May Townhall Meeting -
Target Market: Baby Boomers & the Mature Market … How to get your share!
It has been said that they are the largest market, the wealthiest market and the market with very predicable needs.
Just who exactly are they? Where do they spend their money and how do you get some of it?
Our team of panellists will share their sage experience and answer your questions.
We explored:
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- What is the definition and differentiation of each market?
- What are their spending characteristics?
- What are the current trends?
- Is using social media effective with these two groups?
- Is there a niche that you could access?
… and much more!
Our Panellists were:
Luke Vorstermans:
Luke Vorstermans is the Publisher of Main Street Kelowna Magazines, a network of business owners who work together to find, serve, sell and keep more customers.
He is also the Founder and CEO of The Sense of Smell Lab (SOS), a world leader in pioneering products that use our sense of smell for health, wellness and sheer smelling pleasure (www.thesoslab.com).
Luke is a graduate of St. Mary‘s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and has developed a 30+ year career in small business management, publishing and business consulting. He has travelled extensively across North America, Europe, Russia and Southern Africa speaking, writing and consulting on the process of change and its impact on individuals, society and the workplace.
Recognizing the growing impact of the small business sector in the New Economy, Luke has focused on trend marketing and how changing demographics drives consumer spending. He has delivered seminars and consulting services on how small businesses can take advantage of the consumer and business trends that will drive our economy over the next two decades.
Mike Hassard
Mike is currently a Division Manager at Primerica Financial Services Kelowna and specializes in protecting families with term insurance, achieving debt freedom using debt elimination strategies, and investing/saving for future needs like retirement using a total needs approach.
Recently Mike has teamed up with Arron Dow of Farris Vaughan Wills & Murphy, Val Matheson/Dave Hall of 2 Place at Once and Tanis Read of Caldwell Banker Real Estate to address the growing needs of baby boomers dealing with aging parents. These seminars on downsizing have met with much enthusiasm from audiences as parent care is a big issue in the Okanagan.
Mike is the Past President at Okanagan Business Referral Group (Thursday).
Mike moved to the Okanagan Valley in 1992 with his wife Barbara and their two daughters to help open Future Shop in Kelowna. He was attracted to the Kelowna lifestyle and the great environment for my family.
He and his family are actively involved in a number of community events … such as the Kelowna Apple Triathlon, taking on the position as Vice President in 2008. The Kelowna Apple Triathlon is Cananda’s largest triathlon bringing more than 1,000 athletes to compete and involving more than 600 volunteers each year. This year’s event promises to be another success.
Mike is an active blogger since 2007 writing on subjects relating to personal finance at mikehassard.blogspot.com.
Nigel Brown:
Nigel Brown has been an entrepreneurial business person for over 40 years. He is a personal coach, facilitator, writer, collaborator - and a Canadian leader in the area of second half of life planning.
In 2000 he started to move away from his long-time background in the financial services business to coaching boomers who are within thinking distance of making that great transition from work to what’s next.
As Principal of Life Planning Matters™ (LPM), Nigel takes a leadership role among innovative thinkers and researchers in the life planning arena who ask: "What will bring meaning and purpose into people's lives once they have left their primary career? His organisation is acknowledged as one of Canada's best resources for life planning literacy.
He is also the Principal of Healthybrainmatters where he offers coaching & workshops on maintaining brain fitness.
In 2009, he formalized the CARP Okanagan Chapter to foster elder advocacy and research among the 2,500 local members. He is a Charter member of the Okanagan Professional Coaches Association (OPCA), a Canadian Chapter of International Coach Federation.
In 1983, Nigel co-founded The Make-A-Wish Foundation of Canada. This remains an important part of Nigel's legacy and life plan.
David Hall:
David Hall is a co-owner and operator of 2 Places at Once.
He has 30+ years of owning his own businesses, most recently overseas for 7 years. He holds Baccalaureates in French & Spanish. Several years of living in Australia, Spain and France, has given him a broad spectrum of experience interacting with many cultures.
He also has owned a successful insurance brokerage firm for 10 years.
While working out of the country a few years ago, he received a call from his parents asking if he could give them a hand with some health issues and housing difficulties that they needed help with.
There he was, working in Europe and trying to help his 86 year old parents at home! Within 24 hours, he flew home, and had to take a month off from his business to help his parents. I also needed to be "2 places at once!" says David.
Unfortunately, within 3 years they had both passed away, but David was able to be with them at the end, and helped his Dad move from his house, to a condo, and finally to assisted living.
David realized how many seniors there must be with family a long distance away, who are also very busy with their work, homes, and young families. He knows that he would have been grateful to find a company offering services to seniors, and it made him realize that there is a need for such a company.
David and his partner returned to Canada in 2009, settled in the Okanagan and established 2 Places at Once in order to help fill that need. With his work and travel history, David Hall has a broad range of interests, and lots of experience co-ordinating and organizing moves.
Our Moderator ...
Rae Stonehouse OVES Society - Vice Chair of Education
Rae is a Registered Nurse/Entrepreneur who has worked in the healthcare field for over thirty years. Very active within the Toastmasters organization Rae has taken on increasingly challenging leadership roles and is currently involved in developing entrepreneurial educational and mentoring programs.
His passion is helping others to succeed. Rae Stonehouse Speaker Services provides emcee services and speech coaching in the Okanagan Valley. As an Independent Associate for Pre-Paid Legal Services he helps provide legal empowerment for his customers. He also offers the comprehensive Identity Theft Shield program. Of value to entrepreneurs is Pre-Paid Legal's Go Smallbiz program.