Dave Lambert is like most hard-working entrepreneurs in the U.S. today. His latest venture is the creation of David’s Delicious Chocolates, a company that serves the special dietary needs of diabetics and those with gluten, dairy, egg, soy or nut sensitivities. He wheels and deals throughout the global marketplace and mentors others workers who are interested in pursuing their dreams. 

Barbara Beskind
         The main difference from other entrepreneurs is that Mr. Lambert is 90 years old. In spite of his age, he is energetic and enjoys a productive lifestyle. He started his latest chocolate venture when he was diagnosed with diabetes.

          I love another example of a 90 year old entrepreneur, Barbara Beskind, from our own Silicon Valley…yes, the Silicon Valley where anyone over 30 is considered antiquated without any fresh ideas. Barbara began working during WWII as an occupational therapist, and today she works at IDEO, the firm that designed Apple’s first mouse, the pilates machine and dozens of high-tech gadgets.

60 Minutes Piece on Nonagenarians

          Last summer 60 Minutes
featured these two nonagenarians (a nonagenarian is any person who is 90-99 years old) and their attitudes and productivity, which inspired me. The wonderful CBS piece entitled “Living to 90 and Beyond” showed so many productive and enthusiastically engaged people who aren’t letting anything stand in the way of their vision.

          Jack Nadel, another 90+ entrepreneur, came to my attention via his award-winning book The Evolution of an Entrepreneur: Featuring 50 of My Best Tips for Surviving and Thriving in Business. The material in this very successful book has been used by many community colleges for courses in entrepreneurship classes and business groups. 

Nonagenarians Embrace Change

          While I don’t know these people personally, when I saw their faces and read their stories a common thread of “the glass is half full” seems to be a positive trait they all shared. These people appear to embrace change and have been fully prepared to shift into something new when one door closed and another opened.

          The morning I ran across Dave and Barbara and Jack online I had crept out of bed with the most negative self-pity feeling of “Oh, my aches and pains are such a drag.” Hearing of these three energized nonagenarians completely turned me around in terms of the spirit that it takes to live a more fun and productive life …..aches and pains and all. I give thanks for them and their stories.

Contact Antonia at Antonia@TheJoyofAgingGratefully.com