see a picture or hear a phrase.
I’ve written about this at Home Biz Notes in How Are You Branding Yourself & Your Business?  You may want to take a look and start developing a plan, if you haven’t already.
If you do have a business branding plan, how about sharing what you’re doing?

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Dr. Jean Murray, former blogger here at Small Business Boomers, and now owner of Dr. Jean Means Business , writes a guest post for us today about keeping her business going during knee replacement surgery and recovery.
Like many other Baby Boomers, I have terrible knees. The word “bone on bone” was first told me by my internist a year or so ago, and it didn’t take long for me to decide I needed to get new knees.
At 62, I’m on the younger age of the knee replacement demographic (nice to be told, “You’re a little young for this,”).  But I figured,  “Why live …read more

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I recently wrote a post for Blisstree’s Arts and Crafts section, Please…Don’t Photograph My Crafts (without permission) and how difficult it is now to control it in today’s electronic world. 

 This plea also applies to parents and grandparents, who are concerned about strangers photographing their children/grandchildren and even posting the youngsters’ photos on the Internet.  Also, parents/grandparents often don’t realize the possible ramifications, now and later, when they post photos of their kids where the general public can view them.  Most don’t post simply a school photo type pic (and the school photos are copyrighted so need permission, too).  They post all types …read more

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If the proposed Obamacare (Obama’s health care law) is passed, Boomers could be on their way to extinction.  According to Obama’s own words, pain pills should be dispensed rather than medical procedures that will prolong and improve the life of the elderly.
Boomers are gravitating into that category called “elderly” as they pass age 65.  The plan includes counseling on end of life procedures for Boomers rather than on medical ones to continue life if someone in an administrative position deems you unworthy to receive care. In other words, if your prolonged life is not cost effective…your productivity, when compared to …read more

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Baby boomers should write down their memories for their children, grandchildren and future generations.  Some of us may have memories of attending one-room schools that will seem so unique to today’s children.  If we don’t write them down, send them to publications, include them in a blog or book, part of history (ours and our culture’s) will be lost.
This even can be an aspect of a small business for boomers…writing family memories, teaching it, and ghost writing for others.  I’ve been teaching classes in Writing Your Family Stories and having a great time sharing mine and showing others how to compile …read more

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When I discussed in a post the proposed government control of the Internet, whereby President Obama could declare an emergency and interfere with private Internet use for “security” reasons,  one reader commented:  I think you’re overreacting. This looks like more hysteria creation from the far right. No president of the USA is going take away Internet communication; it’s not the way things are done in the USA.
Many things are being done these days that are contrary to “the way things are done in the USA.”  Yes, change occurs and often change is good, but the invasive control that is seeping …read more

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Today is Grandparents’ Day.  How are you celebrating?  Have you been remembered?  Whether you’re remembered as a grandparent or not, by children and grandchildren, you still can have a wonderful day.
We’re with our grandson this afternoon.  His parents have to work and his sister is away at college.  So we’re having a leisurely afternoon and soon will hunt a trunk from storage that he wants for his room.  It will be a good place to tuck odds and ends out of sight.
I have memories of all of my grandparents, in the days before there was such a day as Grandparents’ …read more

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