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| Opportunities & Exposures: Family Business |
Rise of the Copreneurs
AnNita M. Klimecka
01/01/2006
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Dreams with a Twist
Just a few years ago, middle-aged married couples
like the Olins were planning retirements free of employment. They dreamed of
travel, leisure activities and plenty of time for involvement in their favorite
community service organizations. They worked hard, climbed the corporate ladder
and savored the reports of their retirement accounts.
Then came the
onslaught of the dot-com crash, corporate scandals and skyrocketing real estate
prices. The result is that married couples today often find themselves in search
of second careers that will rebuild their financial independence. And since the
terrorist attacks of 9/11, middle-aged couples are doing things differently.
They are seeking second careers that provide meaning in their lives and make a
difference in the world.
At least that’s what nearly half of The Senior’s
Choice’s members are telling us. The businesses employ large numbers of
caregivers who provide seniors with direct assistance such as companionship,
light housekeeping and meal preparation. The emotional rewards are as compelling
as the financial rewards. Indeed, married couples seemed most attracted to this
aspect of the industry, especially those who have reached an age when they
desire to give something back, and do it together.
The dramatic turns of
fortune the Olins and their peers have experienced is common among The Senior’s
Choice members, leading many couples to seek not only a second wealth-building
career, but also to help others through their work. The Olins may not have as
much free time as they once planned, but they agree they are the richer for it,
and are quickly rebuilding their wealth in spirit, as well as in dollars.
 | AnNita M. Klimecka is director of education for The Senior’s Choice,
based in Capistrano Beach, Calif. |
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