I have never been a fan of the concept that 40 is the new 30, but the reality is we are all living longer. Living older has an impact on other things besides ourselves. Living longer has fueled new medical breakthroughs and significantly drained the economic system. Unfortunately, the disconnect between Millenials and Gen-Z to someone at 70 or even 80 that is digitally native is few and far between. So what happens to all the brilliant older people who are thinking about what is next? How do I keep my brain active, challenged, and, most importantly, get up every day with a purpose?
I had dinner the other night with a woman who built her own company, being a political strategist to top politicians. Perhaps it was Covid, maybe it is her age, or even the disgust of politics right now, but she decided to change gears. She is learning to be a coach. She has so much knowledge and has seen so much there is no doubt that she will provide tremendous nuggets of advice to the up-and-comers when she begins to coach. A new career gives her flexibility, worth, and income for the next 25 years. I love it.
My other friend, Dana Cowin, who was the Editor of Food & Wine for more than two decades, has never left the food world. She continues to eat and travel, talk to chefs, see trends in hospitality, and converse on her podcast with people in the food world. She recently launched Speakly Broadly, a new print publication. It is a beautiful magazine with the tagline “Conversations With Humanity.” It belongs on the coffee table. I love it.
Many women are figuring out their next steps with grace, thoughtfulness, and impact. We might still be hitting the golf course, but most enjoy working. I tried golf, got creative crocheting blankets, sewing a quilt, and doing personal projects. Perhaps it is age, but I have realized that I love engaging my brain in work mode. I have since I was born, so why did I think that getting older would send me on a permanent self-vacation?
I am building a new retail concept called Gotham, with my fingers crossed that I will be awarded dispensary licenses from NYState to be the backdrop of Gotham. There are countless reasons why I am just having the best time doing this. I am also working on a Docuseries, and that movement is slower as that industry moves at a tortoise pace, and I am beginning to appreciate that creative process.
I would love to hear from more women at that crossroads in their work life. It allows you to take all of your learned experiences, connect those dots, and do a complete pivot. That is powerful. I spent a few years thinking about this. I did not want to invest anymore for countless reasons. I wanted to build something which is not shocking, and I wasn’t sure I even realized that until it happened.
It was part of the evolution of Covid, sitting around with little human contact, doing projects, keeping up with investments at an entirely different level, looking on the horizon, and just thinking. Then lo and behold, the doc idea came one night. Gotham came while watching the pain of retail in NYC slowly fall into an abyss, and boom, I had an idea that evolved into Cannabis. I wasn’t sure about Gotham, then my son said to me, “Do it. Think of it as a personal project.” Fireworks went off, and now I am knee-deep in building a brand.
As women begin to think about how to spend the next 25 years of their lives enjoying what makes them happy, start to connect the dots and remember you don’t have to take over the world. You just have to have fun. It changes the mindset. And remember that age has made us all wiser.