Passion Doesn’t Retire: Why I Chose to Start and Scale a TechCompany at 60

As part of our The FoundHer series, we’re sharing an incredibly inspiring feature from Karen Hastie. Karen is the Founder of the Chamber Perks App™ and launched her own tech company at 60 years old. In this post, she shares her story and how passion doesn’t retire!

The FoundHer Files is our candid interview series spotlighting fearless female entrepreneurs who are rewriting the rules of business, leadership, and legacy. Through real stories of resilience, purpose, and bold reinvention, each installment dives into the journeys of women who dared to build their own lanes—and bring others along with them. These are the unfiltered blueprints behind the breakthroughs.

“At a time when society subtly signals that it’s time to wind down, I found myself ready to
restart and reinvent.”

As a serial entrepreneur, I had spent years working closely with local Chambers of
Commerce and small businesses. And in those years, I noticed a growing problem, one that
too many seemed to ignore. The support systems meant to help these businesses thrive
hadn’t kept pace with the digital world. I couldn’t stop thinking about how technology could
bridge that widening gap.

Karen Hastie Start and Scale a Tech Company at 60

That concern didn’t fade. It grew into a vision and eventually turned into a tech platform
designed to serve small businesses and communities in the ways they actually needed,
through their local Chamber of Commerce.

I didn’t set out to become a tech founder as I approach 60. But when the problem became
clear, so did the path forward. The truth is, passion doesn’t retire and that’s why I set out on
this journey. Here are the mindset shifts that helped me along the way.

View Age As Your Strength, Not A barrier

There were doubts, both from others and myself. Society often suggests that by 60, your
window for bold ventures is closing. For a woman especially, stepping into tech later in life
comes with added skepticism. But rather than seeing my age as a limitation, I saw it as an
asset.

As I turn 60 this year, I have the clarity to focus on what truly matters, a network of trusted
collaborators, and the patience to build something with lasting impact. I don’t need to be a
tech expert, I just need to know the problem deeply, and surround myself with the right team.
That confidence only comes with experience, and I was ready to use it to my advantage.

Focus On Your Passion and Purpose

My passion for entrepreneurship has never died down; it’s simply taken new shape. Age is
no reason to sit back idly. If you have the energy and the interest to move in the direction of
your passion, you’re only setting yourself up for a purpose-driven life.
Watching small businesses struggle under tariffs, rising costs, and disrupted supply chains
strengthened my resolve. The Chamber Perks App became a way to turn these challenges
into opportunities, connecting customers to local shops, helping businesses find new
suppliers, and rewarding community loyalty. This mission gives me purpose every day.

Master the Art of “Not Knowing” And Doing it Anyway

Years ago, I might have been reluctant to enter a situation where I wasn’t the most informed
person in the room. Nowadays, I recognize that this is one of the key reasons why it was an
ideal time to build something new. In the tech world, there’s always something new to learn:
an innovative tool, a changing standard, or a quicker method of accomplishing tasks. But, by
60 you’ve probably figured out how to progress without having all the answers. You stop
wasting energy pretending and start acknowledging what you don’t know.

I have been in situations where younger tech founders have been surprised to meet me —
the almost 60-year-old tech founder. Sometimes, they might ask me questions I don’t have
the answers to. I keep my mind open to learning and feel comfortable admitting what I don’t
know. While I didn’t have a technical background, I was aware of the problem I wanted to
solve. I also knew how to connect with individuals who could effectively help tackle it. That
type of teamwork is only successful when you’re comfortable admitting what is outside your
scope and that self-assurance and confidence tends to come with age.

Stop Building for Applause, and Start Building for Impact

There’s something different about starting a company when you’ve already lived through a
few business cycles and life cycles. At 60, you have a clearer understanding of what truly
matters. You’ve witnessed trends rise and fall, and you have probably made a number of
missteps along the way. This background becomes a valuable asset.

When I chose to start a tech company at this point in my life, seeking others’ approval or
attention was not my priority. My main focus was on the work itself, on solving a real problem
in a way that would last. The distractions that once seemed important in my 30s and 40s no
longer held the same significance.

Embarking on a venture later in life allows you to detach from the chaos. This enables more
profound contemplation, stronger beliefs, and improved choices — all essential for creating
something worthwhile in the tech industry.

Lessons for Fellow Aspiring Entrepreneurs

There’s a unique freedom that comes with age: the freedom to ignore noise and focus on
what truly matters. What makes 60 the perfect age to start a tech company isn’t the absence
of risks or the promise of instant success. It’s the blend of experience, curiosity, and the
capacity to remain concentrated on what really counts. Reinvention knows no age limits; it’s
all about your mindset. When you feel ready, aging becomes an asset rather than a
drawback.