EP# 64: Defying the Odds: Bruce Frankel’s Empowering Path from Journalism to Championing Entrepreneurs Over 50
Jul 02, 2024Episode 64
Liz Lemon & Bruce Frankel
What makes Bruce Frankel with Business Authority a good neighbor?
What if everything you thought you knew about entrepreneurship was wrong? Join us on the Good Neighbor Podcast as Bruce Frankel from Business Authority busts myths and unveils the hidden potential of entrepreneurs over 50. Bruce’s incredible journey from a distinguished journalism career with USA Today and Time Inc. to launching a community and business accelerator is nothing short of inspiring. Discover how Business Authority leverages the seasoned experience, networks, and financial stability of older entrepreneurs to propel them toward success with services like coaching, business planning, and tech support.
In this riveting episode, Bruce also takes us inside the unique e-communities he’s helped build, such as Stonewall Village in New York City, emphasizing the transformative power of mission-driven connections. Beyond his professional life, Bruce shares his personal battles, including surviving cancer and a heart attack, and how these experiences have fueled his passion for helping others. Don't miss out on Bruce's candid insights and learn why older entrepreneurs are a force to be reckoned with!
What makes Bruce Frankel with Business Authority a good neighbor?
What if everything you thought you knew about entrepreneurship was wrong? Join us on the Good Neighbor Podcast as Bruce Frankel from Business Authority busts myths and unveils the hidden potential of entrepreneurs over 50. Bruce’s incredible journey from a distinguished journalism career with USA Today and Time Inc. to launching a community and business accelerator is nothing short of inspiring. Discover how Business Authority leverages the seasoned experience, networks, and financial stability of older entrepreneurs to propel them toward success with services like coaching, business planning, and tech support.
In this riveting episode, Bruce also takes us inside the unique e-communities he’s helped build, such as Stonewall Village in New York City, emphasizing the transformative power of mission-driven connections. Beyond his professional life, Bruce shares his personal battles, including surviving cancer and a heart attack, and how these experiences have fueled his passion for helping others. Don't miss out on Bruce's candid insights and learn why older entrepreneurs are a force to be reckoned with!
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Liz Lemon.
Speaker 2:
Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of some business assessments? Surprisingly, it might be closer than you think. Today I have the pleasure of introducing your neighbor, bruce Frankel, with Business Authority. How are you today, bruce?
Speaker 3:
Hi Liz, I'm great, so happy to be with you. Thank you.
Speaker 2:
Great, we are excited to learn all about you and your business. So please tell us about Business Authority.
Speaker 3:
Sure Business Authority is a unique community and business accelerator designed for entrepreneurs over 50 with small and medium-sized businesses or people who hope to start one. We provide extensive range of services, including coaching, business plan development, financial planning, support in tech, marketing, sales and referrals to experts who fit your business. We also offer webinars and a noise-free business community for networking. So our aim is to empower entrepreneurs, helping them launch or grow their businesses quickly and sustainably, and we're currently offering, as you previewed, a free business assessment to the first 100 businesses that sign up.
Speaker 2:
That's fantastic. How did you get into the business?
Speaker 3:
Well, it's been a bit of a journey for me. So my career began in journalism, covering major politics and crime and other events for major publications. I was with USA Today for a decade. I was an editor at Time Inc. But after witnessing a friend of mine struggle with job loss as he neared 60, I wrote a book about life achievements after 60, about people who did incredible things who hadn't previously had a success in their lives, and that eventually led me to partner with my partners who came from aerospace and telecom to form RedString, with which we build online communities, including business authority. And, in particular, recognizing the rise in older entrepreneurs during the pandemic, as the wave of early retirements hit, we decided to launch Business Authority to provide unique support for this demographic.
Speaker 2:
Wow, that's super important and you've really been throughout the communications industry for quite some time. What are the myths and misconceptions within the business industry?
Speaker 3:
Well, one common myth is that entrepreneurship is mainly for the young or for 20-somethings. However, data shows that entrepreneurs over 50 are highly successful, often due to their experience, their networks, their financial stability, and they are, in fact, most likely among businesses except maybe for the 40 to 45 cohort to grow high revenue businesses. And another misconception that I like to address is about e-communities, which people often think are merely social platforms. But the communities that we build, like Business Authority and Stonewall Village in New York City, are dedicated spaces for meaningful connections and mission-driven growth, where people make true connections with each other and our goal is to help people help each other. So these are really peer-to-peer centers for growth.
Speaker 2:
Absolutely Help people, help each other. It's very important work Outside of this work, what do you do for fun?
Speaker 3:
Well, I enjoy watching my long-be beleaguered New York Knicks basketball. Unfortunately they went down in the playoffs to the Pacers, who recently went down in the playoffs to the Celtics. So I'll have to wait till next year to continue that. I walk five miles a day for health and relaxation. I do vegetable gardening, cooking, crossword puzzles and a lot of reading, particularly in poetry and in business books, and I've particularly embraced going for extended walks like six miles at a shot in Borderlands Day Park, which is adjacent to where I live, having earlier this year, about four months ago, had a major cardiac event. So that's been an interesting trial, but I've bounced back in ways that no one quite expected.
Speaker 2:
Absolutely. I mean you definitely stay busy and it's good to see that you have different avenues and different reach. You know you reach out to different mediums to relax and enjoy and have fun. And again, sorry about your Knicks. The Celtics, yes, we are, we've moved on.
Speaker 3:
Yeah Well, they played great against Indiana and that was a tough series but it was interesting to watch.
Speaker 2:
So it was. It was. Let's change gears just for a moment. Can you describe one hardship or life challenges that you rose above ands? I suffered both cancer and a heart attack and some personal losses.
Speaker 3:
And I learned both through the writing of the book what Should I Do With the Rest of my Life, in which I profiled people who succeeded significantly after the age of 60.
Speaker 3:
And in my own research into neuroscience. I learned a great deal about resilience and the remarkable possibilities that are there for all of us when we don't limit ourselves, when we set goals, when we build community us, when we don't limit ourselves when we set goals, when we build community, and when we focus mindfully on aging positively, not living in regret, not living in rumination, but living our lives forward toward the things that we can accomplish. My mentors ranged in age from 103 to 65 probably. Mentors ranged in age from 103 to 65, probably, and they were people who had not achieved significantly before the age of 60, but really focused on their dreams and did things and I just. It changed my life because, coming out of a profession that had been geared to youth, I really began to see that so much is possible if we don't have a self-limiting mindset and really those experience reinforced my belief of the potential for success at any age and is part of the inspiring, partly inspired the foundation for business authority.
Speaker 2:
Absolutely Very inspiring, for sure. You know we're glad that you made it through your health care and you definitely have overcome that and continue to evolve, and you know it's fantastic. I'm glad our listeners are able to hear and share a little piece of your life, for sure. What is the one thing you wish our listeners knew about business authority?
Speaker 3:
I want listeners to know that business authority is dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs of all ages, but particularly those 50 and over. We're here to provide support with a vast network of resources and experts who are committed to your success.
Speaker 2:
It's all about the communities. How can our listeners learn more about Business Authority?
Speaker 3:
They can visit Business Authority at mybizauthority that's m-y-b-i-z-authoritycom for a free business assessment or to schedule a consultation. They can also call us directly at 617-855-1106 to speak to our team directly and they can learn more about building e-communities. Many e-communities are a big trend right now and they can check us out at bizmyredstringcom if they're interested in e-communities.
Speaker 2:
Great, absolutely Build the communities, for sure, bruce. It was such a pleasure for having you on the communities. Great, absolutely Build the communities, for sure, bruce. It was such a pleasure for having you on the show and we wish you and your business the best moving forward. And I'd like to side note really quick and just say that or will you watch the finals? Will you watch the NBA?
Speaker 3:
Absolutely, absolutely, and I may even root for the Celtics, which is having to put aside a lot, but I like the Celtics, they're a great team to watch. So that's great for the Celtics, which is having to put aside a lot, but I like the Celtics, they're a great team to watch.
Speaker 2:
That's great. Go Boston Celtics right. But yes, thank you, Bruce, it's been a pleasure. Thank you for being on the show. We wish you guys the best moving forward.
Speaker 3:
Thank you. You too, liz. I appreciate this, and I wish you and Good Neighbor Podcast all the best.
Speaker 1:
Thank Cast all the best. Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnppalmercom. That's gnppalmercom, or call 413-414-5940.