Who ever said there was an ideal age to be an entrepreneur? The inspiration to start a business can come at any time, and for a growing number of women that can be in later life, once families have grown up, and first stage careers have been realised. It’s amazing how many women end up making the move from professions such as lawyers, accountants, and bankers, to launching businesses that are driven by passion and personal interests. These encore entrepreneurs as they are known, typically women over the age of 50, are bringing all their corporate and life experience to their businesses, not to mention renewed energy levels driven by a genuine love for what they are doing, meaning that their chances of entrepreneurial success are higher. So for all those women out there who have a passion to start a business, but are nagged by doubts that they might be too old to start on such an uncertain yet exciting new life path, take some inspiration from the record breaking South African encore athlete, Deirdre Larkin. An ex music teacher, she took up running at the age of 78 and found her new passion in life. Today, aged 86, she has over 500 medals to her name, has broken multiple running records and is a force to be reckoned with. She says: “I never thought twice about how old I was, I just started as I wanted to try running. You are never too old to start trying.” How’s that for inspiration!

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