At San Francisco’s WeWork Civic Center, not many people seemed interested in meeting in the common area for afternoon push-ups. Then Dwight Wilson got involved, going from door to door urging other members to join in. Now it’s a popular daily activity. “I guess I’m a bit of a troop leader around here,” says Wilson. “I’m good at going around and getting people out of their seats.” Organizing is what the 58-year-old entrepreneur does best. All of the businesses he has launched—his current project, called Collabriv, is his fifth startup—have been about bringing together young people from different cultures. He’s helped them launch startups in rural areas and taught them leadership skills needed in the environmental movement.
I strongly recommend that people in their 40s and 50s not shy away from starting a business. If you have that passion and a great idea, go out there and see what the market has to say.
After working on a software startup, Wilson launched Collabriv, the company that has “brought everything full circle” for him. Collabriv places business school graduates from around the world with startups in the San Francisco Bay Area. These companies are all based at WeWork, which Wilson says allows the interns to “work as a team.” Coming together at least once a week, they can bounce ideas off each other or get advice on problems they are facing. “The most rewarding part is seeing young professionals really grow and blossom,” says Wilson. “Seeing how the world opens up for them is very satisfying.”
Photos: Sarah Gerber