Why Women 50+ Are Poised to Lead the Next Wave of Entrepreneurship

The New Face of the Entrepreneur

Forget the outdated image of who starts a business. The most powerful and fastest-growing group of new entrepreneurs? Women over 50.

They're not retiring quietly. They're stepping up—armed with experience, purpose, and a deep desire to build something that finally reflects them.

This isn't about starting over. It's about stepping into ownership of your time, your talents, and your future.

And the numbers back up:

• Women over 50 represent nearly one-third of all female business owners in the U.S.

• (Source: U.S. Census Bureau Annual Business Survey, 2023)

• Adults aged 55–64 now have the highest rate of new entrepreneurial activity in the country, even higher than those in their 20s and 30s.

• (Source: Kauffman Foundation, "Trends in Entrepreneurship," 2023)

• Among women starting businesses, those over 45 report the highest levels of confidence and business survival rates.

• (Source: SCORE "The Megaphone of Main Street: Women Entrepreneurs," 2022)

Businesses Built on Real Experience

By 50, most women have lived through more reinvention than any startup accelerator could ever teach. They've run households, led teams, managed crises, supported families, and balanced it all with little recognition. They've negotiated deals at work and with teenagers. They've kept budgets on track and people on course. They've been the steady hand in the storm.

And now? They're ready to build on all of it.

Whether it's launching a consulting practice, opening a boutique, starting a service company, or growing an online platform, women over 50 are not navigating business blindly. They are drawing on decades of lived wisdom.

This isn't beginner energy. This is seasoned power.

What's Holding Them Back Isn't Ability

It's not a lack of skill, confidence, or creativity. What slows them down is the noise: complicated advice, flashy promises, tech overload, and messaging that feels like it wasn't written for them.

What women 50+ need is:

• Straightforward, respectful guidance

• Tools that make life simpler, not more confusing

• True encouragement speaks from truth, not empty praise

• A step-by-step plan that fits their values and pace

They don't need a trend—they need a trusted guide.

Why I Started Ladies Launch with AI

Before launching Ladies Launch with AI, I created the Ladies Launch Club, a supportive space where women can come together, share ideas, and build confidence in ownership. However, I realized that many of these same women were hungry for more than just conversation. They wanted structure. Tools. Momentum.

That's when Ladies Launch with AI was born.

It's a platform designed specifically for women over 50 who are ready to turn their vision into a tangible reality. We offer support that makes sense without jargon or overwhelm. We don't focus on complexity. We focus on clarity.

It all begins with one question:

What do you want to build—and what's the simplest way to get there?

Once that's answered, we create a roadmap. Together, we identify your priorities, refine your message, and build a business that reflects exactly who you are today.

You Don't Need Permission—Just a Place to Start

If you're a woman over 50 with an idea—or even just a quiet inner voice nudging, you toward something more—you don't need to wait for someone to tell you it's time.

It is time.

You've done the hard work. You've shown up for everyone else. Now, it's time to build something that belongs entirely to you.

And I'd be honored to help you take that first step.

About the Author

Kathy McShane is the founder of Ladies Launch with AI, a platform built to help women over 50 start and grow businesses with confidence, clarity, and practical support.

She began this work after founding Ladies Launch Club, which provided the community with a space that gave women the opportunity to explore the possibilities of business ownership together. Earlier in her career, Kathy founded and led a multimillion-dollar communications agency, which served clients such as HBO, Showtime, Citicorp, and JPMorgan Chase.

She later served as Assistant Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration's Office of Women's Business Ownership, where she oversaw national programs that supported women entrepreneurs at every stage of their business journey.

Kathy has been honored by Microsoft, CBS News, and the National Association of Women Business Owners for her leadership and commitment to women's advancement in business. She also serves as a founding board member of Bankwell (formerly Bank of New Canaan) and Norwalk Hospital. She has held board roles in several nonprofits dedicated to education, health, and economic empowerment.

Now based in Washington, D.C., Kathy continues to mentor women, lead workshops, and speak on the unique power of launching a business later in life.