The top 30 under 30 lists don’t impress me much anymore.
Top 40 over 40? 50 over 50? Now you’re talking.
Specifically: Women. Female founders in their Prime, (formally known as ‘mid-life’) have the most potential for radical success in entrepreneurship — and here’s why…
1) Women 50+ are more ambitious, healthier, and wealthier than ever before.
Might sound counterintuitive in North American society that covets youth, but this claim is based on science. In many categories, people are happiest post-age 55 — and it often climbs from there! And this is becoming reflected in society and the media. The Sex and The City reboot, And Just Like That – features the characters of Miranda, Charlotte, and Carrie in their early to mid-50s. A generation ago, that same age was represented by TheGolden Girls — cardigans, gray bouffants, OLD. These two shows reveal the stark difference between how society views women in their fifties now compared to the 1980s — and I’m here for all of it.
2) We know that Perfectionism isn’t ALL THAT.
We are not impervious to mistakes, but rather we let them roll off us with greater ease. With life experience comes the phenomena of rapid self-acceptance. Mistakes don’t slow us down with any significance. We accept the imperfections, learn from them, pivot, and get back at it. For me, the pain of getting it wrong doesn’t last nearly as long as it did in my 20s and 30s, and I’m digging that. Life is about being perfectly imperfect, and I know for certain more is possible today than I ever realized before.
3) We have the gift of candor.
Saying what we want, when we want, with the gloves off when required.“You can’t let the fear of what people might say or think to stop you from doing what you want to do or else you would never do anything.”— Jennifer Lopez This is essential for entrepreneurship!
4) We have the gift of time.
Many of us spend the past decades putting ourselves at the bottom of the ‘needs’ pile – family, kids, and other people’s careers were at the top. Now, with fewer demands on us, and a potentially empty nest scenario, we have this beautiful thing called time for ourselves and our dreams and goals. Time to live a life with purpose and passion — and to hunt down dreams like the warriors we are. We have earned our freedom.
5) We are great at boundaries.
One of the absolute pillars of business success is knowing when to say no. And then saying it liberally. The boundaries that we have been practicing our whole lives to keep us safe can now be optimized for success. Shiny object syndrome has no place in entrepreneurship.
An iteration of a Bruce Lee quote that is kept in my office is: “The successful warrior is the average (wo)man, with laser-like focus.”
6) We know a good team when we see one.
Even solopreneurs need people around them to succeed. People to help solve problems, and provide feedback, and encouragement. With life experience, we have learned to weed out the naysayers and toxic people. We can spot an ally with extreme precision and speed. Many of us have been curating and leading teams within our homes and communities for decades. Team-building is second nature to us.
If you are an inspired woman in your Prime, I would encourage you to give entrepreneurship a try — it is the most rewarding way to lead a life that aligns with your values and maximizes your amazing experience.
