Entrepreneurship doesn’t come with an age limit. That was the key message at the launch of the Later Creator training programme in Warwickshire last week. Held at 1 Mill Street in Leamington Spa, the event brought together business leaders, educators, and policymakers to champion entrepreneurial ambitions for the over-50s.
Founded by Dr Isabella Moore CBE, the Later Creator initiative is designed to provide practical and emotional support to aspiring “olderpreneurs” through a mix of e-learning, mentoring, and in-person training. Dr Moore launched the programme as the latest milestone in her work with the Olderpreneur Alliance.
A Powerful Panel of Voices
The room was filled with energy, ideas, and inspiring conversations about turning experience into opportunity, with equally inspiring speakers:
- Maxine Laceby, Co-founder of Absolute Collagen, shared her journey from kitchen table startup to leading a £30m brand. “I am a Later Creator,” she said. “It’s all about being the woman that wasn’t there for me when I started.”
- Roger Scott, Area Director at Lloyds Bank, encouraged older entrepreneurs not to shy away from funding conversations: “We value the experience older business owners bring.”
- Corin Crane, CEO of Coventry & Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce, stressed the economic importance of unlocking later-life skills: “We need to bring experience back into the workplace.”
- Michael Garrett (Age UK), Dr Sharon Wagg (University of Sheffield), and Tracey Hudson (The HR Dept) explored themes of wellbeing, digital inclusion, and ageism in business.
Building Businesses at Any Age
Dr Moore, who has become a leading advocate for later life entrepreneurship, unveiled the new e-learning modules – the culmination of her own academic insight, lived experience and extensive consultation with experts in government, enterprise, health and education.
The Later Creator training programme offers three levels of expert support to help plan and kickstart a new business – from online and app-based learning to a full in-person training and mentoring programme, the focus of which is on building emotional support and soft skills that help lay the groundwork for developing the practical skills required to launch a sustainable business.
It is the latest product of Dr Moore’s work with The Olderpreneur Alliance, a social enterprise she established three years ago to offer both practical and emotional support to help realise the entrepreneurial ambitions of the over 50s.
Dr Moore is the founding director of Comtec Translations in Leamington – a company she sold and then bought back with her daughter at the age of 60. Her long list of accomplishments also include becoming the first female president of both the Coventry and Warwickshire and British Chambers of Commerce in 1999 and 2002.
Of the launch, she said: “It was inspiring to see so much energy, ideas, and commitment in the room as we came together to shine a light on later-life entrepreneurship. We discussed stereotypes, unlocking potential and creating real opportunities for people in later life.”
A Movement That’s Just Getting Started
The Later Creator launch wasn’t just an event — it was a statement of intent. It signalled a shift in how we value experience, challenge age-related assumptions, and empower people to pursue their ambitions at any stage of life. With a community of support now growing around the programme, and voices like Dr Moore and her fellow speakers leading the charge, the message is clear:
Later-life entrepreneurship is not a last resort — it’s a powerful, untapped force for innovation, economic growth, and personal fulfilment.
