Entrepreneurship 60+ grows in MA driven by experience and search for new projects

Despite the growth, starting a business after the age of 60 still presents challenges. Among them are age-related prejudice, the need to adapt to new technologies and constant professional updating. On the other hand, experience and maturity are highlighted as competitive differentiators. New trajectory Nizia Loubet undertakes sustainable crafts, having found in entrepreneurship an alternative to remain productive and happier. Disclosure/Sebrae Artisan Nizia Loubet is an example of this movement. After working for years as a supervisor at an aviation company, she decided to change profession and found sustainable crafts a way to generate income and contribute to the environment. Using waste such as bicycle cameras and PET bottle caps, she produces biojewelry and other accessories from materials that would otherwise be discarded. For four years, Nizia has worked at Pikena Biojoias e Presentes, located in a collaborative store in a shopping mall in São Luís. She participates in events such as Expo MEI and Feirinha São Luís, invests in training, expands her network of contacts and encourages customers to contribute by collecting recyclable materials used in the production of the pieces. "I do a lot of prospecting, promote the products, listen to the client to understand their needs and try to prepare myself, because the market is very demanding and competitive. I don't give up learning, making connections with other entrepreneurs, acting collaboratively, valuing the opportunities that the market offers and showing the client the importance of recycling and caring for the environment", he states. She says that entrepreneurship represents a constant process of personal and professional growth. "Becoming an entrepreneur is not easy. For me, it is an opportunity for growth and continuous reinvention, which makes me very happy, as I feel useful, contributing to the environment due to the work I do and also interacting with various people and, thus, acquiring more knowledge. I do not face difficulties due to my age. On the contrary, I am very well received in the entrepreneurial environment, including by younger people. I try to overcome difficulties with joy and confidence", he reports. Event in São Luís In the previous edition, in Balsas, the Entrepreneur's Fair moved the south of the state, bringing knowledge and actions to strengthen entrepreneurship in the interior of the state. Disclosure/Sebrae Entrepreneurship aimed at the population over 60 years old will also be the theme of the 2026 Entrepreneur Fair, which will be held from August 14th to 16th, at the Multicenter Negócios e Eventos, in São Luís. During the program, the capital of Maranhão will host Futuridade, an initiative that will promote debates, training and connections about entrepreneurship in maturity. The event is scheduled for August 16th and will bring together experts, entrepreneurs and institutions to discuss challenges and opportunities for this audience. In addition to lectures and debates, Futuridade will have a space focused on diversity and inclusion, with 30 exhibitors. The environment will highlight initiatives developed by women, people over 60, members of the LGBTQIA+ community, indigenous people and quilombolas. According to Reijane Almeida, coordinator of the Plural Program in Maranhão, initiatives aimed at entrepreneurship in maturity have the potential to expand inclusion and stimulate economic development. "More than following a trend, initiatives such as Plural and Futuridade recognize that entrepreneurship at maturity represents a concrete opportunity for economic development and inclusion. After all, when experience finds purpose, age stops being a limit and becomes a competitive differentiator", he states. The 2026 edition of the Entrepreneur Fair will be held by Sebrae, co-organized by the Government of Maranhão and the Fiema System (Sesi and Senai). Registration is free and is now open.