Episodes

  • How One Ad Executive Built a Business Around the Customers Everyone Else Was Ignoring — With Susan Colby of Grace Creative

    How One Ad Executive Built a Business Around the Customers Everyone Else Was Ignoring — With Susan Colby of Grace Creative
    Jun 25 2026
    Episode SummaryMost advertising agencies chase the youngest consumers in the room. Susan Colby built a thriving creative agency by doing the exact opposite. This episode of Build Your Own Boat explores how Susan — a veteran of iconic agencies including Chiat\Day and BBDO — left the traditional ad world, raised her children, and returned in her late 40s with a radical idea: that women over 50 are the most powerful, most overlooked, and most underserved consumer demographic in America.Susan founded Grace Creative LA, a boutique agency specializing in marketing to women 50+, at a time when the industry was still chasing millennials. She shares how she turned deep personal experience, hard data, and a strong creative network into a growing business — winning major clients like Golden Door Spa and Seabourn Cruise Line — and why she believes marketing to the longevity economy isn't just the right thing to do. It's the smartest business move a brand can make.Key TakeawaysWomen over 50 control enormous spending power — they make more than 85% of household buying decisions, hold an estimated $19 trillion in assets, and account for roughly 70% of consumer spending, yet receive less than 10% of advertising budgets. The gap is a massive business opportunity.Lived experience is a competitive advantage, not a liability. Susan's team members are often part of the very demographic they market to — which means they understand the audience from the inside out, not from a research deck. That authenticity is what Grace Creative calls its "unfair advantage.""Middle essence" reframes midlife as a launch point, not a wind-down. Inspired by the research of Barbara Waxman, Grace Creative uses the concept of middle essence — the idea that women in their 50s are going through a powerful identity shift and emerging with more clarity, confidence, and resources than ever before — to create campaigns that actually resonate.Getting your first clients is messy, and that's okay. Susan's breakthrough client, Golden Door Spa, came through a connection made by her husband — a reminder that real-world entrepreneurship is built on networks, relationships, and saying yes to the room you're already in.Building a multi-generational team matters. Grace Creative intentionally hires across generations. Diverse age perspectives make the work stronger, reduce blind spots, and model the very inclusion the agency champions for its clients.About Susan ColbySusan Colby is the founder of Grace Creative LA, a boutique advertising and marketing agency based in Los Angeles that specializes in reaching women over 50. Susan spent the early years of her career at some of the most respected agencies in the country, including Chiat\Day, BBDO, and RPA, working on major brands including Apple Computer. After stepping away to raise her children and doing marketing work for independent schools, she returned to the industry in her late 40s — and rather than quietly fit back in, she saw a gap that no one else was addressing.She launched Grace Creative around a single, data-backed insight: that women over 50 are the most economically powerful consumer demographic in America, and they were almost entirely invisible in mainstream advertising. Since then, Grace Creative has worked with clients including Golden Door Spa — producing a campaign with legendary photographer Annie Leibovitz — and Seabourn, the ultra-luxury cruise line, winning a competitive pitch against ten other agencies. Susan is also an age activist, a champion of multi-generational workplaces, and the co-creator of Girls Gone 50, a social media community on Instagram and Facebook built to authentically connect with and celebrate women in the 50+ demographic.Frequently Asked QuestionsWhy are women over 50 such a valuable consumer demographic?Women over 50 make more than 85% of household purchasing decisions and collectively hold an estimated $19 trillion in assets. According to AARP economists, the economic output of Americans aged 50 and older would rank as the third-largest economy in the world, behind only the U.S. overall and China. Despite this, advertising budgets directed at this group remain disproportionately small — often under 10% of total spend — making it one of the most underleveraged opportunities in marketing today.What is middlescence and why does it matter in marketing?Middlecence is a concept — associated with researcher and author Barbara Waxman — that reframes the years around and after 50 as a period of identity renewal rather than decline. Women at this stage are often becoming empty nesters, navigating career transitions, and stepping into a new sense of freedom and purpose. Grace Creative uses this insight to develop campaigns that feel authentic to where women actually are in their lives, rather than defaulting to anti-aging narratives or generic "active senior" tropes.How did Susan Colby start Grace Creative?Susan built Grace Creative gradually —...
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    34 mins
  • How Do You Build a Business Around Your Values — and Actually Live Them? | Angelle Fouther of Kindred Communications

    How Do You Build a Business Around Your Values — and Actually Live Them? | Angelle Fouther of Kindred Communications
    Jun 25 2026
    Episode SummaryWhat does it look like to launch a strategic communications firm in the middle of a global pandemic — and build it entirely around a commitment to equity and social justice? Angelle Fouther did exactly that when she co-founded Kindred Communications in 2020 with her daughter, Darren. In this episode of Build Your Own Boat, Angelle shares the real story behind the leap: the years of frustration working inside nonprofit hierarchies, the pandemic that stranded her daughter in Africa, the first client call that changed everything, and the day she handed back a significant retainer because her dignity was worth more than the paycheck. Six years in, Kindred is thriving — working exclusively with organizations committed to equity and social justice — even as the political climate makes that work harder than ever. This is an honest, grounded conversation about what it actually means to build a business that reflects who you are, not just what you can sell.Key TakeawaysValues alignment is a business strategy, not just a tagline. Kindred Communications works exclusively with organizations committed to equity and social justice — and Angelle has returned client money when that alignment broke down. Choosing your clients carefully protects your business, your reputation, and your wellbeing.Your professional network is one of your most powerful startup assets. Decades of relationship-building in Denver's nonprofit sector — especially through her years at the Denver Foundation — directly generated Kindred's earliest and most enduring client partnerships.Intergenerational teams produce better work. Angelle and Daryn's mother-daughter partnership is a living case study: Angelle brings decades of strategic context and community relationships; Daryn brings fresh design sensibility and fluency with what resonates now. Each makes the other's work stronger.The freedom to pursue your beliefs without red tape is a legitimate and powerful reason to start a business. Financial freedom matters, but for Angelle, the deeper motivation was the ability to follow her convictions without navigating organizational hierarchy or having her ideas extracted and reassigned.Taking the leap changes how you feel, not just what you do. Angelle sat on the desire to run her own business for decades. Her advice: "Jump, and the parachute appears." Living on purpose — even through the uncertain and difficult stretches — is worth more than the comfort of a predictable paycheck.About Angelle FoutherAngelle Fouther is the co-founder and principal of Kindred Communications, a Denver-based strategic communications firm that works exclusively with organizations committed to equity and social justice. With more than two decades of experience in marketing, storytelling, and strategic communications — including leadership roles at Denver Botanic Gardens and the Denver Foundation — Angelle brings deep community roots and a sharp eye for authentic narrative to every client engagement. In 2020, she launched Kindred alongside her daughter Daryn, a designer and communications strategist, building a fully remote, intergenerational partnership that has operated seamlessly across continents. Kindred's current work includes communications and impact storytelling for the Colorado Health Foundation's annual symposium and impact investment portfolio, and ongoing partnership with Justice for Black Coloradans. Angelle is also a recent member of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce's Women's Chamber.Frequently Asked QuestionsHow did Angelle Fouther start Kindred Communications?Angelle filed Kindred Communications with the Colorado Secretary of State in December 2019, then nearly abandoned the idea when a nonprofit job opened up. The COVID-19 pandemic — and her daughter Daryn being stranded in Africa with no way home for 16 months — pushed her to commit. When Janine Vanderburg called looking for communications support, Angelle brought Daryn in, and they operated as a cross-continental team from the start. Angelle ran Kindred alongside full-time employment until September 2022, when she made the full leap into entrepreneurship.What does Kindred Communications do?Kindred Communications is a strategic communications firm specializing in storytelling, brand development, messaging strategy, and communications planning for nonprofits, foundations, and mission-driven organizations committed to equity, inclusion, and social justice. Services range from full brand identity and website development to long-term embedded communications partnerships.How do Angelle and her daughter Daryn work together as business partners?Angelle handles strategy, business development, and messaging; Daryn leads design, technology, and visual communications. They share equal pay and operate as true collaborators — not boss and employee. Disagreements are resolved through what they call "collaborative honesty": neither gives empty praise, and both are willing to ...
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    51 mins
  • How Chelle Johnson Went From Corporate Burnout to Building a Fleet: Fractional Talent, Executive Coaching, and Entrepreneurship After 50

    How Chelle Johnson Went From Corporate Burnout to Building a Fleet: Fractional Talent, Executive Coaching, and Entrepreneurship After 50
    Jun 25 2026
    Episode SummaryAfter two decades as a talent acquisition executive at Fortune 500 companies, Chelle Johnson found herself successful on paper — and spiritually depleted in practice. In 2019, she made the leap: she launched Best You Talent Advisors, a fractional talent advisory firm, and never looked back. This episode is a masterclass in what it actually takes to build a sustainable business in midlife — the real financial timeline, the client development grind, the pivots, and the mental fitness work that makes it all possible.Chelle doesn't sugarcoat the first three years — including the year she earned a third of her corporate salary, deferred her mortgage, and still kept going. She walks us through how she built a referral-driven consulting practice, grew Colorado Career Connectors to serve over 6,000 job seekers, and evolved her offerings to focus on what she calls holistic talent operations and executive coaching — grounded in a framework of head, heart, soul, strategy, and wisdom.If you're a woman over 50 wondering whether your experience is enough to build something of your own, Chelle Johnson's answer — backed by a fleet she built herself — is an unequivocal yes.Key TakeawaysThe first three years are the real test. Chelle made a third of her corporate salary in year one and didn't hit her stride until year three — when confidence, testimonials, and a clearer niche all came together at once. Expecting overnight success is the fastest way to quit too soon.Fractional consulting is a powerful entry point for midlife entrepreneurs. "Fractional" means providing Fortune 500-level expertise to companies on a part-time, contract basis — typically 10–15 hours per week per client. It lets you generate real revenue while maintaining flexibility, and Chelle's clients have saved hundreds of thousands of dollars in fees as a direct result.Business development is the skill most people skip — and the one that matters most. Chelle credits 100% of her early clients to networking, trust, and consistent follow-up. She notes that it now takes approximately 13 touch points to convert a prospect, and she built her pipeline through speaking engagements, LinkedIn, a social media strategy, a newsletter, and warm introductions.Narrowing your focus is not giving up — it's how you grow. Chelle started with a wide range of offerings and deliberately pulled back to two core services: fractional talent operations and executive coaching. Simplifying her message made her easier to refer, easier to hire, and more profitable.Mental fitness is not a soft add-on — it's a business strategy. Chelle integrates Positive Intelligence and neuroscience-based tools into her coaching practice because she's seen firsthand how internalized ageism, self-doubt, and negative inner critics derail talented people. Getting clients mentally fit is part of getting them placed — or launched.About Chelle JohnsonChelle Johnson is the founder and CEO of Best You Talent Advisors, a fractional talent advisory and executive coaching firm based in Denver, Colorado. A first-generation college student who double-majored in Spanish and organizational development, Chelle went on to earn an MBA from one of the country's top international business schools, live and work in Japan and Latin America, and build a 20-year corporate career in talent acquisition at major companies including Sonora Quest Laboratories.In 2019, after reaching the top of her field and feeling her soul being crushed, she left corporate life to build her own. Best You Talent Advisors brings Fortune 50-level HR expertise to growing companies on a fractional basis, and her coaching practice — grounded in a framework she calls Career DNA (head, heart, soul, strategy, and wisdom) — helps executives and professionals at career crossroads find clarity, build mental fitness, and move forward with intention.Chelle also founded Colorado Career Connectors (now Best You Career Connectors), a community that has helped more than 6,000 people navigate career transitions. She has served as a trusted advisor for Vistage, the nation's leading CEO peer advisory organization, and was named an exclusive Forbes recruiter for Colorado. She speaks Spanish and Japanese and once led a group of women on a transformational walk of El Camino de Santiago through Spain and Portugal.Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat is fractional talent acquisition and how does it work?Fractional talent acquisition means hiring an experienced HR or recruiting professional to work with your company on a part-time, contracted basis — typically 10 to 15 hours per week — rather than bringing on a full-time employee. Companies get Fortune 500-level expertise at a fraction of the cost. Chelle Johnson's fractional clients have saved over $400,000 in recruitment fees with a single project management firm and more than $50,000 in three months with a women's healthcare company.How long does it realistically take to ...
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    36 mins
  • How a 30-Year Executive Assistant Built a Multiple Six-Figure Business by Betting on Herself — Featuring Bonnie Schutz

    How a 30-Year Executive Assistant Built a Multiple Six-Figure Business by Betting on Herself — Featuring Bonnie Schutz
    Jun 25 2026
    Episode SummaryFor women who have spent decades being indispensable — and invisible — this episode is the roadmap you didn't know you needed. Bonnie Schutz spent nearly 30 years as an elite executive assistant, mastering the art of making everyone else's vision run flawlessly. Then, after one too many layoffs and a workplace incident that became her tipping point, she gave her boss a month's notice and walked out the door — not into retirement, but into entrepreneurship.Today, Bonnie is the founder and CEO of Tandem Resource Solutions, a Colorado-based remote support pro and administrative recruiting firm that has grown into a multiple six-figure business. She's also the host of the podcast Delegate to Elevate and is building a third venture — a curated directory of pre-vetted professional service providers. In this conversation, Bonnie breaks down exactly how she turned 30 years of "non-revenue-generating" administrative expertise into a thriving business, why LinkedIn became her most powerful growth tool, and what she wishes every woman sitting on the sidelines knew about her own potential.Key TakeawaysTransferable skills are your most undervalued asset. The organizational, gatekeeping, and relationship-management skills that define elite administrative work translate directly into entrepreneurial success — the same skills that were overlooked in corporate become the foundation of a business.A side hustle is the lowest-risk on-ramp to entrepreneurship. Bonnie launched her recruiting side hustle while still employed, building a client base and cash flow before making the leap full-time. Having even a few clients in place dramatically reduces the financial fear of leaving a steady paycheck.LinkedIn is a legitimate business-building engine — if you use it consistently. Bonnie built her business almost entirely on referrals generated through a well-maintained LinkedIn presence and an intentional strategy of reconnecting with former colleagues and executives.Investing in yourself and your community is non-negotiable. Joining organizations like Second Act Women and the Dames — even when money was tight — gave Bonnie the peer network, accountability, and power partnerships that accelerated her growth.Age and experience are competitive advantages in entrepreneurship. While ageism was a constant in corporate life, Bonnie found that being older as an entrepreneur signals depth of experience — clients hire her because of what her years represent, not in spite of it.About Bonnie SchutzBonnie Schutz is the founder and CEO of Tandem Resource Solutions, a Colorado-based remote support pro agency and administrative recruiting firm. With nearly 30 years of experience as an executive assistant supporting C-suite leaders across industries including healthcare, software development, and nonprofit, Bonnie brings a rare combination of operational expertise and entrepreneurial drive to everything she builds.She launched her business as a side hustle while still in corporate, grew it to multiple six figures through referrals and strategic networking, and now leads a team of contractors who provide remote administrative support to entrepreneurs and growing businesses. Bonnie is also the host of Delegate to Elevate, a podcast that helps entrepreneurs learn to hand off what they shouldn't be doing so they can focus on what only they can do. She has just launched a curated directory of pre-vetted professional service providers — her third venture and the next vessel in her fleet. Bonnie serves on the advisory council of Second Act Women and is based in Denver, Colorado.Frequently Asked QuestionsHow did Bonnie Schutz start her business with no entrepreneurial background?Bonnie started by recruiting on the side while still employed, mentored by a colleague who taught her the basics of the field. When she discovered the virtual assistant model through a Craigslist job listing, she recognized that she had essentially been doing that work for decades — she just hadn't called it that. She reframed her existing skills, landed her first client, and then found that former EA colleagues were eager to work for her, giving her a ready-made team.What is a remote support pro agency and how is it different from a traditional VA service?Bonnie deliberately moved away from the term "virtual assistant" because she found it undersold the sophistication of the work. A remote support pro agency like Tandem Resource Solutions places experienced administrative professionals — people with real corporate backgrounds — with entrepreneurs and executives who need high-level operational support. The work goes well beyond basic task completion; it includes calendar management, executive-level coordination, recruiting, and business operations support.How did Bonnie overcome imposter syndrome as a new entrepreneur?Bonnie describes her turning point as being invited to speak on a panel by a respected CEO who viewed her as an expert. ...
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    43 mins
  • How a Decades-Long Media Career Became a Launchpad for Entrepreneurship — Featuring Ramona Schindelheim

    How a Decades-Long Media Career Became a Launchpad for Entrepreneurship — Featuring Ramona Schindelheim
    Jun 25 2026
    Episode SummaryThis episode is for every woman who has spent decades building an impressive career and wonders whether that experience can fuel something entirely her own. Ramona Schindelheim — award-winning journalist, Emmy and Peabody winner, and former editor-in-chief of Working Nation — answers that question with a resounding yes. In this conversation, Ramona and host Janine Vanderburg trace the arc from Ramona's early radio days in Chicago to her work at CNBC, NBC News, and the Wall Street Journal, and ultimately to her decision to build KAMIRA Productions, her independent media consulting company, along with a thriving newsletter and a passion-project podcast. Ramona shares the practical realities of entrepreneurship at midlife — from hiring an accountant on day one, to paying yourself a real paycheck, to choosing clients based on values alignment rather than just revenue. She also opens up about the mentors who shaped her, the role of network and courage in finding new opportunities, and why telling stories about workers and the future of work has become the driving mission of her next chapter. Key TakeawaysYour career skills are your business assets. Ramona's storytelling, producing, and organizational skills — built over decades in major newsrooms — became the direct foundation of her consulting practice. Identifying your core, transferable skills is the essential first step before launching any entrepreneurial venture.Pay yourself a real paycheck from day one. Ramona and her husband-CFO partner learned early that taking a salary from their business isn't optional — it builds Social Security credits, creates financial discipline, and treats the business as a real enterprise, not a hobby.Values alignment is a non-negotiable client filter. After one early experience with a client whose worldview didn't match her own, Ramona made a firm rule: she only works with organizations and people she genuinely believes in. Authentic alignment produces better work and protects your reputation.Don't be afraid to ask — no just means no from one person. Whether it was cold-calling a radio station in Chicago, reaching out to big names for projects, or asking a contact to make an introduction, Ramona's career has been built on a willingness to ask. This is especially critical when launching a business in midlife.Freedom to pursue passion projects is one of the greatest rewards of midlife entrepreneurship. Ramona's Birds and Nerds podcast — which connects surprising topics like AI, DNA privacy, and expat living to the world of birds — is proof that building your own boat also means making room for the work that purely delights you. About Ramona SchindelheimRamona Schindelheim is an Emmy, Peabody, and DuPont Award-winning journalist with a career spanning radio, television, and digital media. She began her career in Chicago at WBBM Radio before moving to Los Angeles, where she spent three years as a sitcom writer before returning to news as a television producer. She later served as a producer at WNBC, executive producer at CNBC (where she transformed Power Lunch into a flagship program), business editor at ABC News, and a digital storytelling leader at the Wall Street Journal. Most recently, she spent eight years as editor-in-chief of WorkingNation, a nonprofit media organization dedicated to telling stories about the changing workforce and the future of work. Today, Ramona is the co-founder of KAMIRA Productions, an independent media consulting company, where she helps organizations, nonprofits, and philanthropies tell their stories with clarity and purpose. She is a LinkedIn Top Voice on the future of work, publishes the newsletter The Future of Work(ers), and is the creator and host of Birds & Nerds, a podcast exploring unexpected connections between the world of birds and a wide range of timely topics. Ramona is based in Los Angeles. Frequently Asked QuestionsHow did Ramona Schindelheim start her own business after a corporate media career?Ramona began building what she calls her "dinghy" — a consulting practice — during gaps between full-time positions throughout her career. Her first consulting client came through a connection with Martha Stewart, whom she knew from her CNBC days. By the time WorkingNation closed, she had a decade of experience running KAMIRA Productions alongside her full-time role. The transition to full-time entrepreneurship was less a leap and more a deliberate expansion of something already in motion.What is KAMIRA Productions and what kind of clients does Ramona work with?KAMIRA Productions is an independent media consulting company co-founded by Ramona Schindelheim and her husband. Ramona focuses on helping companies, nonprofits, and philanthropies — particularly those working in workforce development, the future of work, and career pathways — tell their stories more effectively. She moderates panels, creates video content, and helps organizations ...
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    45 mins
  • How Melissa Davey Became an Award-Winning Documentary Filmmaker at 65 — and Why She Refuses to Be Invisible

    How Melissa Davey Became an Award-Winning Documentary Filmmaker at 65 — and Why She Refuses to Be Invisible
    Jun 18 2026
    Episode SummaryWhat happens when a 65-year-old corporate executive decides that her biggest career is still ahead of her — in a field she has never worked in? This episode answers exactly that question. Melissa Davey spent decades leading nonprofit disability advocacy and then building a national disability services program for a Fortune-level company. At 65, she walked away from a successful C-suite career to become a documentary filmmaker — with zero filmmaking experience.Her debut film, Beyond 60, earned six awards, screened at eight film festivals across the US and Canada, and is now streaming on Apple TV and other major platforms. Her second film, Climbing into Life, tells the story of the oldest woman to climb El Capitan in Yosemite — and won 11 festival awards. A third film, commissioned by the Women's Center of Montgomery County on the issue of domestic violence, is now in post-production. Melissa's story is a masterclass in late-career reinvention, trusting your instincts, building the right team, and refusing to let age define what is possible.Key TakeawaysReinvention at 65 is not starting over — it is redirecting. Melissa drew on 40 years of team-building, storytelling, and leadership to succeed in a brand-new field. The skills transferred; only the industry changed.Serendipity favors the prepared. A chance drive past a M. Night Shyamalan film set — and a charity auction that landed her a day on set with him — became the spark that launched her entire second act. But she was already making lists of what she wanted to do next. She was ready.Self-funding gives you creative control. Melissa funded both of her first two films herself, using savings she had deliberately set aside. It meant total creative control and the freedom to move fast — without waiting years for grants or investors.Your network knows more than you think. Every key connection in Melissa's filmmaking journey — her production company, her crew, her subjects — came through people she already knew or people one degree away. She didn't need a Hollywood contact list. She needed to ask.The antidote to ageism is visibility. Melissa's films exist specifically to counter the idea that women become invisible after 60. Both Beyond 60 and Climbing into Life are, at their core, anti-ageism films — proof that women in their 60s, 70s, and beyond are doing extraordinary things the world simply isn't paying attention to.About Melissa DaveyMelissa Davey is an award-winning independent documentary filmmaker based in Chester County, Pennsylvania. She spent more than four decades in the nonprofit and corporate sectors, most recently as a C-suite executive building a national disability services program before retiring at 65 — and promptly launching an entirely new career. Her debut documentary, Beyond 60, profiles nine women between the ages of 60 and 90 who are living boldly and refusing to disappear. It earned six awards and screened at eight film festivals before landing on Apple TV and other streaming platforms. Her second film, Climbing into Life, follows Dierdre Wolownick — the oldest woman to summit El Capitan in Yosemite, and mother of legendary climber Alex Honnold — as she discovers athleticism for the first time in her 60s. That film earned 11 festival awards. Melissa is currently completing a third film, commissioned by the Women's Center of Montgomery County, on the organization's 50-year history of domestic violence prevention and community partnership. She is living proof that the most meaningful chapter of a career can begin at 65.Frequently Asked QuestionsCan you really become a documentary filmmaker with no experience?Yes — and Melissa Davey is the proof. She had never made a film before she decided at 65 that she wanted to. Her approach was practical: she identified what she didn't know, reached out through her existing network, and found a production company willing to partner with her. She brought the vision, the subject matter expertise, and the leadership. They brought the cameras and the technical crew. Within three years, her first film was screening at festivals across North America.How do you fund an independent documentary film?For her first two films, Melissa self-funded using savings she had built over her corporate career. She made a deliberate decision not to wait for grants or outside investors — both because she wanted creative control and because she had a sense of urgency about moving quickly. She notes that funding for women-led entrepreneurial ventures is historically limited, and funding for older women entrepreneurs even more so. For her third film, she was commissioned and the commissioning organization covered all crew costs.What streaming platforms is Beyond 60 available on?Beyond 60 is currently streaming on Apple TV and several other major streaming platforms. Distribution was handled through a distributor who placed the film on six to seven platforms for a 13-year ...
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    42 mins
  • The Dream She Carried for 50 Years: Stella Fosse on Writing, Self-Publishing, and Claiming Your Creative Life After 60

    The Dream She Carried for 50 Years: Stella Fosse on Writing, Self-Publishing, and Claiming Your Creative Life After 60
    Jun 18 2026
    Episode SummaryWhat happens when a woman who spent 30 years writing 32-volume FDA regulatory submissions finally sits down to write the books she's dreamed of since she was seven? She builds her own publishing company, launches a collective to help other women authors over 50 find their readers, and writes unapologetically vibrant older women into the center of every story.In this episode of Build Your Own Boat, host Janine Vanderburg talks with Stella Fosse — biotech regulatory writer turned independent author and publisher — about reclaiming a lifelong creative dream in her 60s, founding Baubo Books, and co-founding Crone Authors Together. Stella unpacks what it really takes to self-publish successfully, how to silence (or at least negotiate with) your inner critic, and why the mainstream publishing industry is missing a massive market hiding in plain sight: women over 50 who read voraciously and whose stories deserve to be told.Key TakeawaysYour prior career is your edge, not your obstacle. Thirty years of technical writing gave Stella discipline and endurance — the key was unlearning the rigidity and rediscovering play. That transition from "writing you have to do" to "writing you want to do" requires deliberate, playful practice.Independent publishing gives authors 85% of revenue vs. approximately 15% in traditional royalties — and with tools like print-on-demand and modern distribution channels, it is more accessible and financially rewarding than ever before.The mainstream publishing industry has overlooked women 50+ as both readers and protagonists — even though older women are among the largest buyers of romance novels and hold significant purchasing power in the longevity economy.Collective action fills the gaps that algorithms and ageist markets leave behind. Crone Authors Together, hosted by the Grandmother Collective, is building a peer-driven playbook for reaching readers that traditional publishing has ignored.You are right on time. Whether you have always known what you wanted to create or are just beginning to explore, the post-midlife chapter is not too late — it may be exactly when you were always meant to begin.About Stella FosseStella Fosse spent three decades as a biotech regulatory writer, crafting FDA submissions for international health authorities — including one that ran to 32 volumes. She always knew she wanted to write books. She just had to wait until life made room.In her 60s, Stella launched Baubo Books, her own independent publishing imprint, and has since published six books — including Aphrodite's Pen: The Power of Writing Erotica After Midlife (North Atlantic Books) and the essay collection Rock On: Power, Sex and Money After 60. She writes fiction and nonfiction that places older women at the center as powerful, funny, sexual, and fully alive human beings — a direct challenge to the publishing industry's long-standing erasure of women over 50.Stella also co-founded Crone Authors Together, a collective hosted by the Grandmother Collective, where women authors over 50 pool knowledge, support each other's work, and build new strategies for reaching the readers the mainstream market has missed.Her forthcoming books include Vivienne, The Swordswoman (the next installment in her benign vampires-of-a-certain-age series, out at Halloween) and Your First Book at Any Age (releasing end of year), a comprehensive guide to writing, publishing, and marketing your first book at any stage of life.Frequently Asked QuestionsIs it too late to start writing and publishing books after 60?Absolutely not — and Stella Fosse is living proof. She published her first book under her own imprint in her 60s, after a full career in biotech and decades of raising four children. She argues that older writers bring a richness of life experience, hard-won discipline, and creative freedom that younger writers are still working toward. As she says directly: "You're right on time."Why should women over 50 consider independent (indie) publishing over traditional publishing?Traditional publishing typically pays authors around 15% in royalties and provides marketing attention for only a limited window after launch. Independent publishing allows authors to keep approximately 85% of their revenues, maintain full editorial control, and market their work on their own timeline. With today's print-on-demand technology and modern distribution channels, self-publishing is more accessible and financially rewarding than at any previous point in history.What is Crone Authors Together and how can I join?Crone Authors Together is a collective of women authors over 50, co-founded by Stella Fosse and hosted by the Grandmother Collective. It brings together women writers to share marketing strategies, support each other's launches, cross-promote through guest blogs and podcast appearances, and build community around the shared challenge of reaching an underserved readership. You can find information ...
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    37 mins
  • How Do You Build a Business That Fights Ageism — and Actually Makes Money? With Jan Golden of Age Friendly Vibes

    How Do You Build a Business That Fights Ageism — and Actually Makes Money? With Jan Golden of Age Friendly Vibes
    Jun 18 2026
    Episode SummaryMost birthday cards treat getting older like a punchline. Jan Golden decided to change that. In this episode of Build Your Own Boat, host Janine Vanderburg talks with Jan Golden, founder of Age Friendly Vibes — a greeting card company built on a radical premise: that birthdays deserve celebration, not self-deprecation. Jan launched the business in her 50s, after a career in web development and graphic design, and after a personal encounter with Ashton Applewhite's landmark book This Chair Rocks awakened her to the real harm of ageist messaging. What followed was five years of building a product-based business from scratch — navigating trade shows, wholesale margins, licensing deals gone wrong, and the slow, steady work of winning over an industry that was profiting from the very problem she was trying to solve. This episode is a masterclass in mission-driven entrepreneurship: how to enter a new industry strategically, build community instead of going it alone, protect your brand when everyone has an opinion, and think carefully about what a meaningful exit actually looks like in midlife.Key TakeawaysStarting on Etsy is a legitimate proof-of-concept strategy. Jan launched her first cards on Etsy with no guarantee anyone outside her family would buy them. When a stranger made a purchase, she knew she had something real. Low-barrier platforms allow entrepreneurs to test ideas before committing to full production and distribution.Volunteering inside your target industry is one of the smartest free investments you can make. Rather than showing up cold to her first trade show, Jan joined the Greeting Card Association, volunteered on committees, and built relationships with fellow first-time exhibitors. Those relationships — a small group that still meets monthly five years later — replaced the need for expensive masterminds or courses.Revenue and profit are not the same thing in a product-based business. Selling $40,000–$50,000 in cards sounds impressive until you factor in wholesale discounts (often 50% off retail), trade show costs of $5,000–$10,000 per event, inventory development, and product expansion costs. Understanding your actual margin — not your top-line sales — is essential from day one.Protecting your brand identity is not stubbornness — it's strategy. Jan has consistently held her brand's visual identity (off-white cards, red and teal palette, word-based design) and content boundaries (no profanity, always age-positive) against persistent pressure to change. That consistency is a primary reason her brand is recognizable and her customers are loyal.Licensing deals that sound too good to be true usually are. Jan signed a licensing agreement that looked like a milestone — a larger company wanted to distribute her designs. In practice, they couldn't replicate her quality or tell her story, and the royalties were a fraction of what she earned selling directly. She eventually exited the deal at emotional and legal cost. The lesson: do the due diligence and talk to people who've been through the same deal structure before you sign.For midlife entrepreneurs, income diversification is not a weakness — it's wisdom. Jan maintained part-time work in her previous career throughout much of her entrepreneurial journey. That income buffer removed the pressure to force profitability too fast and allowed her to make better decisions for the long-term health of her business.About Jan GoldenJan Golden is the founder of Age Friendly Vibes, a greeting card and gift product company dedicated to replacing ageist birthday messaging with age-positive, uplifting alternatives. A self-described pro-age advocate, Jan spent her earlier career as a web developer and graphic designer — skills that proved essential when she launched her first entrepreneurial venture (an iPhone tips and training blog) and then pivoted to greeting cards. She launched Age Friendly Vibes during COVID, after noticing that the top-selling "funny" birthday cards were saturated with ageist imagery and messaging. Drawing on her graphic design background and her training in reframing aging through the Changing the Narrative initiative, she began designing cards that, in her words, say "damn, you're hot" instead of "damn, you're old." Now five years in, Age Friendly Vibes cards are sold through independent retailers, Barnes & Noble, Paper Source, and on Etsy, with a growing line that includes stickers, buttons, Jotter pens, and tote bags.Frequently Asked QuestionsHow did Jan Golden start Age Friendly Vibes?Jan launched Age Friendly Vibes during COVID after noticing that the best-selling "funny" birthday cards were overwhelmingly ageist — featuring caricatures of older adults and degrading messages about aging. Using her graphic design background and her experience with the Changing the Narrative anti-ageism initiative, she began designing cards that reframed aging as something to celebrate. She listed her first 10...
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    42 mins