Small Business Boomers

Repurposing has become one of the new terms for recycling.  That’s the art of using something for another purpose than that originally intended.
To many Boomers, recycling or repurposing is an extension of a philosophy they were raised on.  Their grandparents, and probably their parents, experienced some phase of the Great Depression.  In those days, you didn’t throw much of anything away.  I didn’t experience the Depression, but my parents carried over that way of living from their experiences.
Not much was thrown away if we could find some use whatsoever for it.  You also saved anything you thought you might have …read more

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Ford’s prediction seems to be that Baby Boomers will continue to want smaller vehicles, even if gas prices don’t increase and the economy improves.  Apparently Ford is betting some of its production and sales predictions on this.
Many Boomers now are empty nesters without the need for vans and larger vehicles.  As they face retirement, there may be a need to downsize.
Where do you stand on this?
Personally, I prefer something larger, usually an SUV.  For a number of reasons:
I feel safer.  We were in a serious accident several years ago and hit head on by a tractor trailer.  If we had been in a …read more

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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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Health has become one of the great concerns of boomers. 
As they age, they begin to realize their vulnerability to ailments they hadn’t considered in their youth and middle years.  They may find they’re slowing down, tire more easily, and thus discover it’s a chore to run a business.
However, with attention to health and healthy living, they also may find they’re in better condition and have more endurance than they did in younger years. 
“How do you keep going the way you do?” friends and business colleagues often ask me as I sprint around from business to outside job and still am involved …read more

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To move your business forward, to meet your deadlines, to reach your goals, to develop new customers/clients…do something each day beyond the ordinary.
At a business development conference I attended recently, many of the speakers talked about doing something every day rather than getting stymied by this recession and freezing where you are.  So many people react to a challenge or change by stopping what they’re doing, even panicking.
You need to so something, anything business related that will help you regain or continue your momentum.  Sometimes you need to change direction a bit, take a look at what’s in the future, …read more

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I’ve discovered that many boomers and retirees don’t like change.  They have a preconceived idea of what their life should be like as they reach the “mature” years and then are discouraged when life doesn’t fit that mold.
Especially in today’s world, with the economic situation in disarray and retirement money often much less than expected, change is inevitable.  The change can destroy or buoy us.  We can meet the challenges as an adventure or  fall through the cracks in the sidewalk.
This can be a time for boomers to explore the small business options, those that don’t involve a great deal of …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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As more boomers reach the retirement age, their concerns seem to be on the rise.  They now take a reality check and realize the years are flying along.
So what concerns them:

Health
Enough money to live on and how to earn more, thus consideration of a business.
Ability to travel
Time with grandchildren
Ability to maintain their home
Being independent
Pursuing dreams they didn’t have time for earlier in life

What are your most pressing concerns as you encounter the boomer retirement age?

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At the end of each month, I post a round-up of Small Business Boomers posts that I’ve enjoyed writing and/or have received a great deal of response.  Here are five for October:
Keeping Your Small Business Going After Surgery
Is Your Cell Phone Secure?
Will Boomers Become Extinct Under Obamacare?
Send an Encouraging E-mail Today
5 Reasons Boomers Develop Businesses
Did you find a favorite post at Small Business Boomers this month?

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