Defying Age Barriers

When I hit the big Six-O, I was trying to figure out what to do with my time and is there anything I can do to stay busy at this age while still contributing to society on some professional level? I’m not looking for fame or fortune at this stage in the game but I’m very intrigued by people who have achieved or maintained successful careers later in life. In the past there was so much discrimination against the "older" generation in terms of careers. In some cases if you were over forty your career was over, especially if you were in the public eye and a woman! Today, look at beautiful celebrities such as Jamie Lee Curtis, Andie McDowell, Yazemeenah Rossi, Jane Fonda, Martha Stewart, Paulina Porizkova, Helen Mirren, Iris Apfel, Judi Dench, Kathy Bates and Meryl Streep, to name a few! They continue to be active in their careers and break age barriers long after fifty!

Aside from Hollywood celebrities, there are many corporate success stories of entrepreneurs who reached huge accomplishments later in life as well. Some of these business leaders found career changes after 50 and they took full advantage of the opportunities presented to them. Here are a few successful entrepreneurs who were not afraid of taking on new challenges:

MARTHA STEWART

Martha Stewart started her career as a stockbroker on Wall Street, but she quit her job when her family moved to Connecticut in 1972. There, she restored a 19th-century farmhouse, sparking her interest in homemaking. Over the next few years, Stewart started a successful catering business. By 1990, Stewart was 49 and published the first issue of her magazine, Martha Stewart Living, which launched her highly successful brand.

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 1999 and at the age of 58 Martha Stewart became the first female self-made billionaire in the United States. She continues to be the majority shareholder with 96% control of the voting power in the company. Most recently, at the age of 81 Martha Stewart became the oldest model in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover history!

JULIE WAINWRIGHT

Julie Wainwright was CEO of Pets.com when she closed the company in 2000. At that same time, she and her husband were going through a divorce so her life was changing publicly as well as privately. In 2011 at the age of 53, after filling in as CEO at other companies, Wainwright founded The RealReal, an online marketplace that resells designer items. In its first year, the company made $10 million in sales and the company is still thriving today.

In 2022, Julie Wainwright stepped down as CEO but is currently launching a new startup at the age of 66 called Ahara, a Los Angeles-based company providing personalized nutrition recommendations to its customers after they complete a health questionnaire and various clinical testing.

ARIANNA HUFFINGTON

An immigrant from Greece, Arianna Huffington first worked as a writer, concentrating mostly on biographies. At the age of 55 Huffington gained success when she launched The Huffington Post in 2005 and became its editor in chief. Within a few years, the Huffington Post was known as one of the most influential news sites in the world. Today, the company is known as HuffPost and is still a well-read publication.

Huffington stepped down from her role in 2016 to launch Thrive Global, a startup digital platform focusing on health and wellness.

The Silver Lining: You can do anything at any age! With age comes experience, confidence and access to more resources and connections. Don't let getting older hold you back from starting something new and achieving success later in life! Go for it!