They say that retirement is when you can relax, take a load off, and enjoy your golden years. While that may well be true for some people, it’s not a description that fits everyone. Though some retirees will spend their retirement going on vacation, taking it easy, and just enjoying life, it’s not uncommon for some retirees to find success in the freelance world these days.
Just ask Barry Silverstein, a marketing veteran who left the busy world of advertising back in 2006, when he decided to retire. He served as the senior vice president of Arnold Worldwide, an esteemed marketing company that was founded in 1946. Unlike many older people who retire at 65, Silverstein retired several years earlier when he was only 57. What was behind the decision to retire almost a decade before everyone else?
It turns out that it was a combination of two things: a move from Boston, MA, to Asheville, N.C., and a retirement seminar that he and his wife went to once in Asheville. Talking with a financial advisor also helped Silverstein and his wife see things more clearly and realize that early retirement wasn’t something out of their reach. When you’re shown that you can afford a move down south, you’re more likely to entertain it.
Falling in love with the environment in Asheville was another contributing factor to his early retirement, as were the lower real estate prices in the region.
Still, retiring early means that you have a lot of time on your hands, which is precisely why Silverstein decided to take the freelance route of greater freedom and control. His extensive advertising background in a big city like Boston also helped him become a sought-after consultant when he turned to freelancing.
Today, Silverstein maintains his own website where he advertises his separate writing and marketing services. This lead generator is the way that he stays active by marketing, writing and even teaching in his spare time. It’s an ingenious way for a retired individual to still get mental stimulation, find some extra income, and meet new people in the form of new clients.
Silverstein has already taught some online courses to show businesses how they can brand and market themselves. In addition, he also volunteers in the Asheville area with businesses that need to see improvements in their advertising results.
To stay up to date with the latest practices in marketing, the former Arnold Worldwide senior vice president’s even started up his own Twitter account, which he regularly updates. Most of his tweets are focused on helping his audience by sharing helpful articles on industry best practices regarding marketing. His LinkedIn account serves as his portal to get in touch with people in his industry who need marketing consultant advice.
What Silverstein likes about his part-time, freelance career in retirement is that it keeps him busy. Yes, his marketing and consulting services provide additional income, which is always a bonus for retired persons, but they also allow him to enjoy rich, full days in retirement.
It’s not just the various clients he handles in his freelance career that make him smile. To Silverstein, the benefits of freelancing are tied in with personal satisfaction, too. He receives external gratification since he can make some extra money by using the marketing skills he’s worked on sharpening his whole professional life, and he also gets to give back to the community of his new home in Asheville.
All told, it adds up to a very rewarding, freelance life, even though he’s retired. And that’s not bad when you consider the doors that freelancing can open up.
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