Lynne Beverly Strang's Blog, page 4

How a 45-Year-Old Doll Maker Began Changing Children’s Lives

As a pediatric oncology social worker, Amy Jandrisevits used dolls in play therapy to help children express themselves. Then one day, a revelation struck.

“I realized that the dolls’ thick hair and perfect health were doing the kids I was working with a disservice as they were often faced with a wide variety of physical challenges,” she explains here.

Her research found no places that produced dolls with prostheses or missing limbs. So Jandrisevits, a mother of three who lives in New Berlin,...

Finding Your Business Idea

For 40-and-older entrepreneurs, the number one reason for starting a business isn’t necessarily to make big bucks.  It’s more about doing something that’s enjoyable and gives you a sense of fulfillment.

In this video post, I describe a very simple method I used a few years ago to assess what I wanted — and didn’t want — in my next business opportunity.  Maybe this technique can help you as well if you’re an aspiring entrepreneur who’s evaluating what product or service to offer.

A Retired Admiral Becomes an Entrepreneur – And Finds a New Way to Serve Others

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Photo by Leonardo Silva on Unsplash

As a two-star nuclear-trained admiral in the U.S. Navy, Robert. O. Wray, Jr. inspected ships, submarines and carriers while reporting to Congress on their status. Now, he’s found a new calling creating technology to help seniors.

What led him to this business idea?  Two things.

One, he wanted to do something to help his aging parents and in-laws.

And two, he saw a void in the marketplace for technology that assists seniors, the fastest growing segment of th...

A Late Bloomer Tries Her Hand at Video Blogging

After eight years of written posts, it’s time to change things up.  So here’s my first video post for Late-Blooming Entrepreneurs.

The topic is – what else? – video blogging for entrepreneurs.  If you’re thinking about video blogging (or vlogging), I encourage you to give it a try.  Sometimes the hardest part is getting started — especially if you aren’t used to seeing yourself on camera.

At the end, I offer my thoughts on the biggest marketing advantage that video blogging provides for busin...

Takeaways from 9 Interesting Business Books

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Photo by Clem Onojeghuo on Unsplash

Looking for business books to read in 2019?  Maybe this list will spur some new additions to your nightstand.  Some of these books are recent; others have been around for a while. Each listing has a key takeaway to peak your interest.

1) We tend to remember flagship moments – the peaks, the pits, and the transitions. This is a critical lesson for anyone in the service business.— The Power of Moments by Chip Heath & Dan Heath

2) Motivation become easier when...

Instant Pot’s Inventor Shows It’s Never Too Late to Create

[image error]One of my Christmas gifts this year was an Instant Pot, a smart kitchen appliance that’s an all-in-one pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer and warmer. My new gadget got me wondering how it became an Internet sensation.

Journalists and other influencers point to Instant Pot’s word-of-mouth marketing, passionate fans and use of Amazon’s fulfillment program as primary reasons for its success. But a sentence on the Ottawa-based company’s website suggests another key factor.

“Instan...

From Crunching Numbers to Chopping Veggies: How a 40-Something Found Her Calling

By Lynne Beverly Strang

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Colette Wilson, ColMoni’s Catering

For 20 years, Colette Wilson earned a good living as an accountant who did work for the federal government. Now she’s found joy in pleasing taste buds through scrumptious hors d’oeuvres and mouthwatering sweets.

Wilson is a co-founder of ColMoni’s Catering, a Lorton, Virginia-based business that caters a full range of events throughout the Washington, D.C. area. ColMoni’s creations include a full array of specialty cakes and other des...

Can a Childhood Dream Become a Business?

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Photo by Rod Long on Unsplash

In August, my family and I traveled to Asheville, North Carolina with a stopover in Abingdon, Virginia. We took advantage of our night in Abingdon by seeing a performance of The Lemonade Stand at the Barter Theatre (a charming place, by the way).

In the show, a 50-something named Garret gets fired from his job.  So he decides to start a lemonade stand in front of his house in an upscale, suburban neighborhood.  Along the way, he meets Rachel, the college girl nex...

News Roundup for 40-and-Older Entrepreneurs

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Photo by Roman Kraft on Unsplash

As summer passes by, older entrepreneurs continue to write or serve as the inspiration for  various articles.  Here’s a look at a few recent stories and tidbits that may interest you.

Peter Thomas, a Canadian serial entrepreneur who will be 80 in September, offers these tips for those who want to start a business.

Chris Farrell, an “unretirement expert,” writes about Startup!, a course from Senior Planet geared toward aspiring 60-and-older entrepreneurs who wa...

What’s Different About This Couple’s Cabinet Design Business

Ross and Trivonna Irwin aren’t your garden-variety cabinet designers.

For one thing, both are late blooming entrepreneurs. Ross was 59 and Trivonna was 56 when they founded Cabinets by Trivonna, a Lacey, Washington-based business that custom designs kitchens for homeowners and contractors in the state of Washington and Northern Oregon.

They opened in 2007, which turned out to be the start of a recession. While many housing-related businesses folded, Cabinets by Trivonna managed to survive.

“W...