Devoted to small businesses and those who run them

If you take a quick peek at the Know More categories I'm posting this under, it's because this isn't just for those of you who are already writing.  So take note, entrepreneurs with artistic streaks or stories to tell!

Today I read an article in The Writer's October 2006 issue that really gave me a grin.  In their "Breakthrough section, they featured author Jane Needham, who became a freelancer after retirement.  I love this!  Can I say that again?  I LOVE THIS!  It seriously gets my own creative juices flowing (obviously, since I'm giving you a glass of them, so to speak)!

You see, Ms. Needham opens her piece with the following:

"When I was young, I had little to say.  In my middle years, I was too busy...Once I reached retirement, I found I had much to say...And so I began."

Does that sound familiar?  As we work our way through life, building careers and families, earning kudos and scars, and gathering wisdom through book learning and hard knocks, we find ourselves with a lot more to say.  Not only that, but we gain more ground on which to connect with others.  By the time we get to the point where we "have time" to write about our adventures, we have actually had adventures worth sharing.  Being a military brat, I grew up with plenty of adventures, but I also happen to know that most folks haven't had that opportunity.

Entrepreneurial-types who have built a business from the ground up, veterans coming home from war, these people are popping up younger and younger these days.  But those of you who have worked through decades-long careers have plenty to say as well.  It's up to you whether you focus on your business, your family, or a hobby that has interested you and kept you sane through life's journey.  Just don't hesitate, when you do "finally have time", to share your creative projects with others. 

Have you noticed the growing number of books on the shelves over the past year or two from military vets?  Some of them did a stint of a couple of years, but others have retired with honor after decades.  Rather than feeling out of the "family" and letting retirement get the best of them, they are realizing they are still plenty young enough to share what they've learned and earned. 

My grandfather is in his 80s and retired after many years from New York Life Insurance.  He and my Nana have plenty of stories to tell, as you can imagine.  Perhaps your preference would be to help folks like them preserve their own stories, instead of telling your own.  Or maybe after years behind a desk you want to start a business as a yoga instructor, or focus on the beauty of creating blown glass sculpture. 

Just remember: retirement, if you plan properly, isn't an ending; it's a beginning.  See that entrepreneurial streak in your heart for what it is: a tool.  Now, read Jane's article for inspiration and some fantastic tips, then get going!