Best Boomer Towns Columns

What’s Next Boomer Business Summit April 29, 2011 San Francisco

There are 78 Million Baby Boomers in the U.S. spending $2 Trillion annually and control 77% of the wealth, attend the summit to learn how to get your share of wallet.

Featured Speakers

Michelle Bauer, Founder and Chief Strategist, Common Language
Scott Bennett, National Vice President of Marketing, American Cancer Society
Elisa Camahort Page, Co-Founder & COO, BlogHer
Michael Carroll, Vice President, Marketing, United Healthcare Medicare Solutions
Andy Cohen, CEO and Co-Founder, Caring.com
R. Scott Collins, President & CEO, Senior Resources Alliance
Mara DelliPriscoli, President, Travel Learning Connections, Inc.
Marilyn Ditty, Executive Director, South County Senior Services, Inc.
Mary Furlong, CEO, Mary Fulrong & Associates
Jane Glenn Haas, Founder, WomanSage
Mark Graham, SVP, ivillage.com, an NBC Universal Company
Jeff Hasen, Chief Marketing Officer, Hipcricket
Lyn Jeffery, Cultural Anthropologist
Mollie Katzen, Best-Selling Author
Susy Korb, President, OMHU
David Lindeman, PhD, Director, Center for Aging and Technology
John Lukrich, COO, Dummies Licensing Partners
John McKinley, Founder, OurParents.com
Laura Mitchell, Director of Business Relations, GrandCare Systems
Gary Moulton, Product Manager, Trustworthy Computing Group, Microsoft
Coby Neuenschwander, Founder and CEO, Readeo
Miles Orkin, National Director of E-Revenue and Mobile innovation, American Cancer Society
Casey Pittock, President & CEO, Wellcore Corporation
Peter Radsliff, CEO, Presto Services
Francine Russo, Best-Selling Author
Gail Sheehy, Best-Selling Author
Nancy Shonka Padberg, CEO, Navigate Boomer Media
Sandy Timmermann, Executive Director, MetLife Mature Market Institute
Tandy Trower, Hoaloa Robotics
Renee Werbin, Publisher & Co-Founder, Travelgirl Magazine


Date and Time: 
Friday, April 29, 2011
8:00 am – 5:00 pm
Parc 55 Wyndham Hotel
San Francisco

What's Next Boomer Business Summit
www.boomersummit.com
 
Sponsors include 
United Health Care, Microsoft, South West Airlines, Continuum Crew, AARP, Navigate Boomer Media, Verizon, First Republic Bank, SRA, Linqto, Common Language, Met Life, AAA

Save 20% - Code wnnb11

Americans Need to Face up to End of Life Planning

Advance care counseling is long overdue and can bring incredible peace of mind. As a culture, we'd rather do anything than talk or even think about our own death. Psychiatrists have long equated the reluctance to draw up a will or estate plan with this fear of death.

Millions of families find themselves without guidance or direction when faced with a medical emergency or unexpected death. The legal forms for a living will and health care proxy haven't been filled out. No one wanted to think about the possibility that they might be needed.

We have all kinds of ways of not thinking about our death. Denial allows us to pretend that we won't be caught in that situation. We postpone filling out forms until "We're not so busy." We're paralyzed by our foolish superstition that makes signing papers a signal to God that we're ready to die. What about optimism that we'll just die in our sleep, or during sex, or our favorite sport?

Why spoil the quality of life by being negative?

However, a medical emergency or a tipping point in a chronic illness will trigger the need for a living will and a health care proxy, the documents that form the basis for advance medical planning.

The living will, a medical directive form, lets others know what medical procedures and treatments we want and the conditions under which we want them. Without this, our families will struggle with decisions they have to make that may not be what we want. The health care proxy or durable power of attorney form lets us choose someone we trust to make decisions for us if we can't make them for ourselves.

Why should any child be put into a situation of predicting a parent's wishes? What a huge responsibility for parents to shunt off on children -- one that is often complicated by the possibility of friction with other siblings. Why force people you love to read your mind and make heart-rending decisions in a time of crisis? Isn't it better for both generations to talk about what they want in case they can't speak for themselves at the time -- and to put it in writing?

For example, in the Terri Schiavo case, determining what a loved one would want was neither a simple nor clear decision.

The young woman was left in a persistent vegetative state after having a cardiac arrest. Unconscious and sustained by artificial hydration and nutrition through a feeding tube, Terri was unable to speak for herself. Because she had no official medical directive, her husband, who argued that she would not have wanted to be kept alive in this fashion, was locked into a 15-year battle with her parents, who refused to allow the withdrawal of the life-sustaining technologies.

The culture of silence around financial and estate planning, medical directives, powers of attorney, lifestyle preferences and end-of-life care results in countless unnecessary financial, legal, and social complications and pain for millions of people. That's too bad; advance care planning of all kinds is a smart and loving thing to do for our families.

 

Not Done Yet - Inspiring, Empowering, Optimism and Belief in Self

The website offers articles of interest, stories of reinvention and a cool on-line store. The Shop features beautiful and excellent quality American Made tees, tanks and thermals for women and men as well as fun gifty items like bling water bottles and mugs. In addition, ndy is very proud to donate a portion of every sale to Womens cancer research, Alzheimer's and grief support services.

Shop ndy for the Holidays! http://www.ndynotdoneyet.com/shop.html

 

Iowa Judges Go Too Far

The situation was similar to what voters said to Congressional Senators and Representatives last week around the country. You're just not listening to us. We're tired of your arrogance... get out. Americans have spoken with their votes previously on several issues only to have state and federal judges reverse the decisions on a whim. So many of these reversals do not have Constitutional backing.

State judges are just not voted out very often which probably gives them a sense of tenure. It also apparently gives them a boldness that makes them feel they can interpret the law however they want. Iowa voters do not want the definition of marriage changed to accommodate gay demands. The three judges overturned that vote. Bad idea.

I would think that this will send a message to voters (and judges) in other states that deal with the same frustrations. "We the people" are in charge here. We saw the message get delivered loud and clear on November 2nd. This same message can be sent again on any state or federal election when the folks suddenly realize they hold the keys to the car.

The people have spoken... office holders beware.

 

Get Enlightened… Learn More About Your Computer

While you're asking yourself these questions, adrenalin is coursing through your system, making your body feel different. From sweating to squirminess, the physical manifestation of angst is very uncomfortable and makes it
difficult to concentrate. Even if the problem is solved quickly, after going into a momentary panic, it will take you anywhere from an hour to a day to get back to your normal level of functioning. And being in a panic is not great for your general well-being.

This is where the old saying that "knowledge is power" can be very helpful. Knowing how your computer works and having the ability to dance around a program and make it do what you want it to can make you feel creative and
intelligent. Having the ability to get done what you need to do and not encounter any problems allows for greater access to the inner resources and inspiration that we all have.

The pride that comes from mastering or, if you're a techno-spazz like me, just getting the basics of a computer can be very empowering. In addition, learning something new builds brain cells and staves off Alzheimer's. You actually stimulate the growth centers of your mind and create a greater ability to figure out what you need to do next. The confidence of knowing
that you can solve a problem, even before you actually encounter it, is very freeing and allows you to push yourself without feeling pushed.

You can fly though projects like a stunt pilot, doing barrel rolls around your Excel spreadsheet, while your knowledge of Photoshop will make Ansel Adams green with envy. In addition, every time you accomplish a new task,
it gives you the opportunity to feel better about yourself.

If you invest an hour or two a week in a class, many of which are available online, you will master your program/computer of choice in short order. With that ability, you can then create and share your gifts with the
world.

Just the social networking alone can link you up with what's going on in many different places. By Twittering here or Facebooking there, you can find old friends and make new ones. By creating a blog you can touch the
lives of hundreds, perhaps thousands (and maybe even get a book deal). Quite simply, it's an opportunity to connect with the rest of humanity.

So go get that new laptop or use your kid's old desktop, it's time to learn how to keep up with the rest of the human race.

 

Media expert Nancy Shonka Padberg Turns Spotlight on Top Boomer Issues

What images spring to mind at the mention of "baby boomers?" Executives? Yoga teachers? Botox? All of the above?

Media expert Nancy Shonka Padberg turns the spotlight on top issues facing the baby boomer generation.

By Emily DiFrisco

The multifaceted baby boomer group comprises 78 million people living in the United States today. They fall between the "Silent Generation" (the children of the Great Depression) and Generation X. Born between 1946 and 1964, baby boomers are the healthiest, wealthiest, most educated, and prosperous generation thus far, plucked right from the pages of American history.

Boomers saw the U.S. change from a manufacturing economy to a knowledge economy. They saw the formation of the Interstate Highway System, enabling their families to "pack up the station wagon" and travel like never before. They were able to leave their hometowns and go to college. They embraced technology, as they saw the number of television sets grow from 4 to 50 million from 1950 to 1960.

"In the industrial age, it was all about product, price, place, and promotion," says Nancy Shonka Padberg (MBA '03), founder of Best Boomer Towns, Inc., and Navigate Boomer Media, LLC. "The manufacturers pushed the product to the customer. You could get your Ford in black or black. In the knowledge age, it is all about consumers, cost, convenience, and communication. The consumer is in charge. And I would argue that the boomer consumer is in charge."

Even as they age, baby boomers still control 70 percent of the total net worth in the U.S. They spend an average of $3 trillion dollars per year and an additional $7 billion online. They purchase 41 percent of new cars and shell out for 80 percent of luxury travel.

Padberg, a former Fortune 500 executive, first discovered the baby boomer market as vice president at The Phelps Group, where she worked on campaigns for Fairmont Hotels, PETCO, and Whole Foods Market. "All these companies have research on their clientele," she explains, "and the research was astounding. Specifically, with PETCO, we found that baby boomers and empty-nesters spent the most on their pets."

As part of the team developing TV, print, and radio campaigns, Padberg strove to help advertisers understand and reach the boomer audience. She asked her clients, "How do we connect with boomers emotionally? It was easy with animals. We really had some terrific commercials for PETCO."

Seeking to start her own marketing firm and realizing that with knowledge comes opportunity, Padberg went back to school, earning her MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management of Pepperdine University, where she "saw all the pieces come together." In marketing class, she again studied the demographics of boomers. She also learned the two biggest takeaways for a startup: have a clear point of differentiation and develop a healthy culture.

Parlaying her knowledge from school and her career, the Iowa native developed a business plan for Best Boomer Towns, Inc., which launched in 2005. The Web site serves as a destination for boomers to find and exchange information on the best 21 locations in the U.S. to relocate or retire.

Recognizing additional needs in the marketplace, Padberg brought together nine media colleagues, including Pepperdine alumnus Kyle Murphy (BSM '04, MBA '05), and launched Navigate Boomer Media, LLC in Fall 2009. Navigate allows time-starved media buyers and marketers to buy display advertising on 10, 15, or 20 Web sites at a time. Launched in 2009 with 50 sites, the company now represents 119 sites with over 112 million unique visitors per month.

"Boomers spend an average of 15 hours per week online," says Padberg of her decision to create online businesses. "Print and radio can't say they have their audience for 15 hours per week. The largest segment of the population is coming through and embracing new technology like never before. In fact, the fastest growing segment on Facebook in the last year has been women 50-plus."

Not even one year later, Navigate Boomer Media has emerged as the No. 1 online boomer ad network in the U.S. They represent boomer-focused Web sites such as vibrantnation.com, grandparents.com, and silverplanet.com, and publish original content for Web sites, blogs, social networking communities, and streaming radio. The business is now expanding into Canada and Southeast Asia.

While the young company continues to grow, Padberg observes, "We're not a Fortune 500 company, we're not corporate. We wear quite a few hats. We're nimble and can make quick decisions. We know that we have the right media with the right target audience, at the right time."
Summer 2010

Pepperdine Magazine Article August 31, 2010

 

The Unpretentious Warren Buffet

I admire Warren Buffett, not because of his wealth, but because of his lack of pretention. He doesn't believe that giving money to his kids equates with giving them love. He wanted them to carve out their own path and believed that 'setting them up with unlimited wealth is harmful and an anti-social act.'

His decision to donate nearly $37 billion to the Gates Foundation may have shocked the world, but it came as no surprise to his three children, whom he'd consulted first.

A few years ago, his children, Susan, Howard and Peter said they supported their father's decision not to leave all his money to them. http://abcnews.go.com/print?id=2133209

"The truth is it would be insane to leave us that much money," said Susan Buffett. "It just would be."
Buffett gave $1 billion to his children's three charitable foundations: the Susan A. Buffett Foundation, which focuses on early education for children of low-income families; the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, which has helped 42 countries; and the Novo Foundation, Peter Buffett's organization for democracy. They each draw a salary from their work.

Keep in mind that the Buffett kids grew up in a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house in Omaha Nebraska. They attended local elementary and high schools . Their friends were neighborhood kids who actually played without needing play dates or being chauffered from house to house. The Buffett kids grew up without pretension; money wasn't the way they measured their parents' love.

Each Buffett sibling recently received a letter from their father in which he wrote: "I consider myself lucky to have three children who want to spend much of their time and energy working on projects that will benefit others. I am proud of what you are doing and your mother would be proud as well. Love, Dad."

I like this man, in spite of his wealth.

 

Living Longer and Retirement Planning

Today this is considered and oddity but, could it become the norm at some point? The world population is getting older, the number of people and older is expected to increase from 516 million in 2009 to 1.53 billion in 2050, according to data released by the US Census Bureau.

The number of centenarians (100 years) has increased to more than 340,000 worldwide versus a few thousand in the fifties. By midcentury, the number of centenarians in the US could grow from 75,000 to 600,000.

Advances in medicine, healthcare and education concerning lifestyle choices have been big factors in longer living. Problems like heart disease, and many types of cancer a few years ago were the beginning of the end, now with proper treatment and monitoring they have become health issues rather than life-ending.

As a segment of the population grows fast another slows down, while the age group over 65 is expected to see a jump by 2050, the group under 15 years old will grow at a much slower rate, from 1.83 billion to 1.93 billion. In 2017, the number of people over 65 will exceed the number under age 5.

The aging population will stress Social Security, Medicare and health services, while the disappearance of pensions and lack of savings for retirement will them modifying their original thoughts of retirement. Longer and healthier life expectancies will find people working longer at their current job or starting a new career to provide income, benefits, or to remain active will be the norm rather than the exception.

About Mike Bonacorsi, CFP®

Mike Bonacorsi is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER^TM professional, public speaker and award-winning author of Retirement Readiness: A Guide to Creating Your Vision, Knowing Your Position, and Preparing for Your Future. You can listen to his radio show, The Mike Bonacorsi Show, at WSMN, 1590AM or on your computer at http://wsmnradio.com on Tuesdays from noon - 1:00 PM. For additional information, visit http://mikebonacorsi.com/. Follow Mike on Twitter @MikeBonacorsi. Read his blog at http://www.mikebonacorsi.blogspot.com/ . Reprinted with permission of the author. 2009© Mike Bonacorsi CFP® All Rights Reserved

 

Do You Suspect Fraud in Your Organization? Who Do You Turn To?

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www.fraudsol.com

 

VoiceAmerica.com the Official Internet Broadcasting Company for the Player Networking Event at Super

Phoenix, AZ (PRWEB) February 4, 2010 -- World Talk Radio, LLC (DBA VoiceAmerica.com), home of the VoiceAmerica and WorldTalk Radio Networks has confirmed they will be the Official Internet Broadcasting Company for the Player Networking Event at Super Bowl XLIV. This event will include streaming live audio from 2pm-6pm EST/11am-3pm PST on Saturday February 6, 2010 through VoiceAmerica's Sports Channel (www.VoiceAmericaSports.com).

VoiceAmerica.com, the world leader in live internet talk radio broadcasting, will be providing a live stream including interviews with current and former NFL players. They will have an opportunity to discuss their current interests as well as share their perspective on the Super Bowl. This will be the second consecutive year that VoiceAmerica will be hosting a live event from PNE. VoiceAmerica is also one of three companies that the Player Networking Event has chosen to feature.

In attendance will be World Talk Radio President Jeff Spenard, VP of Broadcast Operations Ryan Treasure, VoiceAmerica Sports Channel Director and former Philadelphia Eagle Ray Ellis; along with our featured VoiceAmerica Sports Hosts including: former Baltimore Raven Nick Murphy (host of Murphy's Law), former Arizona Cardinal Kwamie Lassiter (host of Kwamie Lassiter's Sports Talk), former Minnesota Vikings Chuck Foreman (host of Spin It) former Arizona Cardinal Damien Anderson (host of Planet Gridiron) and former Chicago Bears and Super Bowl Champion Dave Duerson (host of Double Time with Double D).

In addition, Lemont Williams former Redskin's linebacker and host of "Outside the Huddle" on VoiceAmerica Sports will be live on location at Media Day. Lemont will be joining the live broadcast on Saturday discussing his exclusive interviews with players from the Colts and Saints.

The Player Networking Event (PNE), a sanctioned NFL Super Bowl event, helps active and former NFL players with their transition from football to their business careers. Each year active and former players attend the PNE to network with business executives and corporations. Working collaboratively with the NFL and its member clubs, their goal is to help players explore and identify post-football opportunities that are realistic and meaningful.

PNE will be held this Saturday, February 6, 2010 from 2pm-6pm EST at the Hyatt Regency Miami (James L Knight Center) in the Riverfront central Ballroom in conjunction with Super Bowl XLIV.

VoiceAmerica's Sports Channel will air live from the PNE event from 2pm-6pm EST/11am-3pm PST. To access the event, log on at http://www.VoiceAmericaSports.com.

VoiceAmerica.com offers the latest conversations in a talk radio format, providing education, interaction, and advice on key issues live, on demand as well as through pod cast download. If interested in hosting a talk radio show on VoiceAmerica Network or WorldTalk Radio Network, contact Jeff Spenard, President and CEO at 480-294-6417 or at jeff.spenard(at)voiceamerica(dot)com.

Contact Director of Marketing, Melissa Schmitz, at 480-294-6410 for advertising / sponsorship information or other Network details.

ABOUT VoiceAmerica.com:
VoiceAmerica.com, is a technology centric media group and the largest producer and distributor of live internet based talk radio, delivering over 1,000 hours of programming weekly on its VoiceAmerica^TM Network (http://www.voiceamerica.com) and WorldTalk Radio Network (http://www.worldtalkradio.com). Featuring more than 200 hosts broadcasting to eight niche community based channels: its flagship VoiceAmerica^TM Variety Channel, VoiceAmerica^TM Health & Wellness Channel, VoiceAmerica^TM Business Channel, VoiceAmerica Sports, 7th Wave Network, The Green Talk Network, Power Up Motorsports Channel and WorldTalk Radio Variety Channel. VoiceAmerica.com is one of the pioneers in internet broadcasting, producing and syndicating online audio and video, offering an innovative, effective and comprehensive digital broadcast platform. Digital Publishing through its 10 years of broadcast and media experience along with our seasoned staff of Executive Producers, Production and Host Service Group, VoiceAmerica.com provides an internet radio platform for new, emerging and veteran media personalities to expand and monetize their business and brand in an online digital medium.