Man is Fired at 64 – Starts a New Company!

TED Talk Review

Paul Tasner was 64 years old when he was fired from the work he had been doing for 40 years. Retirement was not yet an option. He began consulting, but it just didn’t get him excited about going to work. He ultimately decided that he needed to find the courage to do something he was truly passionate about. He had long felt drawn to making our planet a healthier and more sustainable place to live. So he got a partner and started a successful business creating packaging using biodegradable waste. Paul Tasner was 66 years old when he became an entrepreneur for the first time in his life.

His short, but important, TED Talk truly resonated with me. When I was 61 years old I found myself unexpectedly unemployed. I had taken on a new challenge in a somewhat different field that turned out not to be a good fit. I was devastated and filled with fear because I was single (no safety net), and retirement was several years down the road. I remained unemployed for a full year before I was able to find a new position that was something I truly had a heart for and the expertise to do well.

Something else Paul touched on that got my attention was the fact that he had no mentors – no one his age who had accomplished what he was trying to do – to help and support him along the way. I remembered feeling so isolated and alone not only during my year of unemployment but also during many other challenging times in my life. And it was my desire to be there for others when they are trying to climb out of the quicksand that led me to become a coach!

And one final gem I want to share from this TED Talk – who else thinks 70 over 70 should be celebrated alongside 40 over 40? I sure do!

Want to listen to Paul’s story? Here is his talk:

https://www.ted.com/talks/paul_tasner_how_i_became_an_entrepreneur_at_66?utm_campaign=tedspread&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=tedcomshare