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What: Online dating service for people age 50 andup
Who: Miriam Hipsh, founder of FiftyPlusConnect.com
Where: New York City
When: Started in March 2005
After reading an article about internet dating, Miriam Hipshdecided she wanted to find out more. But when she attempted tocreate a profile on one site, Hipsh, 59, got to a question aboutbody art and realized the site was clearly not targeting a matureaudience.
"It wasn't speaking to me," says Hipsh. Instead ofdiscouraging her, this realization piqued her BIZ Experiencesialinterest.
After some research, Hipsh discovered that there weren'tmany dating sites targeting her age group, and she knew fromtalking with friends that there was a market for such a site. InMarch 2005, after a year of researching and developing her idea,she launched FiftyPlusConnect.com, a dating website tailored to theover-50 demographic.
"I don't want people to feel that by the time they hita certain age, it's over," says Hipsh, who became a singlemother at 48 when she adopted a 6-month-old baby.
Hipsh financed the startup costs of her business--approximately$30,000--using personal investments and the help of friends andfamily. She gave up her job as a reading tutor to work full time onthe website from home. She also hired a webmaster, who built anddesigned the site, and now maintains it. Hipsh describesFiftyPlusConnect.com as a "quiet site," mean-ing it'sinviting and warm, not flashy or busy. With large fonts andsoothing colors such as beige and blue, the site's design issimple and user-friendly.
By early 2006, over 5,000 people had joined at no cost. InMarch, Hipsh started charging $18 a month for a subscription to thesite and projects 2006 sales to reach the low six figures. In thefuture, she plans to add reader content, diversify the chat roomsand possibly retail FiftyPlusConnect.com items.
Most important, Hipsh wants to continue encouraging people toseek out love and happiness at any age. "I embrace my age, andI embrace experience," says Hipsh. "I lovelife."
