Case studies

Here’s where to find case studies of our clients, media stories about them and other older entrepreneurs, and finally more academic research about who PRIME is reaching and what olderpreneurs are doing.

What these stories and statistics show is that far from being the preserve of youth, older people in large numbers have the entrepreneurial qualities to get new businesses off the ground.

Recent case studies

• Elizabeth Newman, Pampered Pooch
• Tony Storer, Storers Store
• Angela Ricards, Purely Bowen
• Bob Rawal of Bell Court Packaging Solutions
• Suzy Kilgour, Walking Workouts

More people stories can be found via the right-hand side bar. These are:

Case studies, which are about people who have contacted PRIME and gone on to set up in business. We have written these to show what Olderpreneurs can achieve – but also to highlight the problems that can be encountered and difficulties that sometimes need to be overcome.

Media coverage consists mostly of stories that have appeared in newspapers and magazines about similar – or sometimes the same, people. Most of the time the media prefers to tell a cheerful success story. Nevertheless, the best of these articles also contain valuable lessons, enabling you to profit from the experience of others.

• BBC Panorama looks at fate of jobless over 50s
• BBC Sussex on Living Longer - the job market and older workers
• This is Money on More over 50s forced into self-employment
• Age barriers hit young and old in recession
• BBC Working Lunch showcases curry queen

Olderpreneur outcome study 2010
Around 45 per cent of those who contact PRIME do go ahead and set up their own businesses. Of the rest 41% were still considering it when contacted in our 2010 survey – and only 15% had given up.

Of course this doesn’t mean PRIME is responsible for getting all those new businesses started. Self-employment is all about having initiative and doing it for yourself.

Some people find they only need a little help from PRIME and that sets them going, while for others – particularly in areas where there has been heavy de-industrialisation or industry closure, a lot more help is required. Isolation can be a poblem for the new entrepreneur, so the value of a support network like PRIME’s is greater.

More research

If you're new here, you may also want to visit our main web site PRIME Business Club where we provide lots of practical information to support clients.