WORTH THE


MORE AND MORE AMERICANS OVER 50 ARE TAPPING THEIR WISDOM, EXPERIENCE—AND SAVINGS ACCOUNTS—TO START SUCCESSFUL VENTURES. MEET FIVE OF THESE LATE-BLOOM- ING, “ENCORE ENTREPRENEURS” WHO TOOK A LEAP OF FAITH AND HIT IT BIG. BY JOE KITA COVER AND OPENING PHOTOS BY ROBERT LILIENFELD


W


hen people hear the word “entrepreneur,” most think of Internet whiz kids like Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who changed the world with Google in their mid-20s, or Mark Zuckerberg, who was barely old enough to toast Facebook’s first billion with a legal drink. The reality, though, is that the majority of people creating new busi-


nesses today are more likely to be sporting (stylish) bifocals and a bit of gray at the temples than zip-front hoodies and ratty jeans. Indeed, according to the Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity, the


share of U.S. entrepreneurs ages 55 to 64 grew from 14 to 23 percent be- tween 1996 and 2012. This represents the largest gain of any age group, including 20- to 34-year-olds, whose share actually shrank from 35 to 26 percent. What’s more, these older Americans, especially those with low debt and a large social network, are 50 percent more likely to start successful businesses than their younger counterparts, even in high-tech industries. “They have what I call double-E SP,” says William Zinke, 86, president


of the Center for Productive Longevity in Boulder, Colo. “They’re miles ahead of younger people when it comes to Experience, Expertise, Seasoned Judgment and Proven Performance.” Here, five experienced—and tremendously enterprising—souls share their invaluable wisdom for turning gray into green.


8 | NOVEMBER 2, 2014 © PARADE Publications 2014. All rights reserved


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