I'm in my 70s and love running a business
More and more people are working for longer, sometimes out of financial necessity but in a growing number of cases out of choice, as it keeps them active and they enjoy doing it. The Express spoke exclusively to three business owners who are in their 70s and actively running businesses — and would have it no other way.
Jill Poet is CEO at the Southend-on-Sea-based Organisation for Responsible Businesses, an organisation that helps small businesses become more purpose-led.
She said: “I’m almost 75 and am still working full-time as CEO of the Organisation for Responsible Businesses (ORB), a company I co-founded and launched 15 years ago. ORB is a national company providing membership, training and certification options for values-based, small businesses. I’m still working because I have a purpose and a passion to encourage small business owners to operate in a way that is good for business, people and the environment. There are over 5 million solo, micro and small businesses in the UK. Cumulatively, they have the power to make the world a better place. But we need to keep supporting, encouraging and nudging them to really drive the social and environmental changes we need. I don't own the company any more or even get paid. My husband and co-founder and I gifted ORB to the membership three years ago to protect the integrity of the company we had worked so hard to build. I’m not ready to retire yet. I still have a lot of work to do if I want to change the world."
Evelyn Diamond is a Consultant at Essentially Medical, a medical education company that connects GPs with consultants.
She said: “I'm 75 years old and have been running Essentially Medical for 20 years. In March of this year, I sold the business but am still actively involved for at least another year. We provide those in Primary Care (GPs) with free virtual medical education sessions delivered by leading NHS Hospital consultants, usually at lunchtime. The meetings are sponsored by pharmaceutical companies. This model suits all parties involved as the consultants are keen to speak to GPs, the GPs need to be updated on medical developments and the pharma reps have to contact GPs with updates and info about their products. The service that we offer ensures that GPs get the training they want at a convenient time. I have arranged several larger meetings including one in June, entitled 'It's an Ology', which had an audience of nearly 100 GPs. We estimate that we have saved the NHS many thousands of pounds. At a time when every penny counts thanks to budget cuts and an ageing population, these savings are substantial.”
Tony Robinson OBE is director at Be More Happipreneur, is known as the #MicroBizMatters Champion and is a Co-Founder of The Micro Business Alliance, with organisations representing over 1.2 million micro business owners directly and 4 million indirectly.
He said: “I'm 73 and will never retire from running our businesses. That's not unusual, as people who love what they're doing and are good at it keep doing it. I'm not successful in the same way that my school classmate, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, is, but I'm sure we continue for the same reasons, and we love our sport, too. My business partner, Clare, and I founded our first business in 1986, and we still enjoy working together, although in recent years she's had to concentrate on running her family business. I've founded several not-for-profit, national social enterprises and organisations to support start-ups and micro-business owners, but I continue my for-profit ventures to make ends meet. You'll find that most 70+ business owners are value-driven rather than wealth-driven. We're making a positive difference for our families, friends and communities and are proud to control our destiny. I'm also Chair of Yorkshire in Business Ltd and love working with enterprising people every day.”
