It’s probably a bit of a bold statement to say that life begins in your mid-thirties. Some may agree with your twenties under your belt, 35 comes with a degree of certainty about your future.
No doubt many of us look back at our twenties wondering who we were and what we were thinking.
COVID-19 sparked a wave of change right through South Australia’s workforce. While many adjusted to new working environments, many chose to depart careers, and many were forced to leave secure employment, opting for drastic change and reinvention.
This was certainly the case for many of the 16 entrepreneurs that graduated from the encore program last week.
Much like its younger sibling SAYES, the encore program is a workshop and mentoring program for South Australians aged 35 and above, designed for individuals looking to either establish a new business or grow an existing one.
I often relate the program to the lyric by rapper Jay‑Z, “can I get an encore? do you want more?”… this is because many of the program’s participants are seeking more out of life than a 9 to 5 career. They are looking for flexibility, agility, freedom, creativity and to make their own rules.
Dustin Wilson, encore participant and resident the South Australian Business Chamber event photographers’ business, Pop Cultured Comms has skyrocketed since its conception in 2017. His learnings from the encore program over the last 12 months have delivered vision, strategy, and a new degree of sophistication to his business, something he certainly didn’t envisage having in his twenties.
Shane Burkett of Adelaide Horticultural Solutions started his business less than three years ago and recently won the rising star award at LandscapeSA’s awards of excellence.
Lisa Weidenhofer of WAGLIX is still working on her business roll-out but intends to launch a beverage range for dogs with products that contain supplements catering for canine health issues.
These are just a few of the amazing stories told by graduates of the encore program, with many more to come out of the soon-to-commence class of 2022.
I’m still not clearer on whether life begins at 35, but what the encore program does demonstrate, is no matter your age, or what stage your life is at, that reinvention is possible, and there are programs out there to support it.
There are still a few places remaining for the 2022 intake of the encore program. For more information visit business-sa.com/encore
