Stage (Not Age) - by Susan Wilner Golden (Hardcover)

About the Book

"In the time it takes you to read this, another twenty Americans will turn sixty-five. Ten thousand people a day are crossing that threshold, and that number will continue to grow. In fifteen years, Americans aged sixty-five and over will outnumber those under age eighteen. This change is coming: Nearly everywhere in the world, people over sixty will become the dominant population. Demographers tend to pose the new longevity as a crisis we are not prepared for. And there are serious issues to address in order to serve this population, and society as a whole. But longevity also presents an opportunity for which companies need to develop a strategy. Estimates put the global market for this demographic at $21 trillion across every industry you can think of: entertainment, travel, education, healthcare, housing, transportation, consumer goods and services, product design, and financial services will all benefit if they can figure out a way to serve this market. Stage Not Age is the concise guide to helping companies understand and serve this burgeoning market by focusing on life stage, not age, and identifying the deep diversity of needs within the demographic. It will reset your understanding of what an "old person" is, help identify the systemic barriers to entering the market, and outline ways to overcome them. Best practices of companies that have successfully shifted strategies to reflect the new demographics will show how success can be achieved. Stage Not Age prepares you for an inevitable shift you can't ignore"--

Book Synopsis

The $22 trillion opportunity that can be unlocked only if you rethink everything you think you know about people over sixty.

In the time it takes you to read this, another twenty Americans will turn sixty-five. Ten thousand people a day are crossing that threshold, and that number will continue to grow. In fifteen years, Americans aged sixty-five and over will outnumber those under age eighteen. Nearly everywhere in the world, people over sixty are the fastest-growing age group.

Longevity presents an opportunity that companies need to develop a strategy for. Estimates put the global market for this demographic at a whopping $22 trillion across every industry you can imagine. Entertainment, travel, education, health care, housing, transportation, consumer goods and services, product design, tech, financial services, and many others will benefit, but only if marketers unlearn what they think they know about this growing population.

The key is to stop thinking of older adults as one market. Stage (Not Age) is the concise guide to helping companies understand that people over sixty are a deeply diverse population. They're traveling through different life stages and therefore want and need different products and services.

This book helps you reset your understanding of what an "old person" is. It demonstrates how three people, all seventy years old, may not even be in the same market segment. It identifies the systemic barriers to entering this market and provides ways to overcome them. And it shares the best practices of companies that have successfully shifted to a Stage (Not Age) mentality.

This practical guide prepares companies and marketers for an inevitable shift they can't ignore.

Review Quotes

"Stage (Not Age) is a fascinating read..." -- Kiplinger's

"The author provides a guide for companies to understand how retirement age can actually mean many different markets and stages." -- Forbes

"In her new book, Stage (Not Age), Golden makes a case that chronological age no longer defines us, especially in the second half of life. It's the stage of life we're in that's most important." -- Next Avenue

"Citing trillions of dollars in spending power, Golden says companies should cater more products and services toward the people with the most wealth: those in their golden years." -- McKinsey Author Talks

Advance Praise for Stage (Not Age):

"Stage (Not Age) is your own personal master class for understanding, entering, and thriving in the fast-growing, $22 trillion longevity market. The profiles of companies that successfully serve this market will cause you to rethink everything you thought you knew about aging." -- Jo Ann Jenkins, CEO, AARP

"We can continue viewing the aging of the world's population as an imminent crisis, or we can choose to see it as an opportunity for business and policy innovations. This book guides us toward the latter view, and brilliantly." -- Michelle A. Williams, Dean of the Faculty, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

"People, like wine, get better with age. Susan Golden's important book demonstrates how an aging population presents extraordinary opportunities for businesses. While some complain about the costs of an older population, Stage (Not Age) offers a thoughtful roadmap for understanding the ways in which the fastest-growing demographic can drive value." -- Larry Summers, President, Emeritus, Harvard University; former Secretary of the Treasury of the United States

"Susan Golden's book offers an inspiring roadmap for entrepreneurs and innovators to grow with the longevity economy." -- Jonathan Levin, Dean, Stanford Graduate School of Business

"An insightful and practical guide to an amazing and multifaceted business. Stage (Not Age) is the indispensable guide for companies to develop a strategy for this opportunity--as we did at Best Buy." -- Hubert Joly, former Chairman and CEO, Best Buy; author, The Heart of Business; and senior lecturer, Harvard Business School

"In Stage (Not Age), Susan Golden makes an eloquent case for investing in one of the most compelling business opportunities of our time. Her book is a clearly written, insightful guide. A must-read for changemakers of all ages." -- Marc Freedman, founder, President, and CEO, Encore.org; author, How to Live Forever

"How do you reach a generation (or two) of people who don't feel, look, or act as old as they are? By not focusing on the number on their birth certificate. That's the message of Susan Golden's enlightening new book. Companies and marketers willing to listen should find themselves at an advantage." -- Jean Chatzky, founder and CEO, HerMoney Media; New York Times bestselling coauthor, AgeProof

About the Author

Susan Wilner Golden is an expert on innovation and entrepreneurial opportunities created by the new longevity, and she teaches this subject at the Stanford Graduate School of Business. She is the director of the dciX impact initiative at the Stanford Distinguished Careers Institute, and advises companies on their longevity strategies. She serves as an adviser to the Techstars Future of Longevity Accelerator and to Pivotal Ventures on longevity investment opportunities. Her career stops in venture capital, public health, and life sciences have given her a multidimensional, multidisciplinary perspective on longevity opportunities.

You can find out more about Susan Golden at: dci.stanford.edu/susan-wilner-golden