SBA, AARP hosting ‘National Encore Entrepreneur Mentor Day’
The Puerto Rico office of the U.S. Small Business Administration and AARP Puerto Rico will team up Oct. 2 to host the first “National Encore Entrepreneur Mentor Day.” The event, dubbed as “Encore Entrepreneurship: from Baby Boomer to Business Owner,” targets entrepreneurs over the age of 50 to match these “encore entrepreneurs” with successful business owners and community leaders for advice and assistance.
“National Encore Entrepreneur Mentor Day” is part of a larger national effort by SBA and AARP to promote entrepreneurship among individuals ages 50 and older. The activity taking place at the SBA’s Hato Rey offices will consist of events that will match encore entrepreneurs with mentors who have small business experience.
Events will include speed mentoring allowing mentors and entrepreneurs to share information for five-minute sessions. The agenda seeks to help connect encore entrepreneurs with mentors from the Puerto Rico Small Business & Technology Development Center, the Women’s Business Institute and the Puerto Rico SCORE chapter, who can help throughout the life of an entrepreneur’s business.
With one in four individuals ages 44 to 70 interested in becoming entrepreneurs, and 63 percent of Americans planning to work during retirement, small business ownership is a good option. Small business owners with long-term counselors see bigger sales, hire more workers and last longer. SBA and AARP will provide the training and mentoring services older entrepreneurs need to successfully start and grow businesses and create jobs.
