BEASLEY ON WEB VIDEO

Conferences, radio - and now web video. Is there no beginning to my talents?

In this case,  we are talking about a one-hour panel discussion on the subject of Empty Nesters as Entrepreneurs. This is one of a series made for Scottish Widows, as part of their support for independent financial advisors. 

To see this epic performance, go to http://www.retirementplanner-sw.com/static/empty-nesters-roundtable  and scroll down to Empty Nesters as Entrepreneurs. Parts 1 - 4!

All things considered, I could have been a lot worse. 

I do have strong views on this subject. People are having to work longer, as the state pension disappears into the sunset and occupational pension schemes, if they exist at all, become worth less and less. 

At the same time, ageism is a fact of life and the chances of employment for anyone in their fifties and upwards are slim. If you're unemployed, it's probably long-term. You may give up altogether and cobble together an alternative non-working lifestyle. This is good news for the Government as once you 'sign off' you no longer constitute an unemployment statistic. 

Hence, it is no surprise that an increasing number of older people are becoming entrepreneurs. Or at least, starting their own small businesses. Or becoming self-employed. I am not sure that these last two constitute entrepreneurship, but we'll let that pass. 

This suggests that becoming an older entrepreneur is to some extent a last resort, the nuclear option. But of course, for many people it also represents the chance to leave the corporate world, to do something they've always wanted to do, and to do it their way. Self-actualisation, the apex of the hierarchy of needs. 

I wish I could believe that this group is the majority. But I suspect that for too many people, the reality of ageing is the need to do something they may not be very good at - setting up and running a business - and continuing to do this at an age when they thought they might have been been comfortably retired.   

If I can help - and my credentials to do this are surprisingly good - please feel free to contact me.