Sharon Blumberg is a Charlotte, North Carolina-based transition coach who came into entrepreneurship later in life. When she reached a milestone birthday she realized that she was, not in fact, done working, and so her coaching business I’m Not Done Yet was born. Today she is coaching and training individuals in business and corporate teams making sure her clients feel that they are relevant, resilient and remarkable no matter their age or gender. Blumberg says, “You are not done until you say you are done!”
Blumberg’s story, as told to The Story Exchange 1,000+ Stories Project:
I decided to start my business because of a milestone I reached; when I turned the age my mother was when she died. I realized that my intention and passion is to empower individuals who are not done making a contribution in their own lives, the lives of their family, their workplace, their community and their world. I renamed and rebranded my HR strategy and organizational change firm to a firm with an intentional focus on individuals and team change within and beyond organizations.
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I don’t want any of my clients to feel they are no longer relevant. I want them to feel resilient and remarkable because of their age, gender or any other descriptor or circumstance. You are not done until you say you are done! I do this work to honor all the women in my legacy. Success is seeing continued engagement, joy, contribution and purpose in each of my client’s lives.
In terms of success, it is always a delight to receive a client testimonial. My most favorite to date is when one of my corporate leaders asked me to individually coach all of his management team and the only thing he said to them was ‘I am going to give you the gift of Sharon.’ My goals for my business are to expand my impact globally to mitigate the effects of age and gender bias at work and in society.
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I continue to be a role model to my clients, especially women as they age. I live my life with the intention – you are never too old and it is never too late. I did my first triathlon at 60 and learned how to swim at the same time, as an example. I work to mitigate both age and gender bias at work and in society.
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