Discover Sixty-Five: September 2023
Kootenay Seniors Living - Seniors News, Articles, Discounts & Sales in the West Kootenay area.
Kootenay Seniors Living - Seniors News, Articles, Discounts & Sales in the West Kootenay area.
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Senior-Preneurship<br />
~ Bruce LaCroix<br />
MAXIMIZING SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE & FINDING YOUR NICHE<br />
With over 35 years<br />
of working in tourism<br />
and hospitality<br />
in my younger days, when I decided<br />
to start something new I went back to<br />
what I learned during those years. From<br />
room cleaner to assistant manager,<br />
recreation director to sommelier, ski<br />
patroller to tour guide, along with over<br />
60 trips outside Canada, I felt that I had<br />
a very extensive knowledge of what<br />
made for a great guest experience.<br />
So Wendy and I started a business in<br />
which we critique resorts on-site in the<br />
Caribbean during the winter. (No, we<br />
do not need any help, but thank you for<br />
offering )<br />
Doing market research for this idea, we<br />
could not find any business which specialized<br />
just in resort secret shopping,<br />
nor any which also targeted the Caribbean.<br />
Also, by joining the Caribbean<br />
Hotel and Tourism Association we discovered<br />
a need for this type of service.<br />
So, how does all of this relate to you, the<br />
current or potential senior-preneur? It’s<br />
about a) finding a niche in which you<br />
can specialize, b) looking back at your<br />
long life and seeing which skills and<br />
interests you can tap into for your new<br />
venture and c) doing something you<br />
love. As I love to travel and get paid for<br />
it, tapping into what I learned over the<br />
years just seemed like a natural fit.<br />
In my entrepreneurship workshops, we<br />
discuss the pros and<br />
cons of both starting<br />
something completely<br />
new to the<br />
participant, or polishing<br />
established<br />
skills and turning<br />
them into a business.<br />
Speaking of entrepreneurship<br />
workshops, I will<br />
be offering<br />
Senior-preneurship<br />
For<br />
Those Over 55<br />
this coming<br />
autumn. Still<br />
working out<br />
the details of<br />
where, when,<br />
how much,<br />
etc. but if interested,<br />
let me know. More info in the<br />
October issue of this magazine.<br />
Feel free to contact me at blacroix@<br />
shaw.ca for column ideas, positive or<br />
negative feedback, or to share your<br />
experiences.<br />
<strong>Discover</strong> <strong>Sixty</strong>-<strong>Five</strong> <strong>September</strong> <strong>2023</strong><br />
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