‘I’m older but terribly independent’: women’s empowerment in late-career entrepreneurship

Our paper develops an understanding of the interplay between age and gender, focusing particularly on women’s empowerment in late-career entrepreneurship. Utilizing longitudinal qualitative data (three interview waves between 2010–2021), our study examines how women in later stages of life navigate a context that paradoxically encourages entrepreneurship amongst ageing individuals while also enacting age-related discrimination. Previous research has highlighted the challenges faced by ‘older’ individuals in entrepreneurial ventures, often exacerbated by negative societal discourses and gender stereotypes. However, our knowledge remains limited on how women surmount these age-related hurdles to leverage entrepreneurship as a means for empowerment. Our findings demonstrate how ‘older’ women navigate the narrative of successful ageing through entrepreneurship’s empowering attributes. Based on our findings, we theorize how the interplay of different empowerment dimensions (conscientisation, resources, agency, and achievements) is key to understanding how late-career women are able to bolster their confidence, self-appreciation, financial stability, and support networks through entrepreneurship. In conclusion, we underscore the importance of appreciating the unique experiences of ageing women entrepreneurs and how they create value and redefine success in their ventures within their specific socio-spatial contexts.