By Dharma
OKAY, Now Here’s The Next Big ThingWE are probably going to be the next big thing – women baby boomer entrepreneurs! By 2010, I predict that many of us will be like Colonel Sanders who made more in his second career after age 65.Women make really great entrepreneurs. We work for other people usually but when women take that risk to become business owners, look out! We can ride that wave, especially now with the Internet to help us.
Surfs up! Let’s get started! Learn to market your self and your business. Sign up now to learn more about Internet attraction marketing!
Make More “Retired” Than Hired!”
One of my mentors is Ann Sieg. She tells one of my very favorite stories about how she not only wanted to retire early but she wanted to make enough money in multi-level marketing (MLM) to retire her husband early too! And she did! But not the usual MLM way, the renegade way. She leveraged herself by working at home, building her MLM online.
Talk about a “Don’t Mess With Me” spirit with a big heart, that’s Sieg. She’s THE renegade network marketer. She wrote the book!
Colonel Sanders Didn’t Have What We Have
Colonel Sanders didn’t have the Internet Web 2.0 advantage. We do. Learning things like how to Generating free leads using Squidoo 
for example, is something the colonel couldn’t do – there was no Squidoo!
Terri Stallcop www.terristallcop.com
By Dharma
There is no security in doing something for a living when you are dying inside while doing it. That is taking care of the body at the expense of the soul. And a withering soul cannot help but produce a withering body. So do not think you are “taking care of yourself” by killing your spirit to keep your body alive. How long will you put off what you are dying to do? You will not have to think but a second to know exactly why you received this message today.
Neale Donald Walsch www.nealedonaldwalsch.com
By Dharma
Women: Have you ever thought of becoming a custom home builder for your ENCORE career?
PACIFIC PALISADES, CA—Cathleen Gallagher could have turned over that glorious piece of land at 609 Las Lomas Avenue in Pacific Palisades to a “different” kind of builder. She could have hired someone to plan out where each room would go, how they would all work together to create the home’s flow, figure out the big picture and the details, and pick all the finishes.
After all, men dominate the home building industry as a whole, and when it comes to custom homes, women are but a speck on the builder spectrum. Which is unfortunate, given the fact that, if Gallagher’s home—a magnificent display of smart floorplan choices and exquisite finishes— is any indication (and it is), women make mighty fine custom homebuilders.
“The reality is that the larger-scale builders, from the Centexes to the Brookfields of the world, have invested a lot of money to get a female perspective on their product, usually through the services of an interior designer,” said Tom Weston, president/CEO of Weston/Mason Marketing, a Los Angeles-based advertising agency specializing in home builders and developers. “Typically these builders are male, and while very talented and capable of overcoming enormous challenges, they do sometimes overlook some of the realities of building a home that really works for today’s family, which means emphasizing the woman’s perspective.
“In the custom market, it’s all about anticipating needs, which is certainly the role of any builder, but at a much more personal and detailed level,” he added. “Someone who naturally comes equipped with the female perspective and who also brings the necessary building/planning/designing skills offers a tremendous advantage to that process.”
To read the entire story go to: PowerWoman Magazine http://www.powerwomenmagazine.com
By Dharma
I promised you last month that I would share my “childhood entrepreneur” story, not just to hear myself talk (or, see myself type), but because the more successful entrepreneurs I talk to, the more I see clear evidence of an entrepreneurial spirit as far back as elementary school. Rather than a simple stroll down memory lane, there is something to learn from looking back as you continue moving forward.
When meeting with LifeBio CEO Beth Sanders at the Book Expo America in Washington, D.C. this past spring, she and I began talking about how your early story typically links right up with your current story in some way or another. We were discussing our childhood entrepreneur memories, and I was surprised that I hadn’t remembered mine until that moment.
Looking back, I really had a ridiculous amount of toys, games, and dolls. More was definitely more when I was growing up, and, having grown bored with most of the items in my toy box (that hadn’t received a whole lot of attention in the first place) I decided to take on the grown-up idea of a yard sale, and instead set up a toy sale. I figured I could do much more with cash than I could with toys that no longer interested me.
I think I was 10 or 11 at the time, with sufficient spelling and math skills to launch this first business of mine. I enlisted the help of my older brother to do the heavy lifting, and allowed him to work on commission (25% of every sale he made). I priced these gently used toys competitively, displayed them on lovely tables in our front yard, set up a lemonade stand to lure passers-by (this refreshment was complimentary if you browsed), and posted attractive, clear signage throughout the neighborhood to attract my target market to the hottest setup on Adams Avenue.
Soon, my young customers, seeing my good fortune, wanted to setup their own sales to earn some money from their own discarded toys. To prevent competition, I set up a franchise. I pointed out that since I had already created signage and had a great location secured (with refreshments at that), I would grant them the privilege of setting up their individual tables in my yard and piggybacking off of my brilliant marketing efforts for $3 per day. They were certainly free to create their own location and signage, but why reinvent the wheel?
While I’m no longer in the toy or franchise business, looking back on this adventure gave me some great laughs, and also some insight into why I became an entrepreneur in the first place.
Notice that I didn’t want to make toys to sell; just to sell toys that were already well-made.
I have always looked at good ideas and asked “How can I improve upon them?” For many clients, hefty PR agency retainers were out of reach, so I figured out a way to make these skills affordable…by teaching entrepreneurs by the dozen how to do it themselves.
Notice that I didn’t force my playmates to set up their sales in my yard; I simply pointed out that they could benefit from the setup already in place.
I have always innately understood the difference between “features” and “benefits,” which I have put to work in my own grown-up business and those of my clients. Ultimately, your prospects want to know “What’s in it for me?” It doesn’t matter how smart you are or how fast your product goes. Move on from features, and focus on the benefits of what’s in it for your client.
Notice that I didn’t work harder; I worked smarter.
Instead of trying to do it all myself, I brought in the help I needed (my brother) and profited from both his efforts and the fees paid to me by other entrepreneurial children. I have always tried to focus on what I do best, and outsource the rest, for ultimate client satisfaction.
What is your childhood entrepreneur story? How does it link up with what you do now? What can you learn from it?
My 6 year old daughter recently told me that when she grows up, she wants to be an “entrepren-OREO” like Mom. Looks like it’s in the genes.
About the author: Jennifer Kalita has been a leading PR and small business consultant, writer, speaker, and strategist for more than a decade. Visit her company web site at
www.TheKalitaGroup.com. April 02, 2009
By Dharma
There has been much buzz surrounding the explosive growth of the Baby Boomer & Retiree segments of our population. Today, when combining the state of the economy with this population shift, the topic of employment is certainly the most popular.
-The 50+ demographic will grow by 49.1% for the next few years, 5 times the growth rate of the rest of the US workforce.
-From 2004 – 2010 workers aged 35 – 44 will decline by 19%, workers aged 45 – 54 will increase by 21% and workers aged 55 – 64 will increase by 52%.
-Boomer spending is projected to increase $800 billion to over $4.6 trillion by 2015.
-Boomers are the highest earners, best educated & largest home ownership group of any generation to-date.
Companies that embrace the talent & experience of our 50+ population will win in the competitive global marketplace. They are finally realizing that their longevity is contingent on understanding these trends. As a result, companies are starting to develop programs to hire & retain 50+ workers. This is easy to do because 50+ workers bring a lot to the table. They are loyal, possess significant interpersonal skills and are flexible in terms of schedules, benefits & pay. They are also tech savvy; In 1990 the desk of every 40-year old worker had a PC. Those same workers are now 59 with 19 years of computer experience and have been online since the advent of the web.JobsOver50.com and AARP do a great job as well.
To get a feel for the impact, here are some powerful statistics:
Boomers (people born between 1946 – 1964) control the lion’s share of the population and will do so for the next 30+ years. They are a major driver of our economy. They also have needs including retirement. However, after completing extensive market research it became clear to us that today’s 50+ population wants to continue working past retirement. Advancements in healthcare as well as improved nutrition & exercise are allowing people to work past 65. Most cite the need for income (84%), boredom avoidance (78%) and health coverage (56%) as the reasons to continue working.
The good news is that working past retirement, even 2-3 years, can result in a dramatic improvement to a 401(k) balance, higher Social Security benefits and less dependency on savings. Plus, the ability to continue exercising the mind can actually extend one’s life.
So what opportunities exist and where?
50+ job seekers can turn to head hunters, staffing agencies and even classifieds. Online services such as
Another powerful resource for job seekers is their Alma Mater. Schools & alumni associations across all education levels are starting to pay close attention to the employment needs of 50+ alumni. These are great venues for job seekers to go for job search as well as up-to-date advice and best practices. Many schools even offer “lifetime career services” in their mission statements. Thanks to the proliferation of social & professional networks and web-based alumni associations, more & more alumni are connected to their schools daily. These networks are also the perfect place for employers to post their jobs into a sea of talent.
There are certainly challenges facing 50+ job seekers today. However, their mass, experience & talent yields an opportunity to drive the US workforce to new heights. We will see a significant economic recovery as employers embrace this growing trend.GoliathJobs & JobsOver50:
About GoliathJobs is a free web-based employment service. We connect job seekers to employers via schools & alma maters. GoliathJobs creates partnerships with schools throughout North America which serve as liaisons. This model delivers a powerful career service edge to schools at no charge, a competitive edge to job seekers and high-quality results to employers. We believe that employment starts with education regardless of age, experience or educational level. 100% spam-free.
JobsOver50.com is a dedicated employment portal for baby boomers & retirees built on the same platform
June 2, 2009 By David Mezzapelle—JobsOver50.com Special to BB[KC]
By Dharma
As you grow, you become more and more of who you already are.
During your life, your dreams may change, your values may change, and your skills will certainly change. But the core of your personality – how patient you are, how competitive, how organized, how charming — will remain remarkably stable throughout the course of your life.
You grow most in your areas of greatest strength.
It sounds odd, but you will improve the most, learn the most, be the most creative, be the most inquisitive, and bounce back the fastest in those areas where you have already shown some natural advantage over everyone else — your strengths. This doesn’t mean you should ignore your weaknesses. It just means you’ll grow most where you’re already strong.
Marcus Buckingham, The Truth About You
"When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change."