Still sitting on the fence whether you should apply for a WISE 50 over 50 Award? When I launched the inaugural awards in 2017, there was some skepticism. And I got it, as they were the first awards, and no one knew much about WISE – Seniors in Business or myself, Wendy Mayhew. But, I was determined to stand up for successful business owners who started a business after the age of 50. And it worked! The 2018 awards had an increase of 24% of applicants and 30% in support. I can’t wait to see what 2019 brings.

But, don’t take my word for it, read what some of the previous WISE 50 over 50 Award winners have to say:

 

Michael Boyd - Podcast Atlantic, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia

Dan Doiron – Live Centre Stage, Halifax, Nova Scotia

Marie-Claire Chartrand – Greywave Senior Care Consulting, Halifax, Nova Scotia

 

As a senior entrepreneur leaving a mature business to start a promising new digital health start-up, finding like-minded organizations and individuals to affiliate with is difficult. Without taking away from their place in the ecosystem, there are many incubators, mentorship groups, meet-ups, hackathons, and pitch night events very much geared to a first-time entrepreneur under 30. To be invited as a finalist for the WISE 50 OVER 50 Awards in Ottawa last year, surrounded by fellow business dreamers over 50, to meet WISE’s founder, the irrepressible Wendy Mayhew, and to be part meetings she had scheduled for us with key legislators on the Hill who took time to hear about what unique challenges exist for the seniorpreneur was amazing.

I came home not feeling like I was an anomaly in my community, but a portent of great things to come for seniors starting new businesses after 50 and succeeding at rates that far surpass our youthful counterparts.

Catherine Winckler
Founder & CEO
MindfulGarden
www.mindfulgarden.com

So grateful to Wendy Mayhew for all of the opportunities she provided to the Wise 50 Over 50 Winners – and for encouraging us to take part even when some of us felt a bit intimidated.

The connections and learning were amazing!

Patti Koeslag
Life-Cycle Celebrant™
www.thresholds-of-life.com

Thank you, Wendy, for all your hard work and perseverance in bringing our issues to the forefront and for making these awards a reality this year. Thankful also for the connections with you and the other winners.

It was a fabulous two days!

Carmelita Morgan
Carma Yoga with Carmelita Morgan
www.carmayoga.ca

Thank you, Wendy, for all you’ve done for this year’s 50 over 50 winners. Your drive, passion, commitment and dedication to this initiative is very evident indeed! I hope you are pleased with what you’ve accomplished.

Glenn Lidstone
StoneHouseMarketing Solutions Inc.
www.shmsinc.com

Exciting day today! The Start-Up Canada Day Event, the round table event at The Chamber of Commerce, the cocktail party at Rhapsody Strategies, and finally dinner at Lux. Very hard to say goodbye. A wonderful few days with many new connections.

Thank you so much, Wendy Mayhew! You made it all happen!

Carol Dale
Co-Founder
For the Diva in You
www.4thedivainyou.com

Being a WISE 50 over 50 Award winner for 2017, gives me hope that we are not the forgotten sector of Entrepreneurs in Canada. That we are being recognized as a vibrant people with vision, energy and life experience skills regardless of our age, that move us forward in exciting new business endeavours, creating new jobs, breaking new ground in all areas business. It is a very exciting time to be alive.

I encourage others to put your name forward to be recognized as Canada’s new leaders in Entrepreneurism.

Perry Gotell
Owner/Operator
Tranquility Cove Adventures
www.tcapei.com

“Being chosen as one of the 50 Over 50 Award Winners was very affirming, given the rigorous process and the panel of expert judges. Being recognized among a community of entries from across Canada, was certainly an honour.

As a result of winning, not only did we gain enhanced credibility within our professional community and with past and future clients, we received two gifts in kind. These have positively impacted our business and supported us in our planning for what promises to be an incredible year ahead.

We would highly recommend others to take advantage of this exceptional opportunity.”

Marlene Armstrong and Maureen Donoghue
Certified Equus Coaches
Unbridled Coaching – People Whispering
Corporate and Life Coaching
www.unbridledcoaching.com

To be nominated and judged as one of the WISE 50 Over 50 Winners in Canada gave us perspective on our achievement. We felt refreshed by the supportive atmosphere of the Awards Presentation. It was an opportunity to stop, reflect on what it took to build our business, and hear other entrepreneurs share similar insights.

Ken Grant
President, Managing Partner
Dunvegan Loyalty Builders Inc.
www.dunveganloyalty.ca

Entrepreneurship can be a lonely road in the first years of a business. For me personally, the Wise Awards presented a wonderful opportunity to “meet my peeps”, hear and share stories and to be inspired by the courage, determination and wide range of businesses being built by Wise Entrepreneurs.  

Startup Canada Day on the Hill also presented a chance to step out and look at entrepreneurship in Canada from a much broader perspective. It was so interesting to hear from various levels of government, to have a chance to share input and to speak with successful entrepreneurs who are working and in many cases, volunteering to help Canadians of all ages feel empowered and supported to startup and run their own businesses.

For Rillea Technologies, the mentorship obtained as a result of the Wise Awards has been priceless. Rillea’s founders continue to meet regularly with these mentors who have pushed our company thinking to evolve much more rapidly than it would have otherwise.

Lisa Hallsworth
Chief Executive Officer
Rillea Technologies Inc.
www.rilleatechnologies.com

“I was not quite sure what to expect about the Hootsuite Training prize, but it was a real treat. Corina first found out about my business plans and needs. Then she tailored a one-hour training session to specifically deal with my situation. It was excellent. She was friendly, helpful, had great questions and advice; and she listened to me.

Not only was the training helpful, but it also convinced me to become one of their customers (with no sales pitch from them). I am very happy with the prize, thankful to Wendy for setting it up, and a big supporter of Wise 50 over 50.”

Paul von Wittgenstein
CEO
Baby World Language Ltd.
www.babyworldlanguage.cn

I am of the mind that being touted for starting a business at 50+ shows kick ass guts, energy & optimism. While a lot of my friends are starting to wind up their work careers & heading down towards retirement I am passing them on the way up.

Being chosen as one of the 50 over 50 awardees has given teeth to my business & has spurred me to continue on with my vision & quest. It has bolstered my commitment to keep on with my goals & has touted the fact that my age is a positive, not a negative in this youth enamoured world we inhabit.

Jill Fisher
Founder
Lighthouse Lemonade
www.lhlemonade.com

I wanted to let you know that my time together with Coach Christine is complete. I let her know how much I appreciated her offerings of time and talent as a gift for my being one of the winners of the 50 Over 50 awards last year.

I found her very easy to talk to and she helped me gain insight and come up with strategies to work on the issues we identified in my personal and work life. I would highly recommend her to others and may hire her myself in the future.

Helen McKinnon
Proprietor & Counsellor
A Holding Place
aholdingplace.ca

The 2017 50 over 50 award was particularly special for me. It’s wonderful to be recognized for the impacts we are continuing to make on the world, regardless of age.

Valerie Fox
Chief Innovation Consultant
The Pivotal Point
thepivotalpoint.ca

I was honored to have been recognized as one of the award winners of the 2017 WISE 50 over 50 Awards. First, the opportunity to recognize leaders and entrepreneurs who started a business in their 50s was groundbreaking. The support from business organizations sharing information on the awards and the excellent process by the award program itself was impressive

The award has provided tremendous exposure for GO Productivity and the work we do across Canada. And it has also brought wonderful connections – not just within Canada, but internationally for me personally. I have also learned from my fellow award members as I learned about their respective businesses and leadership qualities. I again am grateful to have been part of this experience.

Lori Schmidt
CEO
GO Productivity
goproductivity.ca

The whole team at Boomersplus.com was honoured and excited to be included among the winners of the WISE 50 Over 50 awards, which recognizes the accomplishments of start-ups founded by entrepreneurs over 50.

The awards provided us with valuable recognition of our hard work and progress and an additional avenue to showcase our company and its vision to like-minded companies and individuals. We’re grateful to have achieved this milestone and thrilled to have organizations like WISE 50 over 50 support companies like ours as we continue to move forward.

The Boomnersplus Team
boomersplus.com