Work for Yourself@50+


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“You can do it, and we can do it.”

by AARP Foundation

“You can do it, and we can do it.” Work for Yourself@50+ partners expand services to include business coaching and planning for older entrepreneurs.

AARP Foundation selected 17 local Work for Yourself@50+ (WFY50+) partners in July to expand the program by offering business planning and coaching tools to potential entrepreneurs. In addition to hosting introductory WFY50+ entrepreneurship workshops throughout the year, partners will offer a deeper level of support to those individuals who emerge from the WFY50+ pipeline as ready to launch their businesses.

In February, AARP Foundation ran a similar pilot with five local organizations to identify and support WFY50+ participants who were ready to create a business plan. Thirty-five early and mid-stage older entrepreneurs participated.

Pilot participants underscored the power of this program and its importance in the lives of capable older adults. One entrepreneur in St. Louis, Mo., said, “It actually made me feel empowered. Initially, after I was first introduced to it, I got away from it. But then after I made the decision that I was going to move forward and got the nerves out, it just took me step by step and I was able to put everything I needed to into the system. It has really helped to stay task-oriented.”

 

An online business planning tool, LivePlan, makes it easy for local WFY50+ partners to foster and manage relationships with their clients. In addition to being a platform for online coaching, it allows partners to identify specific challenges and pain points as entrepreneurs transition from concept stage to revenue and funding. AARP Foundation is providing each local partner with 10 LivePlan online licenses for 12 months each at no cost.

We hope this is only the beginning. By July 2019, Work for Yourself@50+ aims to have more than 150 entrepreneurs growing their businessdes with the support of our local partners and LivePlan. As an entrepreneur in Austin, Texas, said, the program is “bringing me closer to making my business dream a reality. I’m listening to all the women with their business plans and what they’re doing, and you can’t help but be encouraged because this is truly a time for women. You can do it, and we can do it.”

 


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