LESSONS FOR THOSE CONSIDERING A LATE-CAREER SHIFT Dillon’s advice for others considering a major career or life shift post-65 is simple but powerful: “You have skills. You may not think that you do, but you do,” he says. If Dillon’s story proves anything, it’s that the best chapters in life aren’t always the first ones. According to the Kauffman Foundation, the percentage of new entrepreneurs aged 55-64 has skyrocketed over the past two decades, rising from 14.8% in 1996 to 24.5% in 2020. “I think as the population has grown older, there’s a much greater recognition now of the value and knowledge that older people can bring to almost any area of endeavor,” Dillon says. And he’s right—research shows that late-career professionals aren’t just starting businesses, they’re leading the charge.
The world isn’t done with them yet. And more importantly, they’re not done with the world.
He also believes that the world needs experienced professionals now more than ever.
“Look at how broken the world is. The world needs you in it. It needs your skills,” he urges.
SHIFTING PERCEPTIONS OF AGING For years, reinvention after 65 was seen as the exception, not the norm. But Dillon knows better. He’s watched countless professionals write themselves off too soon— thinking their best work was behind them, when in reality, it was still ahead. The hardest part, he says, isn’t finding new opportunities—it’s believing you still have something to offer. “What’s the worst that can happen? Someone says no? Big deal,” he says. “Some things don’t work out, but some things do. If you don’t get in the batter’s box and take a swing, nothing’s going to happen.” OPPORTUNITIES ARE EVERYWHERE—IF YOU SEE THEM Dillon doesn’t believe reinvention is a rare stroke of luck—it’s about paying attention. “Keep your eyes and ears open, because opportunities come along all the
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker