NEWS FLASH! - 50 is the new 30! 60 is the new 40! Women in business take notice it is never too late to be your own boss and buy or start your own business. The fact is older women have the experience, the drive, and independence and, often the money to open their own shop.

This is what 50 looks like: 

"Kathleen Marie "Kathy" Ireland is an American model, actress, entrepreneur and designer. She rose to fame in the 1980s and 1990s as a swimsuit model who appeared in 13 consecutive Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues. Since 1993, Ireland has served as CEO and Chief Designerbrand product marketing company, "kathy ireland Worldwide" (kiWW), which she has grown into a "$2.0 billion empire". (Wikipedia)

Kathy didn't just start her business, but she, and it have certainly exploded in the past few years proving life, perhaps even gets sweeter at 50. No argument from me on that one!

This is what almost 60 looks like: Oprah Winfrey, an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer, and philanthropist. She has been ranked the richest African-American of the 20th century, the greatest black philanthropist in American history, and was for a time the world's only black billionaire. (Wikipedia)

And, I can promise you no one calls Oprah old or ready for retirement. Think about it. In many ways, Oprah is just starting her career as a business owner now that she has put her on air days behind her.

As someone who has already reached the 60 year mark, I can say categorically that when it comes to being taken seriously in business - well, no one argues with a successful business cougar.

The fact is women have always had a longer lifespan than men so it is no surprise that we are taking advantage of the extra years and starting new businesses in record numbers.

A new report from Blackrock (Women and the Workplace) states, "the dramatic rise of women working later since 1950 is a bigger societal story: the role of women has changed dramatically in the last 60 years. More women joined and stayed in the work force. But because this group tended to join the work force later, it faces a unique challenge: fewer women are covered by traditional defined benefit pensions. They will be more dependent on Social Security, individual savings, and defined contribution plans such as 401(k)s. These trends paint a picture of a new retirement world, where you must plan for your particular life path."

So, what many women are doing for a second or third act is starting a business. Right now, half of my startup business clients are women over 50! Several are over 65! And, although they didn't start their career as a model, actress, or talk show host, they have experience that is valuable to every entrepreneur: the understanding that success only comes after some failure and that it really is the journey that counts not the destination.

If only I could share a few photos of my beautiful women in business, women entrepreneur clients in retail, marketing, communications, social media, construction, healthcare, staffing, consulting, legal, personal services and more....but at last, confidentiality rules.

What I can share is their reasons for wanting to become women entrepreneurs:

(1) "I was tired of working for other people, particularly when I knew in my heart I could do it better. So, I came up with a plan to start a business, wrote a business plan, and slowly transitioned away from full time employment into my own business. Right now I'm not making as much money as I was having worked my way up for 22 years, but I'm right where my business plan says I should be. By this time next year, I'll be bringing home as much money as before and living my life more authentically." Social Media client

(2) "Working for my life rather than for a living, that's what I call it. I now work for myself and have a life." Legal client

(3) "My kids are grown. My husband is traveling less and wanting to spend more time together. I wanted to make a choice about how I could love my work and love my life. I quit my day job and followed my heart into opening my own retail store - doing something I had been doing on the side for a while, but not focusing on developing this hobby into a income generating business. It could be done so I did it." Retail store owner

(4) "When I was little I was told to get a good job so that I would have security. I was told to get a good husband so that I could be taken care of. I was told to speak only when spoken to so I wouldn't say something silly. Well, I grew up and my good job laid me off. My good husband died. And, I stopped keeping my mouth shut when I turned 50! I've learned that the only person who will take care of me is me -- so now I'm living my life large and helping other people (especially women) do the same." Communications client

It truly is never too late to be a woman entrepreneur and follow the advice of the terrific women of 50, 54, 59 and 65 years old who shared their advice with you here.

There has never been a better time to start and grow your own small business. There has never been a better time to be a woman in business. Even the sky has no limits!