Geropreneur. GEROPRENEUR? GEROpreneur!

LinkedIn Newsletter SIX by Christine A. Smith, the #AgingEnthusiast and GEROpreneur

Host of the resource website: agingbetternetwork.com, the “PreAct Your Age” Podcast interviews, and the “Aspects of Aging” LIVEstream group conversations

“Geropreneur.” GEROPRENEUR? GEROpreneur!

I’m looking this up…and…there’s one result on my search engine.

I’m watching their video. It's about youth volunteers providing necessities, activities, and companionship for the elderly. It might be a not-for-profit service organization. Perhaps they’re looking for support or raising awareness. I’m not certain, because I do not know enough about Spanish or Mexico’s philanthropic pursuits. I do like what I see.

It’s a positive association for me. I’m just giving this obscure word a side-hustle. I think a term like GEROpreneur is BIG enough to take on a second job. I’m turning it into a title of honor.

geropreneurs: JEHR oh pren yerz (noun, pl.)

1. seniors who offer something unique (products, services, endeavors, legislation, creations, innovations, content, concepts, etc.) SPECIFICALLY FOR seniors. It is their own business. But those individuals also put in unpaid hours because their heart is in the right place.

2. seniors who have re-configured something unique (up-styled, added features to, re-packaged, expanded, edited, made more accessible, stream-lined, etc.) to make improvements (safety, relatability, relevancy, effectiveness, flexibility, utility, delivery, simplicity, beauty, clarity, etc.) SPECIFICALLY FOR seniors. It is still their own business. They, too, are constantly collaborating with others, even with direct competitors, since their end goal is to make the world a better place in which they and others may age.

GEROpreneurs are not a new phenomenon—just newly named!

I did not think up this word first, but I did re-frame it. (I’m fairly irrepressible.) I know my own application of this term is unique. That’s why I attached it to my LinkedIn profile. Have you seen it? Have you tried to pronounce it? I am a JEHR oh pren yer.

Internationally, there are GEROpreneurs who are still discovering each other’s identities. LinkedIn is a great way to meet. I’m wondering out loud: could they find each other more easily if they took this on as part of their profile title, too? Their numbers grow daily—newly seniors or newly innovating or newly entrepreneurial. I just started “hash-tagging” #GEROpreneur #GEROpreneurs #GEROpreneurial today.

Funny thing is, GEROpreneurs aren’t trying to hide at all. Many are wildly working to be widely recognized. They hope their concept will be highly regarded by colleagues and clients, customers and conference creators.

Many haven’t had the time to locate each other. They’ve had to machete their way through the old-growth jungle of ageism still passively rooted in business life and public opinion. A bitterly ironic oxymoron: age-old ageism.

Ageism is tightly intertwined vines that bind and gag “persons of longevity”. It’s a stifling influence. It has grown unchecked…for ages.?Anti-aging—being AGAINST aging—is culturally popularized societal ignorance. Sharpen your own machete and hack it back where it creeps into view.

(I’m against being against aging. I’m anti-anti-aging. Canceling each other out: I’M AGING!!)

Drained, but undaunted: GEROpreneurs press upward. They diplomat and ninja and hot-air-balloon their way to greater levels of acknowledgement. It serves their passionate purpose to be discovered and to be understood. I hear them ask me to spread the word about their solutions. I do.

GEROpreneurs are an elite and less-recognized breed of business innovators.

There are notable older people who invent something for anyone. There are admirable younger people who invent something for older people. BRAVO…but not GEROpreneurial. GEROpreneurs make something that they and their peers need or desire. It is in a form different from that which might be offered to younger age categories.

They may go it alone, being their own brand, icon, employee, and COEOPME: Chief Operation Executive Officer of Pretty Much Everything. That's typical of many solopreneurs.

They may operate in tandem with a co-founder. They ride in the same direction, perhaps spelling each other off, but more likely traveling helmets down, pumping full-speed to reach their goals in half-the time.

Then again, they may direct a larger conglomerate and personally glom-on to a glimmer of an idea for their own demographic. They see that glimmer, sparkle, or glow, and begin to dig out a gold mine for the golden years.

Whether they emerge from mines, pedal cross-country, or whack their way out of jungles, they start a singular journey up the GEROpreneurial mountain.

I feel compelled to ascend an elevation of steeper slopes and yodel until my echo is resounds. (That’s my personal pinnacle. That’s this LinkedIn newsletter article.)

Climbing beyond the timberline, I fashion a frozen, white orb with my mittened hands. (That’s me proposing GEROpreneur be used according to the two related meanings above.)

I stand poised to test the theory of the “snowball effect.” (Sometime after I release this article, I’ll see if this term will grow to become a valid identifier. Will GEROpreneur, as defined by me, gain momentum?)

Avalanche or no, the thought occurred and I’ve permanently recorded it here. Some early adopters may self-identify with this. Diann Floyd Boehm asked for a GEROpreneur mug on my Wednesday (NOON Eastern) LIVEstream. I can envision it. I should commission it!

More familiarity may collect as "GEROpreneur" rolls downward, looming larger, into other conversations. But two results will prove it’s worth: one) that this term draws-in exponential cross-collaborations; two) that this term garners universal respect for "Gp" business owners and their concepts. THAT would be the true measure of success.

This term, as part of a profile, resume, or biography, may open new doors. This term may fortify and validate a section of thought-leadership around the planet.

Feel implored! Send examples of GEROpreneurs, either living or legendary, that come to mind or that cross your path. Share their accomplishment with me.

Now I have to add another category to my resource website. A GEROpreneurial hall of fame. A list like this may encourage seniors with solutions to render inert that deflating identifier “TOO OLD”. They may see others, like themselves, determined to be taken seriously. They could be sparked to start something new, make a difference, and be relevant.

We GEROpreneus are relevant to each other. We share insights that other demographics don’t and see from perspectives other generations can’t.

More years means more readily recognizing patterns in life. Seniors are synthesizers of things previously unconnected because we interconnect diverse pieces of information spanning greater chronological distances. We steadfastly extract wisdom despite the noisy distractions around us.

I need your help to label my "[click here] button" for the new GEROpreneur list. The label should ignite intrigue. I need words that motivate website visitors to rush in. Users could see WHO’S WHO in the list of inventive seniors. Curiosity should drive them to read what has been created. That phrase on the button should compel exploration.

I can only begin to make a list of GEROpreneurial geniuses in this article. This publication, the one you’re reading, will never be finished. There will be no closing thoughts. It's not a failure; it's a quest!

DISCLAIMER: I have not checked your birthdays nor your business start dates. YOU may be in my age category. I’m 62. YOU may not. If you are NOT yet qualifying as a senior, feel elevated! This #AgingEnthusiast Senior just invited you, a Junior, to sit at her lunch table. Celebrate THAT!

We can have a conversation over lunch about how GREAT IT IS to be my age! Additionally, you can BE motivated to keep improving on iterations of your innovation until the day you DO earn your place on the GEROpreneur list.

Hey, reader, have YOU earned a spot here? What is YOUR unique contribution specifically for your peers, for yourself, and for other future senior innovators? What exists today that wouldn’t exist if you hadn’t stepped forward to make a business of it?!

Describe your GEROpreneurial endeavor: an elder fundraiser or honoring ceremony or scientific discovery or financial wizardry or legal form or medical procedure or how-to guide or safety invention or legislative victory or enjoyable technology or hygiene help or soul-filling social media or pre-planning template or…

Vincent Ehrenberg ????????????????????????????????????????Hygiene & safety????????????????? perichair

Denise Medved?????????????????????????????????????????????Mind & body ?????????????????????? agelessgrace

Sree Chintala?????????????????????????????????????????????????Digital disbursement????????????? clocr

Jean Lee, Marianne Sciucco, Vicki Tapia ? ?Dementia book library???????? ? alzauthors

Consuela Marshall?????????????????????????????????????? ?Successful care-giving???????? findafoothold

Cherian Jacobs??????????????????????????????????????????????Assistive technology????????????? clifint??????

Barbara Karnes?????????????????????????????????????????????Hospice publications??????????? bkbooks

Teepa Snow ?Dementia specialist?????????positiveapproachtocare

Dean Lambert????????????????????????????????????????? ? ?Funeral pre-planning??????????lovealwaysproject

Jolene Hill????????????????????????????????????????????????? ?Stories & wishes??????????????????yourlifetalks

Alan S. Gutterman???????????????????????????????????? ?Ageism awareness olderpersonsrightsproject

Christine Mullholland??????????????????????????????? ?Relationship technology???????rememberstuff

Christine A. Smith ??????????????????????????? ?????????Resources & journal??????????agingbetternetwork

Christine Dziedzic???????????????????????????????????? ?Memorial planning????????????????missumuch

Joe Casciani???????????????????????????????????????????? ???Residence strategies????????????livingto100.club

Gail Elliot????????????????????????????????????????????????? ?Life-style & environment??????dementiability

Jennifer Bute???????????????????????????????????????????? ?MD living w/dementia????????gloriousopportunity

Peter Bowes??????????????????????????????????????????????? Longevity stories?????????????????????llamapodcast

Jill Couch ????????????????????????????????????????????????? Occupational therapist???????????betterpeoplecare

Esther Cardenas Pipoly ?????????????????????????? ?Family business death??????????lossoflifeadvocates

Zack Demopolous??????????????????????????????????? ?Advocate & podcaster??????? ???raisingparents

Mary Beth Flynn???????????????????????????????????? ??Activity program???????????????? ????artfullyaging

Nancy May????????????????????????????????????????????? ??Emergency pre-planning???? ??caremanity

Diann Floyd Boehm??????????????????????????????? ??Women’s leadership???????? ????diannfloydboehm

Don Akchin?????????????????????????????????????????????? ?Positve-aging podcaster ??? ????theendgame

Michael Yubloski???????????????????????????????????? ??Teaching tech skills???????????? ???sagesofbg

Fara Gold McLaughlin?????????????????????????????? Aging innovation adjunct???? ???faragold

Jeffrey Szmanda???????????????????????????????? ???? ?Hearing-aid training?????????????? ?eachear

Joe Hausch Engaging edutainment photavia

Ellen Khalifa??????????????????????????????????????????? ?Behavior change/tiny habits??????????wyzage

Gramps Jeffrey???????????????????????????????????????? Author & co-founder????????? ?????babyboomer

Ethelle Lord???????????????????????????????????????????? Care coach ?internationalcaregiversassociation

Steve Moran???????????????????????????????????????? ????Community watchdog??????????seniorlivingforesight

Barbara Brooks??????????????????????????????????????? ?Business coach???????????? ?????????secondactwomen

Paul Long???????????????????????????????????????????????? ?Personal development???? ????newwayfwd

Sara Zeff Geber?????????????????????????????????????? ?Solo-aging retirement plan? ??lifeencore

Ron Kaiser??????????????????????????????????????????????? Rejuvenaging psychologist????thementalhealthgym

Joy Laverde????????????????????????????????????????????? Mature-market ambassador ? ?elderindustry