{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"Older Americans Are Starting Businesses\u2014and Why It\u2019s Getting Harder","description":"More Americans in their 50s, 60s, and beyond are starting businesses than ever before\u2014but they\u2019re also facing new, mounting challenges. In this episode of Friends Talk Money, we unpack what\u2019s fueling this surge in encore entrepreneurship and how recent policy shifts\u2014especially cuts to the Small Business Administration (SBA) and new trade barriers\u2014are making it harder for older founders to succeed. Special guest Hedy Ratner, co-founder of the Women\u2019s Business Development Center, joins us to discuss how older entrepreneurs, particularly women and minorities, are being affected. We cover: Why older Americans are launching businesses in record numbers How Trump-era policy changes are shrinking access to critical SBA support Why tariffs and trade policy shifts are squeezing small business margins What this means for women-, minority-, and veteran-owned businesses What encore entrepreneurs need to do now to protect and grow their ventures If you\u2019re starting or running a small business later in life, you\u2019ll want to hear what\u2019s changing\u2014and what resources are still out there to help you thrive.   Links: Women's Business Development Center (WBDC) SCORE Small Business Administration (SBA) Most boomers and Gen X-ers are terrified about running out of money in retirement \u2014 even if they\u2019re already retired (Marketwatch)   ","author_name":"Friends Talk Money Podcast","author_url":"http:\/\/friendstalkmoney.org\/","html":"