Last month I wrote an article about the “rise of the silverpreneur”.
Describing those people who start a business in the second chapter of their life.
I think Ray Haakonsen epitomises this brave step and so I hope you will enjoy his story, his authenticity… and showing it is possible.
Ray was born in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in 1955 and lived there until 1981. He joined the Air Force straight from school and became a pilot and served during the Rhodesian War, until it changed to Zimbabwe.
Ray had always been an avid sportsman and was fortunate and skilled enough to play rugby for his country at school, U/20 and Senior levels.
Since moving to South Africa in 1981, he had several different “careers” both in the corporate and Non-Profit worlds. He has been married to the same wife for 46 years and has five grown up children (two adopted) and six grandchildren spread around the world.
At age 60 and having recently moved to Cape Town, and having handed over a care centre for abandoned and HIV/AIDS babies, wife Sue and he had pioneered and ran for 10 years in Lesotho, he found himself unemployed at retirement age. Yet he is still too energetic to stop working, contributing to others, and he still needed the income.
A guy he’d met in Cape Town who became a very good friend was a Life Coach and Ray intimated to him that he thought he’d enjoy coaching as a “senior career” as he loved helping others. His friend Dave burst his bubble by telling him that he probably would not be suited to life coaching….as Ray talked too much. Ray was devastated.
Dave suggested, due to Ray’s talkative nature and passion for South Africa, that he should consider being a tourist guide. (There’s a burning clue there).
At age 60 Ray thought he’d just be handed a guiding badge. But the first gate he had to go through was protracted tourist guiding classes to attend, and extensive research assignments. These resulted in a heavy A4 Lever arch file filled with information Ray had gleaned about South Africa. Lastly to qualify as a “Competent Tourist Guide” and receive his government approved badge, Ray had to attain an at least 75% pass in a closed book exam at the end of the classes, as well as obtain a level 1 First Aid certificate.
He was astonished to pass with a 92% mark.
Ray describes “vasbyt” as the most descriptive word he knows for grit. He says it’s the ability to hang in there and never give up, despite the obstacles thrown at one.
As a “newbie guide” at age 60 in a very competitive industry, there were times Ray felt he was “constantly fighting to get jobs” and even today, eight years later, with over 16 000 tourist guides registered in the Western Cape, the “post Covid” cake is still way smaller than before Covid.
Being “out there” so people see you, willing to work long hours, and handle many different cultures, characters and income levels, takes tremendous nerve, patience and energy.
I asked Ray to share three lessons he has learnt in the past year.
Believe in yourself — Find what you are passionate about and throw yourself fully into that, believing you are able!
Be patient — new careers take time and when things don’t work as you think they should, keep going until the next opportunity comes.
Be Authentic — Learn as much as you can from those experienced in your field, but don’t try to copy them. Adapt the good you’ve learnt from them but be your own version of yourself in that field.
Ray agrees tourism is an incredibly exciting, rapidly growing and extremely fulfilling sector of opportunity in our country. However, he says you can’t sit back.
You must put yourself out there — Some tours just don’t go well and can be very draining (even eight years later), and some guests can be downright difficult.
Pay can be minimal to begin with but don’t despise small beginnings. Do the hard yards and it will pay in the end.
I asked Ray what advice would he give to an older person considering an entrepreneurial second chapter?
Ray reckons this may sound like a cliche’ but he recommends you listen to your heart.
Find out what “floats your boat” and give it your all. Don’t be concerned about finance.
“Find something you are passionate about and you will never work another day in your life.”
In closing, I asked Ray what his favourite quote is.
Ray’s favourite life quote (but too long for this article) is one called the “Man in the Arena”, a quote by an ex-American President, Theodore Roosevelt.
But one Ray uses every morning when he wakes up is “Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be broken”.
It’s needed as a Tourist guide as “Life (guests) are like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.”
Ray has stayed the course for eight years now, so well on his way to a decade into his new chapter.
Remember, you don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start if you want to be great. (Zig Ziglar)
Here’s to others starting and pursuing a siverpreneur chapter.
● Steve Reid runs his own business in support of entrepreneurs, leaders and incubators.
You can contact him at steve@entreprenacity.com
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