Build Your Own Boat

Janine Vanderburg
  • 4.9 (11)
  • Entrepreneurship

An entrepreneurship podcast for women in midlife and beyond. What if the most powerful thing you could do right now — for your finances, your freedom, and your future — was to stop waiting for someone else to hand you an opportunity and start building your own? Build Your Own Boat is the podcast for women in midlife and beyond who are done playing by rules that were never written with them in mind. Hosted by award-winning 3x entrepreneur Janine Vanderburg, each episode features real conversations with women in midlife and beyond who made the bold decision to bet on themselves — launching businesses and creative ventures, building wealth, and rewriting what entrepreneurship looks like in the second half of life. This isn't a podcast about hustle culture or overnight success stories. It's a roadmap — built from lived experience, hard-won wisdom, and the kind of honest conversation you rarely hear anywhere else. Guests include founders, consultants, creatives, coaches, media makers, and civic leaders who are proving every week that midlife isn't a ceiling. It's a launchpad. Whether you're just beginning to wonder if entrepreneurship is for you, actively building your business, or simply looking for proof that it's not too late — you'll find it here. Every episode, you'll discover: 1. How real women in midlife launched and grew successful ventures — and what they wish they'd known sooner 2. Practical strategies for building financial independence and freedom on your own terms 3. Honest conversations about the challenges of midlife entrepreneurship, and how to navigate them 4. Inspiration that's grounded in reality, not motivational posters The Encore Economy is booming — and women in midlife are driving it. Build Your Own Boat is where their stories live. Subscribe now and join a growing community of women who are building something that's entirely, unapologetically theirs. And do SUBSCRIBE to Build Your Own Boat on Substack as well, to read the full stories of our guests, and their best tips and resources. https://buildyourownboat.substack.com/

  1. 2h ago

    Why It's Not Too Late to Start a Business After 60 — Helen Hirsch Spence on Ageism, Reinvention & Building Top 60 Over 60

    Episode Summary Can you build a thriving new business in your 60s and beyond — after decades inside an institution? In this episode of Build Your Own Boat, Helen Hirsch Spence proves you can. After 35 years as a leader in Canadian education — principal, founding executive of the Ontario Principals' Council, and head of an all-girls school — Helen walked away from institutional authority and, in her 60s, founded Top 60 Over 60, a social enterprise dedicated to dismantling ageism and advancing what she calls longevity literacy. Helen shares the moment atop Mount Kilimanjaro that changed everything, the decade of solo adventures that followed, and the internalized ageism that eventually sparked her life's work. She talks candidly about the hard parts of solo entrepreneurship in later life — self-promotion, learning technology from scratch, pricing, and finding clients in a brand-new market category. She also walks through self-publishing her evidence-based book, Reset: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life, and why she urges women to trade the idea of "retirement" for reinvention. Key Takeaways Internalized ageism is structural, not personal. The loss of confidence many women feel as they age isn't a personal failing — it's the product of a culture, shaped by post-WWII economics and marketing, that has taught us to fear a natural process. Recognizing this is the first step to reclaiming your power.Self-promotion is a learnable skill, even when it feels like bragging. Helen took a year and a half to publish anything in her own voice. Her fix: get help — a friend, a mentor, or someone 20 years younger who can guide you through the digital tools and the mindset shift.Pivoting isn't failure — it's the entrepreneurial default. Helen never stopped pivoting. She argues that rigid five-year plans blind you to the real opportunities that appear along the way. Stay open and iterate, like design thinking.Niche down. Helen's biggest regret was trying to be "all things to all people." Her advice, learned the hard way: narrow your focus, or risk being nobody to everybody.Reframe retirement as reinvention. With five and six generations now alive at once and lifespans stretching toward 100+, the old "learn, earn, retire" framework is obsolete. Purpose, social engagement, and health — not a hard stop at 65 — are what make later years worth living.About Helen Hirsch Spence Helen Hirsch Spence spent 35 years as a leader in Canadian education, serving as a principal, a founding executive of the Ontario Principals' Council, and head of an all-girls school. Fluent in four languages, she spent a decade after leaving education working with international non-profits and traveling solo through countries including Bolivia, Honduras, Chile, Peru, Nepal, and Bhutan — where she wrote a travel guide for the Ministry of Tourism. After recognizing the internalized ageism shaping her own later years, she founded Top 60 Over 60, a social enterprise dedicated to ending ageism and building longevity literacy. She is a TEDx speaker and the co-author, with Deborah Yearwood, of Reset: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life. Based in Ottawa, Helen speaks, consults, and trains organizations and individuals on aging, reinvention, and human potential in later life. Resource Stack Reset: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life — Helen's evidence-based book, co-authored with Deborah Yearwood (available on Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Barnes & Noble, and through local bookstores via Ingram)Top 60 Over 60 — Helen's social enterprise website, including a dedicated resources section for people starting businessesFrequently Asked Questions Is it too late to start a business after 60? No. Helen Hirsch Spence launched Top 60 Over 60 in her 60s after a 35-year career in education, with no prior background in entrepreneurship, marketing, or technology. Her core message is direct: "If I can do it, you can do it." Longer lifespans mean many people will work, learn, and build well into their 70s and 80s. What is internalized ageism? Internalized ageism (also called self-directed ageism) is when a person absorbs and applies negative cultural beliefs about aging to themselves — often experienced as declining self-confidence, self-doubt, and a critical inner voice. Helen emphasizes that ageism is structural and culturally embedded, not a personal shortcoming, which is why it's so hard to recognize in ourselves. What is longevity literacy? Longevity literacy is the understanding that modern lifespans are far longer than previous generations experienced, and that this requires rethinking work, learning, and purpose. Rather than cramming everything into the first 40–50 years and then retiring, longevity literacy encourages spreading learning, careers, caregiving, and reinvention across a much longer life. What is Helen Hirsch Spence's book Reset about? Reset: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life is an evidence-based guide to fulfilling your potential later in life. The first half takes a deep dive into the history and structure of ageism; the second half offers practical strategies for reinvention, purpose, social engagement, and health in your later years. What advice does Helen give women leaving corporate or institutional careers? Go in with an open mind and experiment, like design thinking. Be patient with yourself — everything takes far longer than you expect, and unexpected changes often become your best opportunities. Build a support network of family, friends, or a younger mentor, and niche down rather than trying to serve everyone. Where to Find Helen Hirsch Spence Website: https://topsixtyoversixty.com/LinkedIn: Helen Hirsch SpenceBook: Reset: Making the Most of the Rest of Your Life — Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, Barnes & Noble, and your local bookstoreUpcoming course: https://topsixtyoversixty.com/services/services-businesses-workshops/About Build Your Own Boat Build Your Own Boat is a podcast series hosted by Janine Vanderburg — award-winning three-time entrepreneur and anti-ageism advocate — featuring women who have launched new entrepreneurial ventures in midlife and beyond. The series is part of a larger storytelling project that includes a Substack publication and a forthcoming book, all built around one goal: changing the narrative about who entrepreneurs are and making women in midlife and beyond visible as builders of wealth, freedom, and possibility.

  2. 2d ago

    How Do You Start a Business After 50? Denise Drinkwalter on Building a Coaching Practice, a Podcast, and a Movement in Midlife

    Episode Summary If you have spent decades building a career and now feel pulled toward something new, this episode shows you how to start. Denise Drinkwalter spent 31 years in education — as a teacher, a behavior resource teacher, a principal, and an international leader with the Council for Exceptional Children — before launching a brand-new venture in her 50s. She built a coaching practice, created the Thrive After 45 podcast, and is now producing IGNITE: The Inner Uprising, a live gathering for midlife women in Vancouver. In conversation with host Janine Vanderburg, Denise explains how she separated her identity from her job title, why she trusts a physical "butterfly" signal to guide big decisions, and how she navigated the costly trial-and-error of learning to market and sell as a solo founder. She offers a practical, low-pressure exercise for anyone sitting on an idea, and reframes the fear behind "Am I too old to start something new?" This episode is a real roadmap — drawn from lived experience — for women considering entrepreneurship in midlife and beyond. Key Takeaways You are not your roles. Your job title, your role as a parent, and your accomplishments are things you do — not who you are. Separating identity from role is what makes reinvention possible after a long career.Trust the "butterfly" signal, and let your body veto bad advice. Denise makes decisions when she feels butterflies in her stomach, and she walks away from strategies (like formulaic "hit-the-pain-point, seven-step" marketing) that her body rejects — even when everyone says they work."Too old" is usually fear in disguise. When you peel back "I'm too old to start something," you often find "I've never done this before and don't know where to start." The reframe: you're only too old for the way it's being done now — which opens a bigger door.Older founders start with a real advantage. Decades of experience, hard-earned insight, and an existing network are assets. Research shows older entrepreneurs are roughly twice as likely to succeed as younger ones.Start small and get the idea out of your head. Record or write your idea, step away, come back with a highlighter, and mark only what resonates. Take gradual steps — walk along the edge and get your feet wet rather than jumping into the deep end.What This Episode Covers Denise's 31-year education career and rise to international leadership with the Council for Exceptional ChildrenThe slow, piece-by-piece process of building an identity beyond work and caregiving rolesLearning to run a 10K from scratch as a metaphor for pursuing curiosity later in lifeHow she moved from individual coaching to group coaching to the Thrive After 45 podcastThe honest economics of coaching and podcasting — and why she didn't start either one for the moneyBuilding IGNITE: The Inner Uprising, a live event for midlife women, and the 10% of profits funding the Midlife Sovereignty FundWhat "sovereignty" really means — your own bubble, stripped of the beliefs others reflected onto youAgeism as absorbed "garbage," and how it can quietly shape whether women believe they can build something newA step-by-step first exercise for any woman sitting on an idea she hasn't acted onGuest Bio Denise Drinkwalter, MEd, is a midlife mentor, coach, and speaker based in Tavistock, Ontario, Canada, and the CEO of Sovereignty Enterprises. She spent 31 years in education as a classroom teacher, behavior resource teacher, and principal, and held provincial and international leadership roles with the Council for Exceptional Children. After three decades of serving children and other people's missions, she launched her own venture in her 50s. Today she hosts the Thrive After 45 podcast — guiding women to reclaim their identity, purpose, and self-trust — and is the founder and steward of IGNITE: The Inner Uprising, a live gathering for midlife women. She is known for her signature phrase: "Do something for you, by you, because of you." Frequently Asked Questions Is it too late to start a business after 50? No. Denise Drinkwalter launched a coaching practice, a podcast, and a live event in her 50s after a 31-year career. She argues you're only "too old" for the old way of doing things — and that decades of experience, insight, and network make midlife one of the best times to build something new. What is the "butterfly" method Denise uses to make decisions? Denise pays attention to a physical signal — butterflies in her stomach or a stirring in her solar plexus — when an opportunity appears. She treats that sensation as a cue that something matters and is worth pursuing, and she trusts her body to reject advice or strategies that don't fit her. Can you actually make money from podcasting and coaching? Denise is candid that she did not start either to make money, and she cautions against the common promise that "you can make money just by doing a podcast." Income is nice but was never her goal; she has other income and pursues this work from the heart. Her advice: be wary of "shiny object" claims and verify the evidence for yourself. What does "sovereignty" mean in Denise's work? Sovereignty is not about control or having things your way. It's the opposite — it's your own bubble, where you stop living through the lens of what others have thought and believed about you. It's stripping back the "garbage" you've absorbed to understand who you truly are, beyond roles, identities, and past experiences. What is IGNITE: The Inner Uprising? IGNITE: The Inner Uprising is a live, in-person gathering Denise will be hosting in Spring, 2027. It's designed as a movement — not a networking event or a "sit and get" — where midlife women pause, tune inward, and reconnect with who they are. Ten percent of profits go to the Midlife Sovereignty Fund, which builds resources and support for women in their midlife years. How do you take the first step on a business idea in midlife? Get the idea out of your head — record it, write it, or type it — then step away and notice how you feel once it's no longer swirling in your mind. Come back later with fresh eyes, highlight only the parts that resonate, and take gradual steps. You can even test it with AI for playful ideas, or talk it through with someone who listens without judgment. Resource Stack Thrive After 45 podcast (Spotify) — https://open.spotify.com/show/7KdnF8p88uFmmRnMQoR3wgThrive After 45 podcast (Apple Podcasts) — https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/thrive-after-45-l-midlife-identity-purpose/id1803452335Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) — https://exceptionalchildren.orgIGNITE: The Inner Uprising — live event, Spring, 2027 — details and waitlist on Denise's websiteMidlife Sovereignty Fund — receives 10% of IGNITE profits (details via Denise's website)Where to Find Denise Drinkwalter Website: https://www.den...

  3. Sep 10

    Starting a Life Coaching Business at 53: Karrie Mitten on Pricing, Reinvention & the Becoming Method

    Episode Summary If you have ever wondered whether it is too late to leave corporate America and build a coaching business from scratch, this conversation answers that directly: it is not. Karrie Mitten spent 25 years in corporate sales and marketing feeling unfulfilled before launching Uplevel Your Life Consulting at age 53 — and turned it into a thriving, 90%-referral practice with clients split evenly between her small hometown and international markets. In this episode, Karrie explains how a single lawsuit became the breaking point that pushed her out of corporate life, how she built financial runway with an "out clause" before investing in her certifications, and why she undercharged for her first five years until one client showed her the true value of her work. She also breaks down the Becoming Method — her own three-pillar framework built on clarity, confidence, and connection — and shares practical guidance on pricing transformation-based coaching, finding your first clients, and refusing to let age or a small-town location become a barrier. Key Takeaways You can build a financial runway before you leap. Karrie negotiated an "out clause" when she and her husband bought a staffing agency, guaranteeing a refund of their investment if it did not work out. That parachute gave her the confidence to eventually resign and self-fund her coaching certifications.Undercharging is the most common mistake, and the fix is often just raising the number. Karrie underpriced her services for her first five years. The turning point came when a client accepted her price without blinking — proving the client saw more value than Karrie did. She doubled her price for the next prospect and never looked back.Price on the value of transformation, not on your hourly time. For results that clients say are life-changing, Karrie recommends estimating the value of the outcome, choosing a number intuitively, then adding a few thousand dollars on top to account for your investment, commitment, and unique delivery.A small town is not a limitation. Karrie overcame the "no one here will listen to me" mindset and now runs a client base that is roughly 50% local and 50% international — proof that virtual delivery and local workshops can coexist and reinforce each other.Developing your own framework changes how clients see you — and how you see yourself. Moving from licensed programs to her proprietary Becoming Method let Karrie coach in her own words and process, deepening both her authenticity and her clients' results.About Karrie Mitten Karrie Mitten is a certified transformational life coach, NLP practitioner, author, podcaster, and speaker who launched Uplevel Your Life Consulting at age 53 after 25 years in corporate sales and marketing. She is certified through the Brave Thinking Institute and holds additional training in NLP, mental and emotional release therapy, and hypnotherapy. Karrie is the creator of the Becoming Method, a three-pillar coaching framework built on clarity, confidence, and connection, and she leads luxury transformational retreats for her clients. Her practice is roughly 90% referral-based, with clients spanning her local community and international audiences. The Becoming Method: A Quick Overview Karrie's proprietary framework rests on three pillars: Clarity — Getting crystal clear on who you are, who you are becoming, and what your vision looks like.Confidence — Grounding in your purpose and why you are here (Karrie calls your birth date and time a "sacred invitation").Connection — Connection to others, to source, and to action — turning insight into designed, intentional living.Frequently Asked Questions Is 50 too old to start a coaching or consulting business? No. Karrie launched her coaching practice at 53 after a full corporate career, and she frames the concern as a mindset barrier rather than a real one. Her guidance: your body may be a certain age, but your spirit has no age. Experience gained over decades becomes an advantage, not a liability. How should new coaches price their services? Start from the value of the results you deliver, not an hourly rate. Karrie suggests estimating where the outcome's value lands, picking a number intuitively (you can research typical ranges), and then adding a few thousand dollars to account for your investment and unique delivery. Most new coaches undercharge, so err on the higher side. How do you get your first coaching clients? Karrie's first client was her best friend, whom she coached for free as practice — and who became her single best referral source. She recommends running local workshops and virtual events, and notes that her business is now about 90% referral-based, driven by clients who share their results. Can you build a successful coaching business in a small town? Yes. Karrie initially believed no one in her small town would take her seriously, but she let that mindset go, combined in-person and virtual events, and now serves a client base that is about 50% local and 50% international. What is the difference between using a licensed program and creating your own method? Licensed programs give you proven structure, but the words and process belong to someone else. Creating her own Becoming Method let Karrie coach authentically in her own voice, which she found made the work even more transformative for clients and strengthened her brand. Resource Stack Uplevel Your Life Consulting — Karrie Mitten's coaching practice, retreats, and the Becoming Method.Brave Thinking Institute — The organization where Karrie earned her transformational coaching certification, founded by Mary Morrissey. Where to Find Karrie Mitten Website:uplevelyourlifeconsulting.comSocial media: Karrie is active on all major social platforms — search "Karrie Mitten" or "Uplevel Your Life Consulting."Upcoming: In-person Costa Rica retreat launching in July for the following year About Build Your Own Boat Build Your Own Boat is a podcast series hosted by Janine Vanderburg — award-winning three-time entrepreneur and anti-ageism advocate — featuring women who have launched new entrepreneurial ventures in midlife and beyond. The series is part of a larger storytelling project that includes a Substack publication and a forthcoming book, all built around one goal: changing the narrative about who entrepreneurs are and making women in midlife and beyond visible as builders of wealth, freedom, and possibility.

  4. Sep 8

    How to Start a Business After 60: Diana Dunbar Place on Building Third Act Quest

    Episode Summary Can you start a thriving business at 60 — after a cancer diagnosis, an empty nest, and the collapse of your last venture? Diana Dunbar Place did exactly that. In this episode of Build Your Own Boat, Diana explains how she left a senior VP career in international advertising to found Third Act Quest and the 333 Collective, a membership community helping women over 50 stop shrinking and start building their most exciting chapters. Diana walks through the practical mechanics most inspirational stories skip: how she chose a recurring-revenue membership model over one-on-one coaching, why she built her community on Mighty Networks instead of Facebook groups, how live and virtual storytelling became the heart of her business, and how she rebuilt after losing most of her nest egg. She also reframes setbacks as clarity, shares her "what's mine to do" test for deciding where to spend energy, and makes the case that you don't need a full business plan — just the courage to take the next step. Key Takeaways You don't need a full business plan to begin — you need courage for the next step. Diana argues that an over-detailed plan collapses the moment you meet a real customer; take one action, learn, and let the next step reveal itself.Recurring revenue beats constant selling. Diana's core income comes from the 333 Collective membership on Mighty Networks, a subscription model that funds new courses and workshops without having to re-promote from scratch each time.Reframe disruption as clarity, not catastrophe. Facing four simultaneous "lightning strikes" (cancer, business closure, turning 60, empty nest), Diana shifted from asking "What should I do?" to "What's mine to do?" — and used that filter to build something aligned with her gifts.Story changes minds in ways information cannot. In-person and Zoom storytelling events (like her live "Aha Stories") create a ripple effect and emotional connection that data and networking never achieve.Your "unfair advantage" is often decades of lived experience. Diana's edge isn't a marketing tactic — it's 40 years of helping people and organizations navigate change, which lets her spot patterns, possibility, and help others "flip the belief" from negative to positive.Guest Bio Diana Dunbar Place spent decades in international advertising, rising to senior vice president at AOL Time Warner. At 60 — in the midst of a cancer diagnosis, closing a previous business, an emptying nest, and a major financial loss — she chose to build something entirely new. She is the founder of Third Act Quest and its membership community, the 333 Collective, which help women over 50 rewrite their story of aging and step fully into their most creative, purposeful chapters. Through retreats, workshops, live "Aha Stories" storytelling events, and an emerging Substack publication, Diana has become a leading voice in the movement to change how we experience the third act of life. Resource Stack Third Act Quest — Diana's home base, with details on the 333 Collective and a two-month free trial.Mighty Networks — the community platform powering the 333 Collective.Substack — where Diana publishes "My Aha Moments" and is expanding her story-gathering.The Moth — the live storytelling movement Diana nods to when discussing narrative events.Pay It Forward (film) — Diana's touchstone for the "ripple effect" of shared stories.Frequently Asked Questions Can you really start a successful business after 60? Yes. Diana Dunbar Place founded Third Act Quest at 60, after a senior corporate career, a cancer diagnosis, and the closure of a previous business. Her experience shows that decades of lived expertise can become the foundation of a new venture rather than a reason to retire. Do you need a business plan to start a business in midlife? Not a full one. Diana advises against an exhaustive business plan because the first real customer or first action almost always reveals what needs to change. Instead, take one step, learn from it, and let the next step emerge — you don't need the whole map. What is the 333 Collective? The 333 Collective is Diana Dunbar Place's private membership community for women over 50, built on Mighty Networks. Unlike a traditional network, it's a "collective" where every member can host sessions and share their own work — a supportive harbor for connection, courage, and refueling. It offers a two-month free trial. How does Third Act Quest make money? Diana's core revenue comes from the recurring subscription income of the 333 Collective membership, supplemented by retreats, workshops, and events. She stopped offering one-on-one coaching to focus on inspiring as many women as possible at scale. What is the best business model for a solo entrepreneur in midlife? Diana recommends a recurring-revenue membership model where possible, because it creates a stable income stream and reduces the pressure to constantly promote and sell. It lets you build community and layer in courses, workshops, and events over time. Where to Find Diana Dunbar Place Website:thirdactquest.com333 Collective: join via the navigation menu at thirdactquest.com (two-month free trial)YouTube: the Third Act Quest channel, home to her "Aha Stories" video series (each under 10 minutes)Substack: "My Aha Moments," her personal publication for third-act stories and inspirationAbout Build Your Own Boat Build Your Own Boat is a podcast series hosted by Janine Vanderburg — award-winning three-time entrepreneur and anti-ageism advocate — featuring women who have launched new entrepreneurial ventures in midlife and beyond. The series is part of a larger storytelling project that includes a Substack publication and a forthcoming book, all built around one goal: changing the narrative about who entrepreneurs are and making women in midlife and beyond visible as builders of wealth, freedom, and possibility.

  5. Sep 3

    How to Start a Nonprofit Consulting Business After 50: Ashley Kasprzak on Building Partners for Purpose

    Episode Summary Wondering whether decades of nonprofit experience can become a business you own? This episode answers that directly. After 25-plus years leading healthcare philanthropy, arts, and community development organizations, Ashley Kasprzak launched her own nonprofit fundraising consulting practice, AK Consulting / Partners for Purpose, in late 2023 — and this conversation walks through exactly how she did it. Host Janine Vanderburg and Ashley cover the practical mechanics most people skip: finding a first client through old professional relationships, setting up an S-Corp and payroll through QuickBooks, projecting cash flow, handling late-paying clients, and getting free bookkeeping through a Small Business Development Center partnership. They also talk honestly about self-doubt, the temptation to go back to a "real job," running a solo business through a health crisis with no paid leave, and why AI cannot replace an expert who knows what documents a nonprofit is missing. Ashley also shares Purpose Framework, the SaaS product she is building with her son to help nonprofits store policies and follow best practices. Key Takeaways Your first client often comes from your existing network, not marketing. Ashley announced her new practice on Facebook and a former client from 15 years earlier reached out to become her first customer — a reminder that relationships built over a career are a founder's most reliable pipeline.Set up the "boring" financial infrastructure early. Ashley recommends forming an S-Corp, putting yourself on payroll through QuickBooks, projecting cash flow weekly, and budgeting for estimated taxes so a year-end tax bill never catches you off guard.AI cannot replace expert judgment in nonprofit fundraising. Ask AI to build a fund development handbook and it may return 3 of the 20 policies a nonprofit actually needs (gift acceptance, in-kind donation, term limits, and more). Expertise is knowing what is missing — "you don't know what you don't know."Self-doubt is recurring, not a one-time hurdle. Even 2.5 years in, life events — an injury, surgery, a family death, no PTO — brought the "maybe get a job" voices back. The fix is time, support people, and evidence of client wins, not pretending doubt disappears.Strong policies protect organizations and create real business value. Ashley's Purpose Framework SaaS lets nonprofits store policy documents, track version history, and support succession planning — turning "boring" governance into a safeguard against risks like founder embezzlement.About the Guest: Ashley Kasprzak Ashley Kasprzak is a nonprofit leader, fundraiser, Certified Grant Professional (GPC), trainer, and facilitator with more than 25 years of experience across healthcare philanthropy, the arts, and community development. She created the Longs Peak Hospital Foundation at UCHealth from the ground up and has helped raise more than $30 million for nonprofit organizations over her career. In late 2023 she founded AK Consulting, LLC (doing business as Partners for Purpose), where she supports a wide client base — mental health, Meals on Wheels, paleontology, pollinator conservation, family resource centers, and more — with resource development, board governance, strategic planning, grant writing, and capital campaigns. She also teaches at the college level and is building Purpose Framework, a nonprofit policy SaaS platform, with her son Brody. Ashley holds a background in art history, which shapes her distinctive approach to the field. Frequently Asked Questions How do you get your first client when starting a consulting business? Often through your existing network rather than cold marketing. Ashley announced her new practice on social media, and a client she had worked with 15 years earlier reached out to hire her first. Long-standing professional relationships tend to become a founder's most dependable source of early work. Can AI replace a nonprofit fundraising consultant? No. AI can draft a few standard policies but typically returns only a fraction of what a nonprofit actually needs — and it doesn't know what it's missing. An experienced consultant knows the full set of governance, fundraising, and risk-management policies required and can guide the board discussion that must accompany them. What legal and financial setup do you need for a solo consulting practice? Ashley recommends establishing an S-Corp, putting yourself on payroll (she uses QuickBooks), planning ahead for estimated taxes, and reviewing your balance sheet and cash flow projections regularly — at least weekly — so tax bills and slow periods don't surprise you. How do you handle self-doubt as an entrepreneur in midlife? Treat it as recurring rather than a single obstacle. Ashley leans on supportive people (her sister, her husband), inspiring reading and music, and concrete evidence of client wins to work through low periods, especially when they coincide with personal hardship. Where can you get affordable help with bookkeeping when starting out? Look to your local Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Through the SBDC, Ashley connected with a community college accounting class that maintains her books for free while students gain real practice — a resource many new founders overlook. Is the nonprofit sector in danger right now? Ashley wouldn't call it "in jeopardy," but says traditional funding models are being questioned as foundations face far more proposals than they can review. She encourages relationship mapping with funders and building earned-income streams through social enterprise for more unrestricted, controllable revenue. Resource Stack Partners for Purpose / AK Consulting — Ashley's nonprofit consulting practiceAbout Ashley Kasprzak — full professional backgroundGrant Professionals Certification Institute (GPC) — the credential Ashley holdsColorado SBDC serving Larimer County — free business advising and student-run bookkeepingQuickBooks Online — invoicing, payroll, and financial tracking tool referencedDare to Lead by Brené Brown — author Ashley cites for building confidence  Where to Find Ashley Kasprzak Website: partnerforpurpose.comLinkedIn: Ashley KasprzakBusiness: AK Consulting, LLC (Partners for Purpose)Contact: via the contact form at partnerforpurpose.comAbout Build Your Own Boat Build Your Own Boat is a podcast series hosted by Janine Vanderburg — award-winning three-time entrepreneur and anti-ageism advocate — featuring women who have launched new entrepreneurial ventures in midlife and beyond. The series is part of a larger storytelling project that includes a Substack publication and a forthcoming book, all built around one goal: changing the narrat...

  6. Sep 1

    Margit Novack on Spotting a Demographic Trend, Scaling a First-of-Its-Kind Business, and Letting Go

    Episode Summary Margit Novack left a 20-year career in healthcare and hospital administration and, when most people look for the next job doing what they already know, she did something completely different. She started a business helping older adults downsize and relocate — a service so new in 1996 that business advisors told her not to bother printing business cards because no one would pay for it. They were wrong. This episode is a practical roadmap for anyone considering entrepreneurship in midlife. Margit explains how she spotted a demographic trend and "skated to where the puck was going," why she built her business around benefits instead of features, how she discovered her real customers were senior living communities and realtors (B2B) rather than the older adults she was helping, and how she scaled by training teams who trained the next generation of leaders. She also founded the professional association that gave the senior move management industry its standards and certifications. Finally, she opens up about something rarely discussed on entrepreneurial podcasts: what it actually feels like to sell the business you built with your whole heart. Key Takeaways Skate to where the puck is going. Margit chose to serve older adults because demographic trends supported it — not because of a pre-existing passion. Building on top of a real, growing trend means you are not "rowing upriver."The people who need your service and the people who can afford it are not always the same. Margit's insight was to sell to senior living communities and realtors (B2B) who could reliably reach and afford customers, rather than trying to market directly to the general public.Sell benefits, not features. Margit stopped describing what she did (packing, sorting, unpacking) and started describing outcomes for each audience: "I'll help you draw traffic, maintain engagement, close sales, and get people in the door faster."Take the training wheels off. Scaling required empowering employees before they felt ready, letting them risk mistakes, and building a culture where team leaders identified and groomed the next team leaders — top to bottom.Plan B and Plan C are often the best plans, because they're the ones that actually happen. Whether reframing a client's problem or abandoning a service idea that didn't pan out, Margit treated flexibility and honest pivoting as core entrepreneurial skills.About the Guest: Margit Novack Margit Novack (her first name rhymes with target) is widely recognized as the founder of the senior move management industry. After two decades in healthcare and hospital administration — including managing the Scheie Eye Institute and the Department of Surgery at the University of Pennsylvania — she launched Moving Solutions in 1996 to help older adults downsize and relocate with dignity, care, and thoughtful logistics. In 1999, Moving Solutions was named Business of the Year by the American Society on Aging, drawing national coverage in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Time. In 2002, Margit convened companies from across the country to found the National Association of Senior Move Managers (now the National Association of Senior & Specialty Move Managers, NASMM), serving as its founding president for six years and creating many of its training and certification programs. She sold Moving Solutions in 2018.  During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic she wrote Squint: Re-visioning the Second Half of Life, a collection of stories and essays drawn from her career and personal life. Today she writes, speaks, and mentors entrepreneurs. Frequently Asked Questions What is senior move management? Senior move management is a service that helps older adults and their families through the entire downsizing and relocation process — sorting belongings, deciding what fits, packing with careful labeling, hiring and coordinating movers, and unpacking so the person can settle in the same day. It focuses on emotional support and creating a livable new home, not just moving boxes. What was Margit’s role in building the senior move management industry? Margit Novack founded Moving Solutions in 1996 in suburban Philadelphia, making her the recognized pioneer of the senior move management industry. Only a handful of similar businesses existed anywhere in the country at the time. How do you start a business in midlife? Margit's advice: look at demographic trends and pick a market that is growing; figure out who needs your service and who can afford it (they may differ); sell the benefits you deliver rather than your features; find B2B and co-marketing partners who already reach your ideal customer; and be willing to pivot when an idea doesn't work. Why did Margit Novack tell entrepreneurs to read Michael Gerber's The E-Myth? Because being passionate about a task is different from running a business built around it. If the business grows, you will spend your time managing rather than doing the work you love — and you need to be comfortable with that shift before you scale. What is Margit Novack's book Squint about? Squint is a collection of stories and essays reflecting on the second half of life. Many are personal, but each connects to a larger, shared human experience — including lessons Margit learned from her clients, such as the value of Plan B and Plan C. Resource Stack National Association of Senior & Specialty Move Managers (NASMM)The E-Myth by Michael Gerber —the book Margit recommends for anyone starting a business.Squint: Re-visioning the Second Half of Life by Margit Novack Small Business Development Center (SBDC) — the mentoring and business-plan resources Margit used when starting out.Where to Find Margit Novack Website: margitnovack.comEmail: margitnovack@gmail.comBook: SquintAbout Build Your Own Boat Build Your Own Boat is a podcast series hosted by Janine Vanderburg — award-winning three-time entrepreneur and anti-ageism advocate — featuring women who have launched new entrepreneurial ventures in midlife and beyond. The series is part of a larger storytelling project that includes a Substack publication and a forthcoming book, all built around one goal: changing the narrative about who entrepreneurs are and making women in midlife and beyond visible as builders of wealth, freedom, and possibility.

  7. Aug 27

    Why Female Founders Are a Better Investment — Rebecca Reynolds Moore on Building a Portfolio Career After 50

    Episode Summary Many women reach midlife with deep professional experience but freeze when it comes to pricing their work, asking for investment, or managing their own money. This episode solves that problem by showing exactly how one woman turned a lifetime of pivots into a thriving "fleet" of income streams — and what she teaches other women to do the same. Rebecca Reynolds Moore left the museum world, earned an MBA, built and sold-then-wound-down a dot-com startup (museumshop.com), took a ten-year pause to raise her daughters, and founded In a Nutshell Consulting at age 52. Today she coaches early-stage founders, invests as an angel through Boston's TBD Angels, and serves as a limited partner in venture funds. In this conversation with host Janine Vanderburg, Rebecca explains why female founders deliver stronger, more capital-efficient returns, why refusing pro bono work is a business necessity, how to price your services without shame, and the concrete first step any woman can take to build financial agency — no matter how late she thinks she's starting. Key Takeaways Female founders are a better investment because they generate stronger returns and greater capital efficiency. Studies (including Boston Consulting Group research) show women-led companies are often more profitable per dollar invested, largely because women tend to make conservative projections and run leaner operations.Stop doing pro bono work — paying clients have skin in the game. When founders invest their own money in coaching, they signal they are serious, coachable, and committed. Free work devalues hard-won experience and attracts clients who won't follow through.Price from confidence, not desperation. Whether you're selling a service or raising capital, the outcome depends on genuine excitement about your offer and finding the right-fit client or investor — not asking from a place of need.Build a "fleet," not a single boat. A portfolio career (coaching + angel investing + LP roles) lets you diversify income, spread risk, and stay intellectually engaged. In investing specifically, a portfolio of companies is far safer than betting on one.Take the shame out of learning about money, then start. Financial literacy wasn't built for or taught to many women, especially those now in their 60s. The first step is understanding your net worth and cash flow, then surrounding yourself with encouraging people and low-cost learning communities.About Rebecca Reynolds Moore Rebecca Reynolds Moore is the founder of In a Nutshell Consulting, an angel investor, and a limited partner in venture funds. She began her career in the museum world — earning a degree in art history and landing a dream role at the Smithsonian's Museum of American Art — before pursuing an MBA to gain a seat at the table where decisions and funding were made. In the late 1990s she founded museumshop.com, growing it from an idea to 30 employees, 4,000 products, and 70 museum partners worldwide, including the Met, the Prado, and the Louvre, and raising roughly $10 million in the process. After the business wound down in the wake of 9/11, she spent a decade raising her three daughters before re-entering the startup world and launching her own consulting practice at age 52. Today she advises mostly early-stage, mid-career founders — helping them get investor-ready or bootstrap to profitability — and invests alongside fellow founders through Boston's TBD Angels. Resource Stack In a Nutshell Consulting — Rebecca's coaching and advisory firm: inanutshellconsulting.comTBD Angels — the Boston-based angel investment group Rebecca invests through: tbdangels.comThe Soul of Money by Lynne Twist — the book Rebecca references on abundance and circulating (vs. hoarding) wealth.Boston Consulting Group — "Why Women-Owned Startups Are a Better Bet" — research on the profitability and capital efficiency of female founders: bcg.comFrequently Asked Questions Are women-founded startups a good investment? Yes. Research, including studies from Boston Consulting Group, shows women-founded companies tend to be more profitable and more capital-efficient than male-founded ones, often delivering higher returns per dollar invested. Women still receive far less funding, largely due to bias in a venture industry historically run by men who tend to fund people who look like them. Should a new coach or consultant do free work to build a track record? No. Refusing pro bono work is a deliberate business strategy. Paying clients have "skin in the game," which means they believe in what they're building, take the engagement seriously, and are more coachable. Free work undervalues your experience and often attracts clients who won't follow your advice. How do you price your services with confidence? Define a clear offer, know it works for the right clients, and present your rate without apology. If a prospect isn't a fit, move on. Rebecca hired her own coaches to get comfortable naming her numbers and uses short discovery calls to gauge fit before committing. Is it too late to start a business in midlife? No. Rebecca founded her current company at 52 after a decade away from startups. Reinvention is possible at any stage — the keys are surrounding yourself with supportive people, finding a good coach, and being willing to test the waters and learn as you go. What is the first step to building financial agency as a woman? Take the shame out of not knowing — it isn't your fault, since financial education historically wasn't built for women. Then get your personal finances in order: understand your net worth, track where your money flows, make sure it's earning rather than sitting idle, and join a free or low-cost group to keep learning. What is a portfolio career or "fleet"? It's building multiple complementary income streams rather than one job or one business. Rebecca combines founder coaching, angel investing, and limited-partner roles in venture funds — diversifying her income, managing risk, and keeping her work varied and engaging. Where to Find Rebecca Reynolds Moore Website: inanutshellconsulting.comLinkedIn: Rebecca Reynolds MooreInstagram: @inanutshellceoAbout Build Your Own Boat Build Your Own Boat is a podcast series hosted by Janine Vanderburg — award-winning three-time entrepreneur and anti-ageism advocate — featuring women who have launched new entrepreneurial ventures in midlife and beyond. The series is part of a larger storytelling project that includes a Substack publication and a forthcoming book, all built around one goal: changing the narrative about who entrepreneurs are and making women in midlife and beyond visible as bu...

  8. Aug 25

    Why—and How—a Geoscientist Left Big Energy for Aging, featuring Karen Brown

    Episode Summary Karen Brown spent years at the top of the oil and gas industry — the first female geoscientist at Boone Pickens' Mesa Petroleum, then CEO of a major nonprofit. So why did she walk away from the money, the titles, and the respect to build a career in aging and age tech? This episode answers that question directly: after nearly a decade caregiving for her parents and in-laws, Karen saw a market that had almost no money, few skilled people, and enormous unmet need — and she decided that was exactly where she belonged. Host Janine Vanderburg talks with Karen about the moment the pivot became clear, the internal script that told her she was "too old" at 58, how she rewrote it, and what more than a decade of angel investing in nearly four dozen age-tech startups taught her. They also dig into why investors underfund women founders, how to market to older adults without pity, and how Karen now helps employers retain and hire experienced talent over 50. It's a roadmap for any woman weighing a midlife leap into work that matters more than it pays — at first. Key Takeaways A career pivot can be a leap of clarity, not just a leap of faith. Karen didn't jump blindly; she volunteered first to test whether the aging space fit her goals before committing, then built her venture one deliberate step at a time.The "I'm too old at 58" belief is an outdated script, not a fact. Based on 1935 Social Security-era life expectancy, that script ignores that today's women often have two to four more decades of life — and multiple next chapters — ahead of them.Age tech grows on a marathon timeline, not overnight. After 13+ years and close to four dozen investments (with four exits), Karen's takeaway is that startups need years to find the right ecosystem, product, and go-to-market approach.Women founders face a documented credibility gap in the investment room. Karen witnessed capable women dismissed on sight; she found female founders in caregiving startups often brought higher EQ and stronger whole-family solutions, yet still struggled to get funded.Employers keep older workers for concrete business reasons, not charity. Organizations retain experienced talent because of tight labor pools, deep institutional knowledge, and traits like patience and thorough problem-solving — especially in manufacturing, financial planning, insurance, and nursing triage.About the Guest: Karen Brown Karen Brown began her career as a geoscientist with a finance mind, serving as the first female geoscientist at Boone Pickens' Mesa Petroleum before leading Energy Outreach Colorado as CEO. After nearly a decade as a family caregiver, she left the energy world at 58 to devote herself to the aging space — "for far less money and far less respect," as she puts it. Today she runs iAging and works with employers across the country to rethink how they hire, retain, and support workers over 50, including through age-friendly workplace initiatives. She is also an active angel investor who has backed close to four dozen age-tech startups over more than a decade. Karen is a leading voice in reframing aging around agency, independence, and possibility rather than pity. Resource Stack iAging — Karen Brown's consultancy helping employers hire and retain experienced talent over 50 (reach Karen via LinkedIn; new website launching September 15).Modern Elder Academy (Chip Conley) — Source of the "scripts" framing Karen uses to describe outdated beliefs about aging.Nymbl — Balance-focused age-tech solution Karen references as an example of a single-solution product (verify current product/site).Boone Pickens / Mesa Petroleum — Background on the energy company and founder where Karen began her career.Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) — overview — Explanation of the employee support groups Karen helps employers build around caregiving and aging.Frequently Asked Questions Am I too old at 50 or beyond to start a new business or career? No. Karen Brown made her leap from energy into aging at 58 and calls the "I'm too old" belief an outdated script rooted in 1935-era life expectancy. Statistically, the average woman today has two to four more decades ahead — meaning several potential next chapters. Her advice: take one step toward the next one, and you can always adjust course after a year or two. How do you make a major career pivot without financial disaster? Karen reduced her risk by experimenting before committing — volunteering with aging organizations to confirm the fit — and by leaning on a period of added household flexibility while she built her new venture. She frames a pivot as a series of small, deliberate steps rather than one dramatic leap, giving yourself a runway of a couple of years to test and adjust. Why do investors fund fewer women founders? Karen attributes it to ingrained "scripts" and bias. She personally witnessed a capable mid-career woman written off in the pitch room before she'd finished presenting — a perception of "less credibility" she says you could feel in the room. In her experience, women founders in caregiving startups often brought higher emotional intelligence and more complete, family-centered solutions, yet still faced a steep funding gap. What makes an age-tech startup worth investing in? Karen gravitates to companies solving real problems she or her family have faced, led by founders (often women) with high EQ who involve the whole family. She warns that single-solution products — like balance-only tools — hit a ceiling, because older adults in more advanced care stages need an interconnected ecosystem of solutions rather than one-off apps. Which industries are most open to hiring workers over 50? In Karen's work, manufacturing, financial planning, insurance, and nursing triage tend to value experienced talent most. These fields often struggle to attract younger workers and specifically prize the patience, thoroughness, and institutional knowledge that older employees bring to complex, information-gathering work. Do I need a website before launching my business? No. Karen was still building her first website more than a decade into her aging work. Janine notes she interviewed another guest who ran a successful communications business for two years before building a site. A website is not a prerequisite for starting a venture. Where to Find Karen Brown LinkedIn: Karen Brown — Karen's primary contact channel; her email is listed on her profile.Website: Launching around September 15 (link to be added once live).Connect through Janine: Janine is happy to introduce listeners to Karen directly.About Build Your Own Boat Build Your Own Boat is a podcast series hosted by Janine Vanderburg — award-winning three-time entrepreneur and anti-ageism advocate — featuring women who have launched new entrepreneurial ventures in midlife and beyond. The series is part of a larger storytelling project that ...

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About

An entrepreneurship podcast for women in midlife and beyond. What if the most powerful thing you could do right now — for your finances, your freedom, and your future — was to stop waiting for someone else to hand you an opportunity and start building your own? Build Your Own Boat is the podcast for women in midlife and beyond who are done playing by rules that were never written with them in mind. Hosted by award-winning 3x entrepreneur Janine Vanderburg, each episode features real conversations with women in midlife and beyond who made the bold decision to bet on themselves — launching businesses and creative ventures, building wealth, and rewriting what entrepreneurship looks like in the second half of life. This isn't a podcast about hustle culture or overnight success stories. It's a roadmap — built from lived experience, hard-won wisdom, and the kind of honest conversation you rarely hear anywhere else. Guests include founders, consultants, creatives, coaches, media makers, and civic leaders who are proving every week that midlife isn't a ceiling. It's a launchpad. Whether you're just beginning to wonder if entrepreneurship is for you, actively building your business, or simply looking for proof that it's not too late — you'll find it here. Every episode, you'll discover: 1. How real women in midlife launched and grew successful ventures — and what they wish they'd known sooner 2. Practical strategies for building financial independence and freedom on your own terms 3. Honest conversations about the challenges of midlife entrepreneurship, and how to navigate them 4. Inspiration that's grounded in reality, not motivational posters The Encore Economy is booming — and women in midlife are driving it. Build Your Own Boat is where their stories live. Subscribe now and join a growing community of women who are building something that's entirely, unapologetically theirs. And do SUBSCRIBE to Build Your Own Boat on Substack as well, to read the full stories of our guests, and their best tips and resources. https://buildyourownboat.substack.com/

Information

  • Creator
    Janine Vanderburg
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    42
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Janine Vanderburg

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