How I became an entrepreneur at 66 | Paul Tasner

How I became an entrepreneur at 66 | Paul Tasner

New Section

The speaker shares their personal journey of being fired from their job and becoming an entrepreneur later in life.

Journey to Entrepreneurship

  • The speaker recalls being fired from their job at the age of 64 .
  • They initially turned to consulting without passion .
  • Inspired by their concern for the environment, they decided to start a business focused on biodegradable packaging .
  • Their goal was to replace toxic plastic packaging with sustainable alternatives .

New Section

The speaker reflects on their transition into entrepreneurship and the challenges they faced.

Challenges and Successes

  • Despite facing typical startup challenges such as manufacturing, outsourcing, and funding, the speaker's business has thrived .
  • They highlight the discouragement of competing with younger entrepreneurs for funding in San Francisco's high-tech industry .
  • However, after five years, their business has achieved significant success with doubled revenues, marquee clients, and multiple awards .

New Section

The speaker emphasizes the importance of recognizing and supporting older entrepreneurs.

Recognizing Older Entrepreneurs

  • The speaker expresses a desire to connect with other first-time entrepreneurs who are seniors .
  • They challenge societal expectations that limit older individuals to activities like golfing or babysitting grandchildren .
  • Highlighting the potential impact of senior entrepreneurs, they mention that by 2050 there will be 84 million seniors in the USA alone .

New Section

The speaker advocates for celebrating and discussing the ventures of older entrepreneurs.

Changing the Narrative

  • The speaker calls for more attention to be given to the ventures of older entrepreneurs, just as younger entrepreneurs are celebrated .
  • They highlight the higher success rate of older entrepreneurs compared to their younger counterparts .
  • The speaker suggests making "70 over 70" as common a phrase as "30 under 30" .

This summary is based on the provided transcript and may not capture all nuances and details from the video.

Channel: TED
Video description

It's never too late to reinvent yourself. Take it from Paul Tasner -- after working continuously for other people for 40 years, he founded his own start-up at age 66, pairing his idea for a business with his experience and passion. And he's not alone. As he shares in this short, funny and inspirational talk, seniors are increasingly indulging their entrepreneurial instincts -- and seeing great success. Check out more TED Talks: http://www.ted.com The TED Talks channel features the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Follow TED on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/TEDTalks Like TED on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TED Subscribe to our channel: https://www.youtube.com/TED