Small Business Boomers

In my substitute teaching world, I had a student ask me my favorite word.  I thought a moment, then said, “Happy.”  (She went on to ask my favorite color, number, and name and said she liked to ask questions.) However, later I wondered why I responded with “Happy.”  For the rest of the day I found myself trying to think “Happy,” whenever something challenging occurred.Our days, I’ve realized over the years, can be as happy or as miserable as we want to make them.  There are some things we can’t change.  There are some things that do make us sad and discouraged.  …read more

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Those in the Baby Boomer category were born just after World War II ended.  The older Boomers probably remember their parents and grandparents talking about this era.  Many may have relatives who fought in the war and those at home who contributed to the war effort in some form.December 7 was a tragic day that capitulated the United States into the war and led to a frantic fight for freedom.  Men like my Uncle Al, were proud to have played a role in the war.  He saved his dress uniform and requested he be buried in it.  He wanted his medals …read more

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I love author Janet Elaine Smith’s tidbits of philosophy.  This one caught my fancy and I wanted to share it with other Boomers.  When we’re frustrated about the success (or what we may perceive as lack of) in our business or our lives, we might consider what Janet said in response to someone’s comment about an exciting day in her speaking and writing life:
 
  I guess we make our own success. If we leave our lives open to opportunities…well, nobody knows what’s right around the corner.
Yes, we do need to leave our business lives open to opportunities.  Janet seems to have so many unique and exciting …read more

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Near the end of each month, I feature a round-up of 5 Small Business Boomers posts. 
 These are either ones my readers have indicated a preference for and/or ones I particularly like.
Here are 5 posts for November:
Branding Now an Important Aspect of Business
Do Baby Boomers Want Smaller Vehicles for Business & Personal Use?
Survey Says…Now’s the Time for Small Businesses
Get an ID When Giving Up Driver’s License
Take Action Every Day in Your Small Business
What was your favorite or most informative post in November at Small Business Boomers?

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Seniors and baby boomers do much of their shopping online these days. 
 It’s far different from the early era of online shopping when many were wary about giving their credit card over the Internet.  Also, many were concerned about paying shipping charges for the items they ordered.
As I surveyed the statistics and wrote the post, Seniors & Boomers Have Become Avid Online Shoppers, I wondered, “Why the change of attitude?”
Looking at my own situation and talking with others in this category, I can give the following reasons:

Convenience
Saving time
No more danger to credit card than having it disappear at a restaurant or …read more

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According to statistics, seniors (particularly those over 65) are rapidly becoming some of the most avid online shoppers on the Internet.  Boomers aren’t far behind. 
Check out these articles:
Stats: Grandma Online Shops More Than You
How Web Savvy Are Online Seniors?
This is of interest to Small Business Boomers for their main market, depending on products and services, might be seniors and boomers.  Generally we’ve thought that young people, in their teens, 20s and 30s, are the online target consumers.  However, these statistics seem to prove otherwise.
So…don’t disregard these older age groups when you’re deciding what to sell in your online shop, or …read more

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Happy Thanksgiving to all of my Small Business Boomer readers. 
Even if you have to work, you can still count your blessings.  One of mine is that dinner will be cooked and ready when I get home from work.  My daughter enjoys planning the meal and cooking.  So I help with clean – up and relax at some of my writing business tasks.
What are your Thanksgiving boomer blessings? 
We might be thankful, too, that Sarah Josepha Hale diligently persisted until Thanksgiving was recognized as a national holiday.  Even though we think of the first Thanksgiving as taking place in Plymouth Colony, …read more

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Sometimes our businesses don’t get off the ground floor too quickly, but that doesn’t mean we can’t continually prepare and draw upon all our experiences as we take steps forward.  I have a dream of compiling a book of my poetry.  Some poems have been published and others are still in my notebook.
I also enjoy teaching writing and poetry to youngsters and adults.  I feel I can utilize this poetry book as a teaching tool.  (I also would like to publish a book of my grandfather’s poems, some of which have appeared in publications, but not all together.)
However, as with …read more

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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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