Ropho - Pleasure and Business After 60

Author: stevek

  • Rivalry, Rioja, and Resilience: A Grandfather’s FA Cup Joy

    I didn’t intend to write a post today, as this being a Monday bank holiday.

    My next instalment of building or reviving a business series for over 60s.

    Will be posted tomorrow, when hopefully our thoughts will have turned from holiday mode into how, can I make some money mode and still enjoy myself in my sixties.

    I felt compelled to write this post because of a sporting event and a developing rivalry with my 11 year old grandson.

    If you have been following my story you may know I love sport and love following Southampton FC.

    With all the emotional ups and downs following your favourite sports team brings.

    Supporting Southampton FC Love, Loyalty and Lifelong Suffering

    Which brings me to this Saturday evening when I sat down with a lovely glass of Rioja by my side.

    Ready to watch Southampton take on Arsenal in the quarter finals of the FA cup.

    The Emotional Rollercoaster of a Sports Fan

    I am like a lot of people I know, a curious mixture of optimism and pessimism.

    The type laced with hope and fear, sheer joy when your team scores the first goal, makes that early try or the batsman takes the fast bowler to the cleaners in the opening couple of overs.

    Only for that veil of pessimism to slowly draw over you and create a feeling of impending doom.

    “That’s it we will sit back make a self inflicted mistake they will sore then we will get hammered.”

    “The batsman is going to get carried away, and will nick the ball to first slip.” etc, etc.

    Well for some unknown totally irrational reason I had a feeling we could create an upset and beat the Premier league leaders.

    A House Divided: Southampton vs Arsenal

    What made this even more interesting than usual, my 11 year old grandson is an Arsenal fan.

    We actually now live in close proximity to arsenal’s training ground.

    I have always made a thing with him, that you should if possible support your local team, and as his dad is a North Londoner who supports Arsenal it was inevitable that he would follow that path.

    I also made it very clear, it is an unbreakable rule that once you’ve made that decision you have to support them through thick or thin.

    So to the match.

    The match started reasonably from my point of view.

    Arsenal whilst creating a bit more than us, weren’t making me that worried, and we indeed had a couple of clear chances.

    When Support Turns to Rivalry

    In the 35th Southampton scored the first goal, my phone rang it was my grandson, I was going a little crazy with happiness.

    ” Ha lucky goal” says grandson, don’t worry we will equalise soon and beat you 3-1.

    Now that’s it!

    For once I didn’t have that veil of impeding doom coming over me, it was something quite different.

    A stirring feeling of rivalry that felt a bit strange.

    This is the boy, that, every Sunday for the last four years I have been getting up early to take him to watch him play.

    In all weathers shouting encouragement at him, delighting when he makes a great tackle or goes on a marauding run down the wing.

    Well I must say this was totally different no we are going to win.

    Even when arsenal equalised I felt sure we would win, and sure enough in the 85th minute we scored the winning goal.

    My grandson had gone quiet and ignored my phone call.

    The Beauty of the Game (and the Banter)

    So it’s begun, he came to our house for the traditional family Easter lunch.

    I started to tease, him or do I thought, I don’t want to upset him.

    Then he said he wasn’t upset because it was only the FA cup and Arsenal were going to win the premier league and champions league anyway.

    So maybe the rivalry is only building in my head because Southampton aren’t a threat, as he sees it.

    But this just shows how fantastic following a team is.

    Grandad and grandson are both happy and very optimistic for now,.

    Or though you know the inevitable losses will come at some point in the future.

    But it just doesn’t matter because this weekend has been a great weekend.

    Next week back to shouting encouragement to grandson.

    Sport, wow fantastic.

    Now to finish that gardening I promised to do at the start of the weekend.

    Let me know if you are ever unexpectedly happy or unhappy at sports events, or is there something else that makes you glad to be alive, all comments are very welcome.

    “That same spirit of ‘irrational optimism’ I felt during the match?

    It’s exactly what we need when starting a new venture.

    Tune in tomorrow for the next instalment of my business series for the over 60s!”

    Contact

  • Mowers (Eventually) and Merlot (Now): My Friday Reset

    “Easter Bank Holiday Balance”

    “The plan was to be knee-deep in moss and lawn clippings by now, but the British weather has other ideas.

    So, while I wait for the patio to dry, I’m reflecting on a great Hampshire find and prepping for the sun’s return…”

    Before the garden chores called, we spent last weekend in Hampshire for a baby shower, in the evening, we found ourselves at The Bugle in Hamble, and it hit that “sweet spot” I’m always looking for.

    • The Vibe: Nautical, historic, and bustling.
    • The “Yes—Sensibly” Choice: I stuck to the fresh local seafood. It was light, vibrant, and meant I had plenty of “calorie credit” left when the waiter started talking about the wine list.
    • Verdict: 5/5 for service that feels friendly but professional. A proper “grown-up” pub.

    The “Bank Holiday” First Cut

    The sun is out, this weekend allegedly, although a look out the window, it’s cloudy oh well!, Saturday, Sunday shows promise according to the weather forecast.

    “The plan was to be knee-deep in moss and lawn clippings by now, but the British weather has other ideas. So, while I wait for the patio to dry, I’m reflecting on a great Hampshire find and prepping for the sun’s return…”

    If your lawn looks like mine, it’s currently a hay field.

    • The Mistake: Scalping the grass. Don’t do it!
    • The Fix: Set your mower to its highest setting. Think of it as a tidy-up rather than a transformation. You’ll save the grass from turning brown, and you’ll still clock up 5,000 steps before lunch.
    • The Reward: Gardening counts as resistance training in my book. It’s the perfect excuse for a glass of something cold later.

    The Friday Find: A Rioja Under £15

    Since it’s a Bank Holiday, you need a “Safe Bet” bottle, doesn’t have to be a Merlot, I’ve just found this lovely Rioja.

    • The Selection: Marqués de Riscal Rioja Reserva (Check your local supermarket—usually around £12-£14).
    • The Vibe: It’s smooth, classic, and feels like a celebration.
    • Coming Soon: Speaking of celebrations, I’ve just discovered a new favorite Italian restaurant in Shenley.
    • It was the perfect “refuel” after a long walk this week. I’ll be sharing the full review, and whether their pasta passes the “Balance” test, very soon.

    “I’m always on the hunt for those hidden gems, the kind of place where the food is great but you can actually hear yourself think.

    Have you found a local Italian or a proper food pub recently that’s worth the drive?

    Drop me an email or leave a comment—I’d love to add it to my ‘Yes map!”

    Contact

  • The Over-60 Paradox: Powerful Yet Often Overlooked

    “The Over-60 Paradox: From Invisible to Undiscovered

    Grandmother Conversation

    Last week I shared some thoughts on perspective and purpose, and on how our priorities often shift as we move into life after 60.

    The response was unexpected and deeply moving. One reader’s message in particular stayed with me.

    She explained how she has become a full-time childminder for her grandchildren to help her family cope with the cost-of-living crisis.

    She does it out of love.

    But she admitted to a quiet, creeping feeling of being under-appreciated.

    Not just by her family, but by a world that seems to assume her time for learning or striving has somehow passed.

    I suspect her message resonated with more people than she might realise.

    Across the country, people in their sixties find themselves quietly stepping into supporting roles.

    Helping with grandchildren, offering advice, filling the gaps that modern life seems to create.

    Another reader left a comment that made me pause for a moment.

    She explained that at sixty-eight she is helping care for her ninety-year-old mother.

    It reminded me just how complicated this stage of life can be.

    Many people in their sixties are not simply slowing down.

    They are quietly supporting both generations, helping children with grandchildren while also caring for ageing parents.

    Invisible perhaps to society at times, but absolutely central to their families.

    Most do it willingly, even happily.

    But somewhere in the background there is often another thought.

    Is this all there is now?

    Or is there still something more I could be doing?

    It made me realise that many of us may be wrestling with a strange paradox.

    The Great Disconnect

    If you look at the world stage, people in their sixties and seventies are everywhere.

    They are heads of state, chief executives, and the people making some of the most important decisions in business and politics.

    Yet back in everyday life, many people in this same age group quietly report feeling increasingly invisible.

    We see it in small ways.

    A barista serving younger customers first.

    Advertising and social media that seem to focus almost entirely on youth.

    And a subtle cultural message suggesting that once you reach a certain age you should take your bus pass, slow down, and quietly step away from the stage.

    The more I thought about those messages, the more I realised something important.

    These people are not simply “helping out.”

    In many families they are the quiet stabilising force holding several generations together.

    Active Wisdom

    We need to stop viewing our past as a closed book and start seeing it as Active Wisdom.

    This isn’t about nostalgic reminiscing.

    It’s about applying decades of problem-solving, resilience, and emotional intelligence to the present, whether you have spent your life working hard, running a business, or raising a family.

    Whether you are navigating complex family dynamics or launching a digital project like ROPHO.

    You carry a kind of shorthand for life that only comes with time.

    Our experience isn’t a museum piece.

    It’s a toolbox full of insight, judgement, and understanding that we can still use.

    The Pivot Generation

    We are effectively the first generation to navigate this new “middle distance.”

    We aren’t old in the traditional sense, yet we are finished with the frantic building stage of our thirties and forties.

    We are the Pivot Generation.

    We have the opportunity to redefine what the years between sixty and eighty can look like.

    We are pivoting from the roles we once had to the purpose we now choose.

    The Three Freedoms

    While the media often focuses on what our generation might be “losing,” it rarely talks about the three freedoms we have gained.

    Freedom from Ego
    We no longer feel the desperate need to prove ourselves to everyone we meet.

    Freedom from the Climb
    The endless ladder-climbing is largely behind us, leaving space to focus on the quality of life itself.

    Freedom of Perspective
    Many people at this stage enjoy a level of stability and disposable income that allows for a different kind of risk.

    The risk of trying something new simply because it feels meaningful.

    From Invisible to Undiscovered

    If society sometimes chooses to look past us, perhaps we should stop seeing it as a slight and start seeing it as a strategic advantage.

    Being invisible can feel lonely.

    But being undiscovered is a position of power.

    It means we can build, learn, and reinvent ourselves without the heavy weight of other people’s expectations.

    There is a quiet, rebellious joy in being far more capable and ambitious than the world assumes.

    The 3-Hour Rule

    3 Hour Rule - One hour of protected, non-negotiable time, three times a week.

    The hardest part of this stage of life is often reclaiming our time from the many supporting roles we play for others.

    To combat this, I use a simple framework: The 3-Hour Rule.

    One hour of protected, non-negotiable time, three times a week.

    I personally use this time for strength training, because keeping the body fit and healthy is essential for the work I still want to do.

    But it can be anything.

    Learning a new tech skill.
    Writing.
    Exploring a business idea.
    Developing a creative interest.

    This isn’t just “me time.”

    It is a scheduled appointment with your future.

    It becomes the bridge between thinking about a new chapter and actually living it.

    And it ensures that while we are busy being the stabilising force for our families, we don’t accidentally disappear ourselves.

    The Real Opportunity

    After sixty, the goal is not to drift quietly toward a finish line.

    It is to choose a new direction with clarity and purpose.

    That, in many ways, is the spirit behind ROPHO.

    We have every right to be proud of where we’ve been.

    But we have an even greater right to be excited about where we are going.

    Contact
    Newsletter

    Read More – Style Over 60: Why Attitude Matters More than Age

  • Dreams and Vision: The First Step in Building a Business

    Dreams and Vision: The First Step in Building a Business

    Dreams and Vision: The Dream Starts the Ball Rolling, the Vision Scores the Goal

    Dreams and Vision, we should all dream in every part of our lives, next special holiday, new house or that spectacular sports car however you can’t turn a dream into reality without a vision.

    This is especially true if you are thinking of starting or rejuvenating a business.

    Most businesses begin with a dream.

    It might be a simple dream.

    More independence, a new challenge, or the desire to turn a lifelong interest into something meaningful.

    When you are young your dreams can be quite rightly huge.

    ” I want to be the next Richard Branson or Bill Gates”

    “Or I have a product idea that will make millions.”

    However for many of us in our sixties things change, dreams become different.

    They can still be big, as the saying goes, never stop dreaming, however now, that dream is also about purpose.

    After decades of meeting responsibilities, there is often a powerful feeling that we still have more to contribute.

    Dreams provide the energy and the courage to start. Without them, nothing new happens.

    But in business, a dream on its own is a starter motor without a steering wheel.

    Vision is what turns that inspiration into direction. It is shaped by evidence, research, and a shift from imaginative thinking to evidence-based planning.

    The Difference Between Dreams and Vision

    A dream is emotional and inward-looking. It’s the spark:

    • “I want to create something I can be proud of.”
    • “I don’t want to feel irrelevant as I get older.”

    A vision, however, is practical. It’s outward-looking. It asks:

    • Who will actually buy what I am offering?
    • What problem am I solving for them?
    • What does success look like in three years?

    Where Many Businesses Go Wrong

    In my years of consulting, I’ve seen two common pitfalls:

    1. The Product Without a Customer: The owner has an excellent service but assumes “everyone” will want it. They rely on enthusiasm rather than evidence, leading to inconsistent sales and fading confidence.
    2. The Market Without a Solution: The owner knows who they want to sell to, but their product doesn’t actually solve a genuine problem for that group.

    A successful business is built where your dream meets customer reality.

    Turning Dreams into Reality: The Research Toolkit

    Research doesn’t kill dreams; it provides the foundation for them to flourish.

    If you are starting or reshaping a business later in life, you likely have a lower appetite for unnecessary risk. Clarity is your best investment.

    To move from “I hope” to “I know,” focus on these five pillars of research:

    • Market Validation: Don’t guess, verify. Create “customer personas” to define exactly who your buyer is. Speak to at least five potential customers. Are they actually willing to pay for your solution?
    • Competitor Analysis: Who else is in the space? Use a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) to find the gaps they’ve missed. That gap is where your business lives.
    • Financial Feasibility: Be honest with the numbers. Calculate your startup costs and your “break-even” point. Knowing how much capital you need, and how long it will take to see a profit, prevents sleepless nights.
    • Operational Logistics: Map out the “how.” Identify your suppliers, the technology you’ll need, and your physical or digital location requirements.
    • Legal & Regulatory Compliance: Protect what you build. Investigate the necessary licenses and decide on your business structure (whether that’s a Sole Trader, LLC, or beyond).

    A Stronger Starting Point

    Dreams give us the courage to act, but vision gives us the confidence to continue.

    This process isn’t about dampening your ambition. It’s about giving your ambition a realistic foundation.

    When your inspiration is supported by research, you create something far more than a hobby, you create something stable, rewarding, and genuinely useful.

    In the coming weeks, I’ll be exploring other aspects of building a business after 60, from assessing personal readiness to creating sustainable growth.

    Because the strongest businesses are rarely built on enthusiasm alone, they are built on clear thinking and a willingness to learn.

    Contact
    Newsletter

    Week Two – Business After 60: Week 2 of 8 | The Map to Your Dream

  • Life After 60: Why It Gets Busier, Not Slower

    Life After 60: Why It Gets Busier, Not Slower

    There’s a strange assumption about getting older, especially life after 60′ and it is that, somehow life becomes quieter, smaller and more predictable.

    This week proved the exact opposite.

    In the space of a few days I’ve gone from, looking forward to a relaxing weekend in Hampshire, catching up with family and friends, a baby shower, visiting a nice restaurant or two.

    The plan included driving down to Winchester on Friday, having a nice lunch, and then booking into a nice hotel for a bit of me and Sharon time before meeting up with family on Saturday.

    And if I’m honest!

    It didn’t go to plan.

    I had things I wanted to get done, posts I wanted finished earlier, a clearer structure in my head.

    But life had other ideas, and maybe that’s the point.

    Work and this website took over in a good way, extra meetings took place, website maintenance was required due to a significant increase in traffic which is fantastic.

    It all meant that Friday had to be cancelled and instead take the trip from our home in Hertfordshire to Hampshire on Saturday instead.

    Because what I realised this week is this:

    Life after 60 isn’t quieter — it’s fuller.

    It’s family, it’s memories, it’s still working things out, it’s still wanting to build something.

    And it doesn’t neatly fit into a perfect plan anymore.

    But here’s where it gets interesting, we spend years planning careers, families, businesses, finances etc.

    Yet very few of us ever step back and plan this stage of life, we think we have, a retirement plan, then we get there or close to it and everything seems to change.

    Or is that just me?

    Starting to re-jig my plan, not rigidly, but intentionally.

    Because if you don’t!

    Life just fills the space for you.

    This week wasn’t a mess.

    It was a full life.

    And maybe that’s the shift.

    After 60 isn’t about slowing down.

    It’s about choosing what matters
    and making space for it.

    Even when it doesn’t all go to plan.

    Part of the weekend that will go to plan

    Baby Shower

    The main reason for travelling to Hampshire this weekend will be to attend my son and his partners baby shower

    Baby showers still make me smile. Until fairly recently I only had a vague idea what one actually involved.

    Sharon and our daughters have been to a few and always came back smiling, so I assumed it was one of those mysterious events that men don’t need to understand too deeply.

    Then I got invited to my sister-in-law’s son’s baby shower, and I was hooked.

    Not a macho thing to say probably, but it gave me a sense that life and families always move forward.

    Sometimes chaotically and sometimes planned but always moving to new pastures, new adventures, sometimes loss and tragedy but always moving forward.

    I have even looked up the origins of baby showers thinking it was probably an american thing that has grown in the UK and Europe.

    Apparently, although gaining popularity in the US, it is a modern mix of old traditions, part advice-sharing, part “bring something useful”, and part excuse for cake and a good natter.

    As I conclude this post which is about how to balance life and family I guess.

    Please let me know how your me time or weekends get disrupted in your 60’s and how you plan a balanced life.

    Or is it just not possible.

    Please feel free to leave a message.

    Contact

    Life After 60 – Small business Ideas

    A few people have asked me this week:

    “Is there something small I could do, maybe online…
    something to get started again?”

    I’ll share some practical ideas next week — simple, realistic, no-nonsense.

    Because there are options.

    And they don’t have to be complicated.

    Coming up next week!

    Monday – Business Series – Dreams or Vision? Dreams or Vision? First in a new series on the fundamentals of running a business in your 60’s

    Wednesday — Fitness, Mindset & Balance
    Update on my planned skydiving fundraising challenge.

    Friday — Lifestyle & Frivolity
    Travel ideas, places to eat, walks, reflections and reminders that enjoying life is essential.

  • A Year of Perspective: Why I’m Changing Direction Now

    Ten Weeks That Changed My Thinking

    This Thursday will mark ten weeks since I published my first ROPHO post.

    What began as a small hobby with a vague idea of one day replacing my day-to-day consultancy work, has gradually grown into something much bigger in my thoughts.

    During that time, life has continued to do what life does, presenting challenges, unexpected pauses and moments of clarity.

    Trying to balance family worries, existing business commitments and my own health has forced me to think carefully about what I really want the next chapter to look like.

    ROPHO has gradually worked its way into my daily routine and, if I am being truthful, into most of my waking thoughts.

    Ideas arrive when I’m walking the dog, travelling to client meetings, or trying to switch off late at night.

    Like many people in their sixties, I am learning how to balance ambition with the realities of life.

    There is still my consultancy work to deliver, there are clients relying on advice and support.


    There is also the responsibility of being part of a large and close family.

    And over the past year there has also been something far more important than work or personal projects.

    When Life Presses Pause

    Our daughter has been fighting breast cancer.

    For many months our lives have felt as though they were quietly on hold.

    We tried to stay positive while, in truth, preparing ourselves emotionally for the worst.

    Recently we received the news that every family hopes and prays for, she has now been given the all clear.

    Relief does not feel like a strong enough word.

    The Moment Everything Felt Different

    Experiences like this change your perspective in ways that are hard to describe.

    They make you reflect deeply on time, purpose, and what you really want from the years ahead.

    Rethinking Work, Time and Energy

    For most of my working life I have been involved in running businesses and advising, mainly face to face with clients, often travelling and spending long hours away from home.

    It has been rewarding and has given me opportunities I am very grateful for.

    But it has also been demanding and at times all-consuming.

    Over recent months I have realised that I no longer want to structure my life in quite the same way.

    I will continue to support a small number of long-term clients, but increasingly in a more flexible way, working online rather than constantly being on the road.

    This decision is not about slowing down, It is about choosing how I spend my time.

    It is about creating space to build something I genuinely enjoy and believe in.

    That “something” is ROPHO.

    Choosing Purpose Over Habit

    What began as a small personal project is now becoming a clear part of how I want to spend this next chapter.

    Sharing experience, learning new skills, staying active, and hopefully encouraging others to make the most of their own time as well.

    Starting something new after 60 is not about having perfect conditions or endless energy.

    It is about commitment, belief and the willingness to keep moving forward even when life feels uncertain.

    Living through the past year has reinforced one simple idea for me:

    Contentment does not come from doing less, it comes from doing what feels meaningful and fun.

    For me, that now means building ROPHO with purpose and intention.

    What Happens Next

    As I look ahead, I know that changing direction now is not about slowing down, it is about being more intentional with the time and energy I have.

    Building ROPHO will require discipline, patience and belief, but it also brings a sense of purpose that feels increasingly important.

    Over the coming weeks I plan to develop the business, health, and lifestyle themes in a more structured way.

    I would like to share more of the practical lessons I have learned during my career and personal life.

    Because after sixty, the real opportunity is not to drift, but to choose your direction with clarity and confidence.

    If any part of this journey resonates with you, you are very welcome to subscribe, comment, or simply follow along.
    We are all still writing our stories.

    Contact
    Newsletter
WordPress Cookie Plugin by Real Cookie Banner