Lynne Beverly Strang's Blog, page 11

An Entrepreneur Builds a Brand in Eyewear

Julie Allinson was 42 when she started Eyebobs, which offers high-quality, funky reading glasses at reduced prices.Fourteen years later, her company occupies almost all of a 37,000-square foot building near downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Optical shops, clothing stores and even museum gift shops around the world carryAllinson’s eyeglasses. She has a celebrity following that has included Katie Couric, Andrew Zimmern and the late Joan Rivers.

And what about the company’s name? As explained in th...

A Chinese Entrepreneur Makes Movies to Take on Social Issues

Zhang Weiearned millionsas an entrepreneur whomade video intercom doorbell systems in Shenzhen, China.In 2006, things changed in a big way.

That’s whenZhang sold his companyand started studying filmmaking.Today, the 49-year-old is a director who makes socially conscious movies.

As explained in this article, Zhang’slatest filmis aboutthe exploitation of Chinese assembly line workers, a subject rarelytouched by China’s filmmakers.In “Factory Boss,”the owner of a toy companystruggles to hold his b...

How One Couple Found a Business Idea Seven Thousand Miles from Home

By Lynne Strang, Late-Blooming Entrepreneurs

Meredith and Lee Hedrick

Doha, Qatar has megamalls, luxurious hotels and soaring skyscrapers. It also has a small- but-scrappy souvenir business with its own style.

Doha Designs is the brainchild of Lee and Meredith Hedrick, two Annandale, Virginia teachers on temporary assignment in Qatar. Since its launch a year and a half ago, the Hedricks’ startup has found a niche among Doha’s many Western expatriates seeking good-quality mementos of their time i...

Five Reasons to Start a Personal History Business

Tom Gilbert

I recently interviewed four people who were at least 40 years old when they became personal historians. Their individual stories appear in this guest post written for Later Bloomer, Debra Eve’s blog.

Among the four are full-time and part-time personal historians whose areas of expertise range from memoir coaching to ethical wills. Some produce books for their clients; others focus on video or other formats.

Yet they all have the same basic mission: to help others tell their life stor...

Donny Osmond’s New Role: Entrepreneur

Singer Donny Osmond has donea lot in his lifesincethe release of hisfirst smash single –Puppy Love –backin 1972. He’sacted on stage, raced carsandhosted talk shows.He even wonDancing with the Stars in 2009.

Now the57-year-oldentertainer hasjustannouncedhis firstappto go along with the upcoming release of The Soundtrack of My Life, his 60th album.

As explained in this interview, theDonny Osmond app “is an interactive social media tool that will give users a sneak peek at the songs on Osmond’s al...

How a Ski Instructor’s Bum Knee Launched a New Product

In 2002, Kim Gustafson left an international career in office equipment sales and marketing tobecome a ski instructor in Vail, Colorado. But at age 54, his knees (which had undergone two reconstructive surgeries) weren’t so young anymore.His new gig required him to wear a cumbersome knee brace while on the ski slopes.

As explained in this articlefrom Vail-Beaver Creek Magazine, the brace got him thinking about whether there might be a more comfortable way to support his knee. In 2004, he visit...

TV Shows for Late-Blooming Entrepreneurs

Most business owners don’t have much downtime. Whenan unexpected break or a free night occurs,it feelsgood torelax andstretch out on the couch – andmaybe watch a little TV.

A while ago, I was channel surfing one evening and happened to stumble upon the first episode of “The Men Who Built America,” The History Channel’s series about John D. Rockefeller, Cornelius Vanderbilt, Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford and J.P. Morgan. Each show builds upon the next, explaining how these business titans rose fr...

Ten Tips to Help You Focus — And Get More Done

Last week, I contacted several late-blooming entrepreneurs and asked them to sharetime-management tips that help them run their business. As the responses began arriving, it wasn’t long before a theme emerged.

Focus is king.

“Establish your goals and objectives and then focus like a laser on accomplishing them,” said Bill Cheeks of ABBA Associates, which conducts personal finance seminars.“I do not get confused or sidetracked.”

That’s easier said than done. Aclient pops in. Your computer freezes...

A Couple’s Calling: Gourmet Marshmallow Treats

Judy Soldinger was a registered nurse. Her husband, Steve, worked in broadcasting for more than 40 years. Now the Portsmouth, Virginia couple is busy producing Crispycakes — soft and gooey marshmallow treats that are making their way into locations ranging from airports to book stores.

Last year, the Soldingers bought The Crispery, the company that makes Crispycakes. The handmadegoodies come in more than 20 flavors, including mint chocolate chip, chocolate caramel and banana chip, and usually...

Learning from Entrepreneurs Who Have “Been There”

One way to test the waters of entrepreneurship is to talk with people who have started a business. Where better to get advice, technical help or a real-life perspective than from entrepreneurs who have lived through the startup process?

Social media provides plenty of opportunities to find entrepreneurial types who enjoy helping others. This week, I hosted an online interview about my book, Late-Blooming Entrepreneurs: Eight Principles for Starting a Business After Age 40. The interview was fo...