‘I started a business at 60 and it was the last thing I thought I’d be doing’

Ill health saw me leave my busy and stressful job doing the accounts for a private hospital. I was bedridden for months and ended up having chemotherapy. I was quite unwell. Fortunately, I recovered and am chemo free, but I remember it being a dark time in my life and it was a lesson on the importance of listening to one’s body. At 60, I started a new business and it was the last thing I thought I would be doing!

In July 2017 I signed up prelaunch for a new skincare company in Australia. It had been doing well in North America and Canada so I didn’t seem the harm in jumping on board. I hadn’t tried the products and I didn’t know that much about skincare, but I didn’t see either of those factors as a reason to not give it a go. When the products came a week prior to launch I was excited to try them. I was grateful they lived up to the company’s promises.

This isn’t an opportunity for me to spruik the products. I want to share my journey into a multi-level marketing company. I had a small amount of technical knowledge relating to computers thanks to my previous job, but this was a whole new ball game! I learned how to navigate the web to get what I needed for promotions and I also needed to learn how to use the virtual websites the company had. There have been many times I’ve sat for a few hours trying to figure it out. Instagram was a good example — what’s a hashtag? — and now I know how important it is.

I’ve been forced to step outside my comfort zone on numerous occasions! Public speaking was not my forte and neither was going to networking functions and chatting to strangers, however I’ve mastered both reasonably well and will continue to make room for improvement. I’ve also learned how to handle rejections with grace, by telling myself ‘they just aren’t ready’.

Anyone over 60 should be encouraged to try something new if they want to. I’ve jumped in and have had a lot of fun, but I’ve also learned a lot about myself in the process. I’m sure you can too!

Are you still working in your 60s and beyond? Is it full-time, part-time or casual? Would you consider a new business venture now?

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