The New Way to Retire: Start a Digital Business
How retirees can become 'second act' entrepreneurs by acquiring an online business
By | Blake Hutchison | www.entrepreneur.com
What do you think of when you think of retirement?
Perhaps you picture yourself digging your feet into warm sand while holding a piña colada, and/or envisioning more free time to pursue that dream project you’ve always put off. Perhaps the thought of retirement simply makes you cringe; after all, you’ve been devoted to an endeavor your entire professional life, and still find meaning in the work. Whatever retirement experience you have in mind, there’s no right or wrong way to do it. The truth is, we’re constantly reinventing ourselves as we go, and that’s part of the beauty of life.
Whether you’re in your late twenties thinking about the future, finally retiring after decades in the workforce or looking for ways to gain additional streams of income while you’re at it, a great option might be breaking into online entrepreneurship as part of the planning.
Professional history as a foundation for an online business
If you’ve been working steadily, chances are you have enough professional background to help you get started — can apply what you know about computers, marketing, accounting and customer service to make yourself valuable as an online business owner. The truth is that is that retirees in many ways have experiential advantage over those just starting off in the entrepreneurship space. Whether you’ve been running a brick-and-mortar business, worked a straightforward 9-to-5 job or served in a position of leadership at your own company, you’ve seen the ins and outs of business and understand workforce challenges. So, use this to your advantage and apply it, tailoring your knowledge and expertise to the needs of the current market.
