Used to be that women over 50 were expected to slow down and become matronly grandmothers. They were supposed to find mild-mannered hobbies to quietly bide their time while growing old. Well, scrap that concept!! A new company formed by women for women is launching a national website and community expressly for women over 50 who don't buy into that boring role.
WOMENetcetera!, online at www.womenetcetera.com, is poised to become 'the go-to' place not only for social networking and relationship building but also for serious topics like work and careers, financial security and medical issues.
Suzanne Caplan, a successful business writer, mentoring consultant and co-founder of Women ETC Inc. believes the web is not being used to its fullest potential by those over 50. That's why her company has designed its internet-based community to meet the interests of today's modern, mature woman.
"This is not your grandma's cookie company," says Caplan. "Today's mature women are not just sitting around trying to stay busy in between visits from the grandkids. They're vibrant, active and experiencing a liberating new phase of their lives. They're pursuing interests and opportunities they couldn't take when they were younger and meeting everyone else's needs."
WOMENetcetera! stretches beyond the internet and into real communities. Company leaders will recruit and train a group of women to present programs on wellness, life planning and balance, financial enhancement and welcoming new opportunities. They will also form local community chapters, encouraging women to develop actual face-to-face individual relationships and support networks. This personal interaction will bring vitality to the participating women and to their communities as well.
"Our programming incorporates life experience and its effect on the choices that women have made in their lives," says Caplan. "We're like the Girl Scouts for grownups. In Girl Scouts you learned and had fun. We do the same thing by offering informational programs that range from health concerns to financial literacy, to second or third careers. Plus the social factor is akin to sitting around the campfire with your friends."
WOMENetcetera! is also a business opportunity. Ultimately, the site's prominent national presence will include webinars as well as blogs and daily updates on news and events that are important to mature women. The company will also feature local learning programs and other benefits that will make it a 'one stop shop' for clients who will pay monthly fees for membership and modest fees for programming.
The buzz about this community hub for mature, modern women is generating excitement among corporate sponsors who are eager to promote their products and services to this burgeoning market. Women who join WOMENetcetera! as a business venture can earn money from licensing and training fees for value added resellers, royalties from membership fees, web fees, corporate sponsorship and advertising opportunities.
"To sum it all up, we will be a trusted portal for active women over the age of 50 to look for the information they need, want and can contribute to," says Caplan. "We are eager to help invigorate and inspire women who want to reclaim and change their lives."
Suzanne Caplan is a highly successful business writer, consultant and public speaker. She has published 12 books and her work has appeared in several magazines including Small Business Reports and Saavy Magazine.
