Upcoming Meeting at Babson College Helps Baby Boomers Learn About Later-Life Entrepreneurship

The Center for Productive Longevity (CPL), which serves as the bridge between people 55 and older and opportunities that enable them to continue in productive activities, has organized a series of meetings titled, “Spotlight on Entrepreneurship Opportunities for Baby Boomers.” The second meeting of the series will be held at Babson College in Wellesley, MA, on Friday, September 14 from 7:45 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. To register and view the agenda, visit http://www.ctrpl.org/september-14-2012. Attendees must be 50 and older.

The meetings are designed to contribute to a national momentum for new-business creation, which will help Baby Boomers remain productively engaged while facilitating national economic growth. AARP and the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship are sponsors of the meeting, along with CPL and a number of other organizations.

Babson College is an excellent venue for this meeting because of its standing as a recognized global leader in entrepreneurship education. Babson has been ranked #1 in entrepreneurship education by U.S. News & World Report for the past 19 years. Boston has also recently received praise as a great place to live for older Americans. A report from the Milken Institute, a nonprofit think tank that analyzed 78 factors deemed to most affect seniors’ quality of life, just named Boston a top city for growing older.

“As the country navigates through troubled economic waters, the need to stimulate new business creation in a time of high unemployment and low economic growth becomes increasingly important,” stated Babson President, Leonard A. Schlesinger.  “For places like Boston, with an established and thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem, the current economic climate creates a hotbed of opportunities for entrepreneurs. The ability of Boston’s entrepreneurs to capitalize on favorable conditions and start new ventures will not only result in more employment and economic growth for Massachusetts, but reduced country-wide unemployment and increased GDP.”

In addition to Mr. Schlesinger, Ralph Sorenson, past president of Babson College and founder of its Center for Entrepreneurship, will be a speaker. Successful entrepreneurs 50+ will also give presentations on what it takes to start a new business and to achieve success. The day will include two rounds of interactive breakout sessions on topics relating to new-business creation and on how to become an entrepreneur, including: risks and rewards of being an entrepreneur, strategies for identifying and selecting potential business opportunities, developing a business plan or business concept statement, and exploring funding support.

The meeting is limited to 125 participants on a first-come basis. The charge of $35 per person covers a spouse, if desired, and a post-meeting workshop on the “how-tos” of creating a new business. Registration must be made by September 1 at http://www.ctrpl.org/september-14-2012/registration.

The first meeting in the Spotlight on Entrepreneurship Opportunities for Baby Boomers series was held March 27 in Kansas City, MO at the Kauffman Foundation, a focal point for entrepreneurship in America, and attracted 95 participants. Written evaluations indicate that it was a successful event: 87 percent of the participants reported that it increased their awareness and understanding of the benefits and opportunities provided by entrepreneurship, and 97 percent stated they were now more likely to create a new business.

After the Babson College meeting on September 14, additional meetings will be held at Northwestern University/Kellogg School of Management in Chicago on October 11, and the University of Denver on November 15.

For more information on CPL and the senior entrepreneurship meetings, visit www.ctrpl.org or Facebook at www.facebook.com/CTRPL.