It is possible to start a business or act as a consultant post-retirement. The way of doing so has nicely been summarized in an excellent new book by Dorie Clark. The book, aptly titled 'Entrepreneurial You: Monetize Your Expertise, Create Multiple Income Streams and Thrive' provides good ideas for the reader. The author is a marketing strategy consultant. She is also a professor at the Duke University Fuqua School of Business.

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This book tackles what Clark terms as dirty secrets of the modern entrepreneurial economy. She claims that simply being good at the job and being an ace in the chosen field is not sufficient. The tome has a number of strategies which can be acted upon. Entrepreneur profiles are also given. Extensive text has been given to topics like building speaking practices or becoming a consultant. The reader also enjoys an exhaustive information about creating a number of digital products. Most important of all, she talks about taking money. She offers realistic estimates about the amount of money the reader can earn.

Clark gives a number of examples to prop up her work. Personal examples abound as well. She wrote that before she published her first book, the maximum she could earn for every talk was only a few hundred dollars. Post book release, she was delighted to find that she could now earn to the tune of $5,000 per speaking engagement. Right now, being the author of three books, she earns about $20,000 per speech. The book is suitable for entrepreneurs of all ages, and not only post-retirement ones. It shows practical ways of making money.

Minimal cost earning

For most seasoned professionals, consulting is the obvious way to make money. The person doing so can leverage his or her professional expertise. There are no start-up expenses involved as well. Other methods of zero cost income streams include podcasting and writing blogs. These can be extremely satisfying if the would-be entrepreneur has felt stifled during the course of his or her career and want a more creative outlet. The action is also an excellent way to test what will work and what may not. The entrepreneur will know the requirements of the audience. The needs of the audience will be known prior to investing in complex projects like developing online courses or writing books. The complete process is especially satisfying for those who have sacrificed their own talents for their employers.