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retirement, or give them a way to spend their time. Research conducted by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation indicates that the percentage of firms created by Americans ages 55 to 64 grew more than any other age demographic, up 6.6 percent to 20.9 percent in 2011 compared to 14.3 percent in 1996. Firms created by entrepreneurs ages 45 to 54 rose 3.8 percent in that period. The trend is somewhat predictable, considering the number of baby boomers reaching retirement age mixed with an economy that has limped through the past six years, said Michele Markey, vice president of Kauffman FastTrac, an arm of the Kauffman Foundation that provides training and resources to prospective and current entrepreneurs. Some boomers are turning to franchising, while others use existing skills to start a business from scratch. Regardless of the motivation, Markey said, starting a business requires consideration and planning, especially for boomers. "Their (business) on-ramp and off-ramp are much closer Q& A together," Markey said. "The biggest mistake is not spending adequate time planning." New boomer entrepreneurs need to understand how much money they are willing to invest, how long it will take to reap financial benefits, and when they'll be able to exit the business, she said. They also need to be realistic about the level of commitment a new business will take, surround themselves with resources and mentors, and build a network of support, Markey said. Solid financial advice is also critical, she said. Jane Bryant Quinn, AARP Bulletin columnist and author of "Making The Most of Your Money Now," said that training and an excellent business plan are key for boomers who are starting a business because of a need to build or supplement their income. "At your age, you are going to be spending significant money to buy yourself a job and if that fails, if that doesn't go well, you are going very hard-put 10 years from now," Quinn said. Kerry Dyer, who has 25 years of accounting management experience, decided to start her own firm in July 2010 after being laid off twice in three years. Dyer, 54, initially started applying for jobs, but she was told she was over-qualified or the employer wouldn't believe her when she said she would take less pay, she said. "Finally I said, 'If I am going to make that little pay, I might as well work for myself and do something I enjoy doing,' " said Dyer, whose certified public accountant firm caters to businesses making less than $3 million in revenue and have up to 10 employees. She obtained one client after she sent letters to friends and family. She met her second through her church. Then she joined a networking group. "That was probably the best move I ever made," Dyer said. Dyer works from home in Raleigh, N.C., to keep her costs down and has met personal goals such as bringing in more revenue than her unemployment checks. "I am hoping within the next two to three years to make what I made in corporate America," Dyer said. The advantages of building her own firm include working with see BOOMERS . . . page 7 Making sure your job suits you By Rex Huppke Chicago Tribune (MCT) Because I am predominantly flawless, I have little need for introspection. (I'll pause a moment to give you time to agree. Feel free to applaud.) Of course there's always a slight possibility I have room for improvement, particularly if "crippling insecurities masked by faux braggadocio" is considered a flaw. So let's talk self-evaluation. People in the working world often find themselves run over by the daily grind and unable – or unwilling – to step back and examine whether their skills line up with their careers. This is bad. It's bad because it leads to the cliched situation where a 50-year-old says, "I hate my job! How did I end up here?" You ended up there, hypothetical 50-year-old, because you never took the time to honestly evaluate the things you're good at and compare New manager should ask for authority By Marie G. McIntyre McClatchy-Tribune News Service Q. After being promoted to a deputy director position in my agency, I initially felt excited and grateful. However, I have now become disillusioned, because the director doesn't include me in any activities. I am supposed to be her back-up, yet I know nothing about her job. She also questions any ideas that I propose. I have a shy personality and am not very aggressive, so I'm not sure how to gain authority in my new role. So far, this promotion has involved a change in title and pay, but no real increase in responsibility. How can I stop being a token deputy? lines. intentionally excluded, it's unlike- While having a quiet temperament can be an advantage, timidly that the director would ity will only hold you back, so choose you for this job, then you need to display more selfdeliberately sabotage your succonfidence. If you wish to be cess.A more probable explanaincluded in a project, explain tion is that your "shy personaliwhy your involvement would be ty" is keeping you on the sidehelpful.When the director ques- A. Although you're feeling tions your ideas, don't immediately abandon them. Because a deputy's duties are largely determined by what the person above decides to delegate, these positions are often poorly defined. Since your current job description appears to have some gaps, take the initia- tive to draft a new one, then review it with your boss. People who are afraid to ask for what they want frequently become unhappy and disgruntled. Since resentment never helped anyone's career, appropriate assertiveness is a skill that everyone needs to develop. Marie G. McIntyre is a workplace coach and the author of "Secrets to Winning at Office Politics." Send in questions and get free coaching tips at http://www.yourofficecoach.com, or follow her on Twitter officecoach. 2 GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS • March 21, 2013 them to the tasks you do at work. Let me speak from experience before bringing in someone who really knows what he's talking about. I always wanted to be a chemical engineer. It was what my father did, and his father. It seemed to be in my blood. So I went to school and studied chemical engineering and, though I didn't find it terribly fascinating, got a degree and a job. All this time, I enjoyed writing. And on the occasions when I did write, many a person said to me, "Rex, you should be a writer." I ignored that because, as previously stated, I am flawless. see MAKING SURE . . . page 7 Volume 15 • Number 28 March 21, 2013 A publication of Conley Media from page 1 GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS Boomers ... Classified Sales Director: Kristi Wolf 262/670-1516 Account Executive: Donna Armstrong 262/513-2698 darmstrong@conleynet.com Story Coordinator: Dwayne Butler 262/513-2626 dbutler@conleynet.com Production: Patricia Scheel 262/513-2690 Distributed by: Conley Distribution 262-513-2646 ©2004 by Conley Media Waukesha County Independent and Locally Owned GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS is published weekly by Conley Media – Waukesha County, 801 N. Barstow St., Waukesha, WI 53186. Contents of this publication may not be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher. GREATERmilwaukeeJOBS assumes no liability for any error in copy or content. It is the advertiser's responsibility to be aware of the laws pertaining to employment advertising. 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