More Utahns 50-plus show entrepreneurial spirit

SALT LAKE CITY – For people who are rethinking their careers at midlife, the Small Business Administration (SBA) and AARP Utah are teaming up to offer workshops this month to help mentor these “Encore Entrepreneurs.” More than one in five people in their 50s have told AARP Utah they would be “very interested” in finding a new job or career, and almost half want to know more about alternatives to traditional retirement – including second careers working for themselves.

Alan Ormsby, state director, AARP Utah, said the state’s business climate is encouraging.

“One of the trends that we’re seeing is the number of companies that are started by women and the number of companies that are being started by people over the age of 50. It’s part of a national trend, but we’re seeing it in Utah, too,” he said.

A full-day seminar coming up on April 17 in Salt Lake offers information about how to start and operate a new business, and shorter workshops will be held on April 20 in Ogden and April 24 in Salt Lake. The <a href=”http://www.sba.gov/about-offices-content/2/3154″ target=”parent”>SBA website</a> has details.

It is common for people to reexamine their work lives and goals in their 50s, Ormsby said, adding that, with a little help, it doesn’t have to be the stereotypical “midlife crisis.”

“A lot of our members and a lot of the people we talk to want to do something big,” he said. “They want to make a change, to do meaningful work. For many of them, that means wanting to start their own business. Their biggest question is, ‘Where do I start, and who can help me?'”

About 13 percent of AARP Utah members are self-employed or own their own business. Three percent said they have just started a business in the past two years. Utah also has 11 Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) around the state that can help.

The SBDC locations and event information are available on the SBA Utah District Office website, <a href=”http://www.sba.gov/about-offices-content/2/3154″ target=”parent”>www.sba.gov</a>.

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