Fun Stuff

email opens

Email Marketing: When the Opens are FALLING – Do THIS

Leave a Comment / Fun Stuff, Marketing, Must Read Blogs, Tips / By / / , , , , , , , ,

I’ve been an email marketer since the beginning of email marketing.  It’s just my jam.  I love writing, I love getting instant feedback – and yea, I’m not going to lie, I love seeing open rates in the 30’s and 40’s.

And then came Covid.  Everyone was Zoomed out and Emailed out.  There was very little room for fluff.  Unless it pertained to your job or your kid\’s homeschooling or staying in touch with a shut in loved one – no one wanted to look at another pixel on the screen.

My email open rates dropped – and dropped big time.  I even had some of my most loyal followers apologize to me that they haven’t been reading because well…life.

Here’s how I reacted:

  1. I added more emails.   If they missed one on Monday, they may get one on Thursday – or Friday.  I surely didn’t stop.  I ended up broadening my reach and collective open rates went up.  In other words – someone may not have read both Monday and Thursday – but they may have read one.  I’ll take it.
  2. I started videotaping my emails! Yes – you heard it.  I was always an email purist. If you don’t sign up for my list – you aren’t getting my email.  People do have time to listen to a short 3-5 minute video – so I did it.  Grab the replays on youtube.com/cindydonaldson.  I’m getting engagement from NON-email followers!  Double win.
  3. I didn’t judge or worry. I put on my big girl panties and my empathy hat – everyone is in the same boat. It’s not me.
  4. I didn’t change the structure or the time of my emails – my followers know my drill. Why add confusion?
  5. I encouraged followers to save them – toss them in a folder for later.
  6. I dumped in VALUE. Now wasn’t the time to sell them “stuff”  – it was the time to over-serve – I mean OVER SERVE.

I still 100% believe email marketing gives marketers the biggest bang for their buck – and that means brands.  The cost is in the time and creativity – oh and paying for a good platform, but the cost pales in comparison to a huge digital advertising campaign.

Here are my rules of engagement:

  1. Keep the subject line intriguing, genuine, and short. I love the 2-3 word ones.
  2. Keep it conversational – tell a damn story
  3. Tell them what the main goal is in the first paragraph
  4. Dump in the value
  5. End with something for them to do – a call to action
  6. For service businesses like mine – only sell a couple of times a year

It’s not that hard.  Write like you speak.  Don’t overthink it.

Email marketing isn’t going anywhere.  If you aren’t on my list – what are you waiting for?  Join HERE.

Email Marketing: When the Opens are FALLING – Do THIS Read More »

social media

How to do Social Media the Right Way

Leave a Comment / Fun Stuff, Marketing, Small Business / By / / , , , , , , , , , ,

When you think about posting on your business social media pages, do you start to panic, feel overwhelmed, and just feel all around uncertainty about what the heck you are even doing? Don’t worry, you aren’t alone. The funny thing is, social media for personal use can be fun, informative, and doesn’t require much effort or deep thought – for the most part. See a lost dog post, share it. See a post looking for recommendations for a plumber – put the info for Joe’s Plumbing because you wouldn’t think of calling anyone else.

When it comes to using social media for business, it seems like there are so many rules and the information can be conflicting. But doing social media the right way can be very simple, straightforward, and dare I say – rewarding and fun. When you start to get more followers and increased engagement, you’ll agree on the last two!

Here’s some simple and easy tips to help you get your business social off on the right foot or to improve what you are doing now:

  1. Pick the right channels. The easiest way to get overwhelmed is to try to post on every single social media channel out there. And yes, I purposely used the word try. Because unless posting on social is your full-time job, it’s almost impossible to keep up with every platform. Choose the platforms that your ideal clients are on. For example, if you cater to women in the 35-55 range, yes you should be on Facebook, Pinterest, and even Instagram.
  2. Be consistent. Posting 2x a day for 2 weeks is great, but it’s not going to help you if you come to a screeching halt and stop posting for 6 months. Find a cadence that you can keep up with. 3x a week – great, start there. If you can increase to 1x a day, even better. But start small and work your way up as you get more comfortable.
  3. Plan ahead. If you post daily at 1 pm, don’t wait until 12:45 to figure out what you want to post. Use a spreadsheet and create your content in advance. Use Hootsuite or other scheduling platforms to set up all your content at least a week ahead so that you don’t have to panic at the last minute.
  4. Engage. Social is meant to be social. Engage with other people, pages, and groups. If you are a florist and you see a post in a group asking about the best plant food for roses, feel free to chime in and share your knowledge and how you know so much (because you are a local florist) and if they have any other questions, here’s how to reach you. You are being helpful, but also noting your business. If you want people to engage with you, you have to engage with them. If people comment on your posts, make sure you engage back with them. Serve not Sell.
  5. Follow others. A little quid pro quo is par for the course when it comes to social media. Want to increase your follows, start following others. If you want to keep an eye on the competition, don’t follow them from your business page, use your personal. But otherwise, follow any associations, chambers, and complementary businesses that make sense. If you are a florist, following a bridal boutique, wedding venue, and catering companies just makes sense.
  6. Always look at your metrics. I know, I get it. The metrics can be confusing and well, boring for many to look at, but trust me, you won’t know if you are successful unless you look at your metrics. How many new followers did you get? What topics got the best engagement? What timing got the best engagement? You get the idea. Does video or pictures or text get more engagement? You can look at so much data!

Hopefully, you made it this far and didn’t get stressed out. These rules are meant as a guideline. Start small and take them one at a time. Rome wasn’t built in a day so don’t expect to get 500k followers in a week. And don’t forget to have fun with it!

How to do Social Media the Right Way Read More »

Mentor vs. Coach – What’s the Difference and Which do I Need?

Leave a Comment / Culture, Fun Stuff, Small Business, Tips / By / / , , , , , , , , ,

Whether you are stuck in a rut or crushing your goals – having a mentor or coach who helps you with your personal development can be a game-changer. The first step of course is finding someone you are comfortable talking to – but how do you know if you need a mentor or a coach – and what the heck is the difference?

A mentor or coach can support your drive for greater self-esteem, problem-solving skills, and enhanced confidence in managing challenges, especially in uncomfortable situations. But they really aren’t the same.

Mentoring is defined as “A process of direct transfer of experience and knowledge from one person to another”. We often think of a mentor as a seasoned professional who provides guidance and direction to a mentee—usually a junior–level person with similar interests who may aspire to the position of the mentor. The mentor has already achieved success within the industry and is voluntarily sharing their expertise with a colleague. This doesn’t just apply to the corporate world, if you are starting your own business, you may find a mentor who took a similar path to what you want to take or who is already in the industry you plan to work in. Mentors typically aren’t paid; they volunteer their time to help mentor others.

Coaching is defined as “A method of achieving set goals. A coach helps their clients achieve specific, immediate goals as defined by the organization or the client”. If you are an employee, your company may hire a coach to help you, but as an entrepreneur, you may hire a coach to help you with a specific goal or skill. You may hire a coach to help you launch a business, write a book, improve on your social media or writing skills, etc. Coaches are paid for their work because it’s their job – their main business is coaching others.

Key differentiators

Relationship: Mentoring is oriented around relationships – yes, you might focus on learning things and improving competencies, but over time it becomes more about the bond and rapport you develop vs. business issues.

Coaching is more task-oriented. A coach is there to help you become more proficient in certain areas or skills you are lacking – for example if you suck at doing presentations, you might hire a public speaking coach.

Drivers: Mentors are development-driven, focusing on the future by sharing their past experiences and what they learned to help the mentee.

Coaches are performance-driven, focusing on the present, and improving or acquiring new skills that can be used immediately.

Duration: Mentoring doesn’t usually have an end date; it’s understood that there is a significant time commitment from both parties as you move from acquaintances to building a strong fellowship – mentoring can last years or even decades.

Coaching typically has a defined end date. You set a specific schedule to meet and it ends when the trainee masters the skills or goal that’s been defined. Of course, you can keep adding new goals to work on, but there is a defined start and end for each commitment.

Key take-a-ways:

  • Mentoring is a long-term process based on mutual trust and respect. Coaching, on the other hand, is for a short period of time.
  • Mentoring is more focused on creating an informal association between the mentor and mentee, whereas coaching follows a more structured and formal approach.
  • A business mentor has the first-hand experience of the mentee’s line of work. A business coach, however, does not need to have a hands-on experience of the kind of work the coachee is engaged in.
  • The topmost priority of a business mentor is to help develop skills that are not just relevant for the mentees in their present job, but also for the future. For a business coach, the biggest priority is to improve performance that impacts the present job.

Need help finding a mentor? Did you know that there are actually 8 levels of mentorship – check out this cool article on how to find a mentor? Finding the right business coach requires some legwork as well, here are 16 tips to help you find the right fit.

Now that you understand the difference, go forth, and find your new coach or mentor. Thinking of starting your own business or need some coaching in marketing, sales, or operations –  we may be able to help!

Mentor vs. Coach – What’s the Difference and Which do I Need? Read More »

feedback

How to Tell if You are Getting Sincere Feedback

Leave a Comment / Featured, Fun Stuff, Marketing, Must Read Blogs, Operations, Tips / By / / , , , , , , , ,

Asking for feedback is a pretty normal part of life, right? You ask for people’s opinions all the time: Do they like a new recipe you made, do they like this color paint for the living room, does this new shirt make you look fat?, etc. Do you always get the truth… maybe not? In fact, I recently saw this post on Facebook that said, let me know if you want to vent or you really want advice. It’s an honest question too because sometimes people just want validation and they really don’t want your opinion.

When it comes to getting sincere feedback at work, it can be even harder. Why? Well, to be honest, some people just don’t care to give you honest feedback. Some people don’t like confrontation, so they say great job regardless. There are others who are jealous and want you to fail, so they give you bad advice or won’t point out mistakes. Either way, it’s not sincere and it’s not helping.

People always telling you that you are doing a great job is nice to hear, but it’s really not effective and it’s completely unhelpful for growth and development.

In order to improve at anything in life, you need three things:

  • A clear goal
  • A genuine desire to achieve that goal
  • Feedback that indicates what they are doing well and what they are not doing well

Not only is sincere feedback hard to come by, but low-quality feedback is not useful, positive feedback is undervalued, and negative feedback delivered unskillfully can actually cause physical pain. When delivered thoughtfully, however, sincere feedback can provide you with actionable data needed to become more effective.

If you make strides towards receiving sincere feedback, try these steps:

Create a Safe Environment for Sharing.  You can do this by showing your peers that honesty doesn’t have repercussions. Be curious about them and ask them questions, show vulnerability, and let them know you want to learn. Acknowledge your weaknesses or mistakes – we are all human.

Be Skillful. Just asking for feedback rarely results in useful information. Try asking more specific questions like “Was I talking too fast”, “Do I talk over people or cut them off”, “You know Jason well, how can I better connect with him” – this helps people break down feedback into bite-size pieces.  

Ask for the Good and Bad. When you only hear the good or only the bad, you miss out on a lot of specific information that’s useful. If you just hear the bad, you won’t know the good things you do and risk making changes to those when you shouldn’t. If you just hear the good, you won’t know what bad stuff to fix – you need both for feedback to work. Also, just getting praise does not give you enough information to understand what you are doing effectively – “great job” doesn’t say the same thing as “Hey, your slides are kick-ass, but you should probably just slow down your presentation by 5 seconds”.

Be Receptive and Attentive. When getting feedback, focus on the person giving it so they know you are listening and value their opinion. Even if you disagree with some feedback, don’t challenge or debate them, or you may decrease the likelihood of that person offering you feedback in the future.

Say Thank You. Even if it wasn’t the most helpful information, always say thank you. The person giving you feedback likely spent a good amount of time considering your performance and how to thoughtfully discuss it with you.

Evaluate, Plan, and Act. Review all the data, consider what parts to work on, what parts to disregard and plan to fix what needs fixing. Pick one or two capabilities you want to improve, get really clear about what “improved” looks like, and then map out the action steps that you need to take. If you struggle with the action part – check out this blog.

People who are great leaders are great listeners and great learners. They are always looking for more information and ways to improve themselves. Getting and learning from feedback isn’t always easy, but it is necessary if you want to become better.

How to Tell if You are Getting Sincere Feedback Read More »

The Power of Flexible Work Schedules

Leave a Comment / Culture, Entrepreneur, Featured, Fun Stuff, Operations, Small Business / By / / , , , , , ,

At the Red Barn, we have a standard 8-4 schedule, but we still consider it a flexible work schedule – meaning Jenn and I will typically log in to Skype around 8 am EST to connect and Jenn usually checks out around 4 pm to head to the gym but that’s about as structured as we get.

I learned early on in my career that my most productive and creative time is before the sun comes up.  (I’m writing this before 5 am)  I also know that by 2 pm on most days my brain is done for the day – mainly because I’m up at 4 and I’ve put in a good 8 hour day.  I try my best not to schedule meetings in the afternoon – but that doesn’t always happen because like any business I have customers and it’s important that I meet them where they need to be!

I know the productive times of my team and I let them work when they are in the zone and I surely don’t push them to do work when I know it will be a struggle – unless we are in an all hands on deck situation for a client.  PS – we try to avoid those moments but it happens!

Knowing your team is critical.  Knowing when they are productive is key if you want to run an efficient and effective ship.  This also includes watching for the “I need a mental health day” cues.  Everyone has a bad day or even a day when you just “can’t” for whatever reason – I just hone in on those cues and give my team the option to go home, quit early or run away from life for a few hours if that’s what they need to do.

In the end, I focus on getting GOOD work out the door – I really don’t care when that work gets done. I do care HOW it turns out.  I don’t care if someone wants to not work on Monday and would prefer to work on Sunday – I just need to know ahead of time.  I also don’t really care about the number of PTO days taken – in fact, I usually have to remind team members to take their vacation time.  Because I don’t hang PTO over their head and I only track it because I have to for HR reasons – the PTO time never gets abused.  Well, at least it hasn’t up to this point.

The flexible work schedule doesn’t work for every employee or for every business – but if you are open to trying it and seriously letting go of the corporate structure mindset – you just might be amazed at the results. Need an example – look at Microsoft – they had a 40% productivity boost when they switched to a 4 day work week.

Happy Employees = Happy Clients = Increased Revenues

The Power of Flexible Work Schedules Read More »

time blocking

Want to be more efficient? Block your Time.

Leave a Comment / Featured, Fun Stuff, Operations / By / / , , , , , , , , , ,

If I want to get something done and be efficient – it needs to be in my calendar, that\’s how I block my time.  If it’s not there it doesn’t exist.  I take my calendar to the next level and use the Time Blocking Method.

I learned this little trick over a decade ago from Chris Brogan –  – I block out 45 minutes in my calendar to do certain tasks.  For me, 45 minutes is manageable and not overwhelming.  Chris uses 20 minute blocks as an FYI.

Here’s how it works.

When I get my new planner each year – yes, I have a paper planner and I use a digital calendar for my phone – I go through the entire year and block out any major things that I know about.  Business trips, family vacations, holidays, etc.

Next, I dive into the days – it always starts with self-care.  If I don’t take care of me, there is zero chance I can take care of my clients.  Trust me on this one – it’s important.

Every day from 5-7 am I have “Me Time”.  This is critical because I’m not one of those jump out of bed and run around like a crazed woman.  I need to ease into my day.  Some days – like today, I began working at 4:30 am because I felt like writing, but most days 5-7 includes drinking my coffee, reading, meditating, exercising, journaling – whatever feels right on that day.  I rarely – I mean rarely, change this routine unless I’m traveling.

I’m a morning person – so next, I get the MOST important things on my calendar for the beginning of the day.  Usually the creative things and meetings.  I’m not a fan of afternoon meetings because my brain isn’t as sharp.  Here’s a time hack – use a calendar scheduling tools such as Calendly or ScheduleOnce – ONLY offer the times you WANT to have appointments.  I’m a bit flexible on this especially if it’s a prospect – if the ONLY time they can meet me is at 2 pm and it’s a client that fits our niche 100% I’ll meet them at 2 pm.

I also try to book days to work on my business versus in it.  Mondays are my work on Red Barn Days.  Depending on what is going on at Red Barn I may have some client phone calls or work – but I TRY my best to never schedule appointments on Mondays (or Fridays).

Tuesday-Thursdays are all hands on deck client workdays – this is when I work IN my businesses.  Fridays are flex days for me – sometimes we work a half-day – sometimes we don’t work at all.  It depends – I leave these days open and again, try not to schedule client appointments on Fridays.

The secret is to be structured AND flexible at the same time.  I don’t lose it if my time blocking has to shift – but I do try to honor it.

As for the paper planner and digital – why both?  I’m a pen on paper person – always have been, but I also need to have the efficiency and transparency of a digital calendar for business  So I keep two.  It works for me and I don’t mind keeping both current. The paper calendar allows me to write notes and it also acts like a journal and a place for me to dump ideas – my digital calendar is simply for tracking my appointments.

Hope this helps shed some light on how to be uber-efficient! Do you think being efficient is a blessing or a curse – read more here.

Want to be more efficient? Block your Time. Read More »

customer experience

Marketing Trends 2020 – customer experience

Leave a Comment / Featured, Fun Stuff, Marketing, Must Read Blogs, Sales, Small Business / By / / , , , , , , , , ,

What we do as an industry has dramatically changed over the past decade.  We’ve shifted from trying to convince people to buy, to do, to act, to honing in on our customer’s journey and customer experience.

CX will rule Marketing and Advertising in the next decade.

The Customer Experience (CX) is king. People no longer want to be told what to do, instead they want to be educated, they want to be wooed and they want an AMAZING customer experience – one that they willingly will pay more for.

Read that again:  They will pay MORE for a better experience.

Not that cheap, one and done is gone – there will always be price shoppers, but the trend is more on “show me what’s in it for me” as in the customer not the vendor.

So how do you have a Fab CX?

  1. Put yourself in YOUR customer’s shoes. You need to know them inside and out.  What makes them tick, why do they buy from you – and why do they not?  Knowledge is complete power here.
  2. KNOW your Value Proposition and make sure your team does too. It comes from the top.  Empower your team to make decisions on behalf of bettering your client experience.  Be it a refund, sending flowers, giving a bit more – the list goes on.  In the end you’ll not only increase client retention – but employee retention. Happy Employees = Happy Clients.
  3. Over Deliver – I mean OVER DELIVER. Just woo the socks off them.  Be Chewy – train your team to LIVE your value prop and DELIVER. DELIVER. DELIVER.
  4. Share your happy client stories – but let it be focused on them – not you. There is an art to it as to not look self-serving.  Again, put yourself in their shoes

Marketing today is less about telling people what you do and more about showing people how you can improve their life and help them – even if it doesn’t involve what you sell.

CX should be at the core of your 2020 business and marketing strategy.

Marketing Trends 2020 – customer experience Read More »

Network Marketing

Is Network Marketing “REAL BUSINESS” and why it matters

Leave a Comment / Entrepreneur, Fun Stuff, Marketing, Small Business / By / / , , , , , , ,

If you are making money – the answer is YES.   

 I think there is a stigma around the MLM (Multi Level Marketing) that’s not always warranted.  The visions of Ponzi pyramid schemes runs through people’s minds and all of a sudden one’s spidey senses are in hyper-drive at the mention of “joining the cult”.   

 Here’s my $.02.  Some networking marketing companies are not worth even considering, while others offer amazing opportunities for people to make a good deal of money if they are up for the hustle. 

  1.  None and I mean NONE will get you rich quickly.  It’s a sales job – it will take time.  Usually 3-5 years.
  2. If you want to be a big dog, you have to work like a big dog – I mean St. Bernard work.  
  3. It’s called Network Marketing for a reason – you have to share, talk it up and connect.
  4. You have  to BELIEVE in the product you are selling if you want to be one of those Big Dogs. 100% honesty and transparency will sell – if you don’t really believe in the product or service – you won’t be successful, at least on a big level.
  5. Speaking of success – it’s different for everyone. Some just want to make another $100 per month, some just want products at wholesale while others want to make 5-6 figures.
  6. For the most part – Social Media will 100% be your friend.  Again – it’s all about the network marketing part of it. 
  7. You need to understand the compensation policies – IE how you get paid, BEFORE you sign on the dotted line.  Every single one is different. 
  8. Speaking of policies – it’s YOUR responsibility to read the fine print.  Talk to others who have done it, research the hell out of the company – what are the complainers complaining about.
  9. Know that not everyone will think what you are doing is fabulous – haters will be haters. 
  10. Chances are your family and your BFF will not be your “partners” – INITIALLY.  If they are, they probably won’t be the hustlers – it’s just how it goes. 

 I’m a firm believer in multiple streams of income, MLMs do that.  So, am I currently involved with any Network Marketing companies?  Yes.  I’ve done several in my lifetime – either I liked the products or it was a great way for me to make a few extra bucks.  All were a decent experience. Currently Dave and I have a business with Isagenix –the comp plan is great, I love the products and it\’s easy to share what we do. . It makes sense for our nomadic lifestyle and we’ve met some cool people.  We still have our companies – this is just another income stream for us. 

How to choose one?  Do your homework, find one that fits your lifestyle and interests you!  Dave and I are long distance runners, and really active – so we gravitated towards the health and wellness part of the company we are with.  Again – it made sense for us.

What has been your experience?   

Is Network Marketing “REAL BUSINESS” and why it matters Read More »

Should you use Email Automation?

Leave a Comment / Entrepreneur, Fun Stuff, Marketing, Must Read Blogs, Small Business / By / / , , , , , , , , , , ,

There is a big difference between having an email marketing program and having an AUTOMATED email marketing program. The word “Automation” tends to send people into the panic zone – conjuring up visions of AI, robots, machines, “Danger Will Robinson” and the like.

Well, indeed it’s a bit computer geeky to set up the email automation, it is in fact far more human than sending one off emails.

First let’s get the lingo down.

Non Automated: If you are sending out an email and you have nothing set to “Trigger an Action” when someone clicks on something, opens something, or doesn’t do either of those – then you are not using email automation.

Automated: If you are setting up an architecture behind the scenes with Boolean cues i.e. “if this…than that” then you are automating. We marketers create workflows that automatically send emails to subscribers based on what they do or do not do.

Pros of Email Automation

First off, at Red Barn we do both. My weekly Thursday and Monday emails (SIGN UP HERE) are not automated. They are called just broadcast emails. If you don’t open them or don’t read them we aren’t prompting you to do something else.

Back to the pros…

Using Email Automation allows you to personalize and deliver customer-centric content that is specific and relative to your clients. In other words – you are speaking to them on a more personal level.

For both prospects and clients.

We use email automation to nurture prospects through the customer journey – bringing them along the Know, Like, Trust trifecta. We pepper them with content that will help nudge them to the trust and ergo buy phase. Perhaps they downloaded a quiz or an article, liked us on Facebook, went to a certain page on our website – all might trigger a unique email experience to them. Speaking to them on a personal level. “Hey Jenn, thanks for downloading that paper on Email Marketing – here’s something else you might like XXXXX”

We use automation to nurture clients in our Business Success Framework program – helping Corporate Executives launch Coaching and Consulting Careers. Everything from – \”Hey, you’ve got this\”, to \”Hey, I see you haven’t completed Module 2 and you are probably missing something AMAZING.\”

In the end – almost any action a person takes when engaging with your brand can be tracked and incorporated into an email marketing automation.

Found this handy stat on CampaignMonitor.com – “email marketing is the king of the marketing kingdom with a 4400% ROI and $44 for every $1 spent.”

When you are ready to dip your toes – call us. WE LOVE EMAIL MARKETING AUTOMATION.

Should you use Email Automation? Read More »

The Post Retirement Entrepreneur

Leave a Comment / Entrepreneur, Featured, Fun Stuff, Marketing, Must Read Blogs, Small Business / By / / , , , , , , , , , , , ,

“I’m ready to retire, but not ready to stop working, stop using my brain, stop… doing.”

When you have spent most of your life in Corporate America – leading teams, driving change, mentoring generations – retiring to Boca or moving to the Villages isn’t always an easy transition for some.

In fact, many recent retired execs I speak with feel lost but, more importantly, feel the need to take what they’ve learned and do something meaningful with it – they want to leave a legacy, they want to make a difference.  This mindset often results in joining a board, volunteering, or even opening their own company and working as a consultant or coach OR all the above.

It all makes sense.  Many retirees live 20-30 years post retirement and if they truly loved their career why not continue working and giving back, sharing knowledge, and padding the “fun fund” while they’re at it.

Here are some interesting facts I’ve discovered about my fellow Boomers who are opting to be entrepreneurs for the first time. (note this is based on my personal connections – not some deep market research!)

  1. It’s not about the money – it’s about the meaning, the mission, and the legacy.
  2. Speaking of money – most don’t NEED to match their corporate salary, in fact, most shoot for 50-100K per year.
  3. Most opt for service-based industries – such as coaches or consultants because the startup cost is not huge and the transition is seamless. They aren’t learning new skill sets.  YET – some opt to go in a completely NEW direction including retail.
  4. More often than not – they prefer to go solo. No employees but bringing in contract workers if needed since many managed large teams for decades.  “Been there done that” is the mantra.
  5. Flexibility is important. They don’t want stress, they want to work when they want and vacation when they want.  They are “retired” after all.
  6. If they are consultants – they are insanely picky about who they will work with. It goes back to enjoying the journey not building an empire.

If you are approaching the magical sixties and aren’t really ready for retirement, but are ready to exit your current job – perhaps entrepreneur life is for you.

The Post Retirement Entrepreneur Read More »