Meet Irene and Ian who offer peace of mind.

We are on the quest to interview business owners over the age of 60. This week we visit the Gold Coast in Australia and  chat with Irene Manson who with her partner Ian founded Care Calling Now which is a daily service offering automated calls for seniors and people of all ages who are vulnerable. 

Can you tell me a little bit about your business?

We are in our 60’s and last year my husband and I sold everything, including a business that we had been in for 18 years, so that we could focus on our new business CareCallingNow  which is a daily automated wellness check by phone for vulnerable people living at home alone.

It took a lot of faith on our part and we finally launched on 12 April on the Gold Coast, Australia however it is a global business currently available in Australia, USA & Canada. We have started this from scratch, including developing the automated software to run the service.

What have been some of your challenges?

One of our biggest challenges has been that our service is not familiar to many people so not only do we need to find customers but also we need to inform and educate the general population who are looking for peace of mind for themselves as well as for their vulnerable elderly loved one living alone .

It is a two person business at this stage and we are excited at the potential of this service as it addresses a consumer need in an old fashioned way.

What are some of the most important lessons you have learnt in life? 

I have learnt that you are never too old to try something new, it might take you longer to get your head around it but that should not stop you from having a go. What do you have to lose?

What motivates you to keep working after 60? 

To keep your mind active plus I would be foolish to not say money, which enables us to be free to do stuff where and when we want to.

What do you like most about having your own business? 

Being able to something that you can do anywhere so that you can enjoy your life and not be stuck at a desk in a job and be answerable to someone else. I like that we are not restricted to nine to five, five days a week and four weeks holidays.

What advice would you give to the younger generation? 

To never be frightened to have a go, don’t let the fear, the doubt and the unknown or uncertainty hold you back.

If you could jump into a time machine what era would you visit and why? 

I think the 1970’s I had finished University, loved my work was playing sport at a fairly elite level was living life and having fun. Not too much responsibility and the knowledge that I was at the first step of my adult life and excited about what was ahead.

Anything else you would like to add? 

Again as I have mentioned a few times to not let your head get in the way, sometimes we have to go with our gut. Having said that perhaps in hindsight listening to my head sometimes may have resulted in a better outcome. I don’t have many regrets and those that I do are pretty minor and all in all life has been good and I love that fact that I can still be running my own business at my age.

I think my parents generation were a lot older at 60 and constrained than we are today and we have been lucky to live through the wonderful, for the most part carefree, time that we have.