Randal Charlton is moving onto a new challenge in his business life and he has $100,000 in dry powder to take his best shot.
Charlton recently stepped aside as the executive director of
TechTown to become the executive in residence for
BOOM! The New Economy, a TechTown-affiliated venture that offers training, one-on-one mentoring and internships to people over 50 exploring entrepreneurial options.
"There are more people over 50 starting businesses than people under 30 starting businesses at the moment," Charlton says.
Charlton also recently received a $100,000 grant from
Civic Ventures, a think tank focused on boomers, work and social purpose. Charlton, 71, is set to decide within the year how to best put that money to use for further local baby boomer entrepreneurial ventures. Among the options include a micro-enterprise loan fund or a local jobs center website, all for people 65 years old or older.
"I’m going to get input from a lot of people before making a decision," Charlton says.
Source: Randal Charlton, executive in residence for BOOM! The New Economy
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at
SEMichiganStartup.com.
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