More and more women aged 45 and over are choosing to Lstart their own business. These women, who we call “senior solopreneurs”represent a real but still poorly documented trend. They bring a unique vision to the entrepreneurial ecosystem, combining experience, resilience and the search for meaning.
So why are they getting started? What challenges do they encounter? And what specific needs should be taken into account?
Who are senior solopreneurs?
Senior solopreneurs are women who, often after a salaried career or a varied professional career, decide to:
- Create a sole proprietorship or a micro-enterprise
- Throw a independent project or a side business
- Focus on one social impact activity or on their passion
These entrepreneurs are distinguished by accumulated experiencea clear strategic vision and a strong desire for freedom and professional autonomy.
Why do they start after 45?
1. Take back control of your career
After years of employment or professional responsibilities, many wish take back the reins of their professional life and choose their own projects.
2. Carry out a passion project
These women often have a project that corresponds to their values or passions, which they were unable to develop earlier due to lack of time or freedom.
3. Take on a new challenge
Creating your own business is a way of reinvent yourselfto remain intellectually stimulated and to feel useful while using the skills acquired.
4. Combine autonomy and life balance
They also seek to better reconcile professional and personal life, which is often difficult in traditional structures.
What place in the entrepreneurial ecosystem?
Even if they are often invisible in the statistics, senior solopreneurs bring:
- Experience and maturity : in-depth knowledge of the professions and the market
- Strong networks : professional and personal contacts facilitating launch and development
- Thoughtful approach to risk : they favor viability and sustainability rather than rapid growth
However, they sometimes have to face a ecosystem focused on young tech start-ups or “early-stage” profileswhich can limit their visibility and access to financing.
What specific challenges do they encounter?
1. Financing and support
Classic systems are often designed for young entrepreneurs or “scalable” projects. They must therefore sometimes seek tailor-made solutions.
2.Visibility and recognition
The market still values young and dynamic profiles. These women must have their legitimacy recognized and the value of their experience.
3. Adaptation to new technologies
Some may feel less comfortable with digital or modern toolswhich requires training and support.
4. Balance between commitment and personal energy
Starting a business after 45 can be demanding, both physically and emotionally. A good organization and clear boundaries are essential.
How to succeed as a senior solopreneur?
- Identify your niche and uniqueness : build on experience and acquired skills.
- Train yourself and adapt to digital tools : digital, marketing and communication are essential.
- Build a Support Network : mentoring, associations of senior women entrepreneurs, specialized communities.
- Set realistic goals : prioritize viability and personal fulfillment rather than speed of growth.
- Value your experience : communicate expertise and professional maturity as a key asset.
A new wave that is transforming entrepreneurship
Senior solopreneurs represent a new generation of silent but powerful entrepreneurs. They show that experience and maturity are levers of creativity, impact and resilience in the entrepreneurial world.
This movement also demonstrates that the entrepreneurial ecosystem must evolve to support these women, who transform their experience into economic, social and personal opportunities.
