When we were younger, we look forward to retiring. We work long hours just to be able to make ends meet and at the same time, save a little something for retirement. Retirement, for many American adults, is considered as the next phase, when there is nothing anymore to worry about, a time to travel and just do whatever you want, whenever you want. You are not expected to be working anymore. No pressure. No obligations. Unfortunately, that is not always the case.
There are people who were born to work. They enjoy making money. It makes them feel alive. Trust me, they are not doing it just because they are greedy but it gives them a kind of fulfillment only an accomplishment could give—something that is important when you reach a certain age. Hence, the senior entrepreneurs.
Indeed, the word “retirement” has adapted a whole new meaning. More and more seniors are getting on the bandwagon either delaying retirement or starting new businesses. I say seniors today are getting restless and way more active than 20 years back. Funny if you notice how younger people are going into early retirement nowadays while seniors became more interested in working and building businesses. Now you know that the playing field has gone fair.
If you ask seniors why they ain’t quitting, you’ll probably end up with several different answers. That is because seniors are working for several different reasons. Some work to supplement their nest egg which was affected by the economic crisis while others believe that working gives them something to focus on, like their life’s direction. Funny how some seniors felt lost after retiring from work and needed something to occupy their time – funny but indeed true.
According to many retired seniors, retirement’s number one enemy is boredom. After years and years of working, it is just a huge leap from a working day to a “retired” day especially now that seniors are as active as ever and everything seems so convenient to do. Putting up an ecommerce site, for example, doesn’t even have to cost you a week’s allowance let alone a couple of hours working on your computer per day – at home. Even seniors with limited range of motion can do that!
Healthwise, staying on business proves to be healthy. Studies show that a senior who is engaged and actively running a successful business tend to live longer and happier lives. Aside from that, senior entrepreneurs are not at risk of being discriminated as opposed to applying for a job or trying a second career.
