Mika: With $15 trillion in spending power and decades of wisdom, women over 50 are THE incredible untapped resource

In 2021, when Know Your Value partnered with Forbes to publish our first ever “50 Over 50“ list, Vice President Kamala Harris, television producer and screenwriter Shonda Rhimes, founder Julie Wainwright and investor Cathie Wood headlined the inaugural edition.   

To our delight, we discovered that some wannabe listers’ applications were rejected … because they were too young! Imagine that.  

Today, Harris is a candidate for president (and is seen as the “younger” contender!) and Forbes and Know Your Value’s “50 Over 50” list has since become a global success and a cross-cultural, multigenerational movement. 

We know the importance of spotlighting women around the world who are reshaping the image of life and work for women in their 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and beyond. The lists shatter stereotypes and paves the long runway for the next generation of women leaders, firmly rejecting the notion that our best years are behind us. 

Today as we release our fourth annual “50 Over 50“ U.S. list, we are celebrating groundbreakers in biotech, education, retail, architecture and beyond. And even singers and activists who are releasing new albums in their mid-80s (we’re looking at you, Mavis Staples!)

We have arrived — and then some.

This year’s list may be our most impressive yet.  It includes actress Brooke Shields, filmmaker Ava DuVernay, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and basketball coach Dawn Staley — just to name a few. Our oldest honoree, activist and philanthropist Deborah Szekely, is proving it’s never too late to make an impact, even at the age of 102.

Another favorite: Hollywood starlet June Squibb, whose acting career took off after the age of 80! At 94, Squibb still performs her own stunts — as we saw in her new film “Thelma”— when she hilariously runs off with an adult scooter at a senior home. She is a shining example of how age does not mean limitation or irrelevance.

Also on the list: 67-year-old Valerie Jarrett, who served as senior advisor to President Obama from 2009 to 2017, making her the longest serving senior advisor to a president in history. Jarrett, who is now the CEO of the Obama Foundation, was nominated for our list by her daughter, Laura Jarrett, co-anchor of the Saturday TODAY show. 

Women over 50 have made so much headway this year — whether it be in politics, the sciences, arts and entertainment. Female CEOs are now out earning their male counterparts. Women over the age of 50 account for 27 percent of all consumer spending. Forbes calls us “super consumers” because — with more than $15 trillion in purchasing power — we are the wealthiest and most active generation in history.

Just look at this year’s Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition, which featured 69-year-old journalist Gayle King. She follows Martha Stewart, who last year at 81 became the oldest woman to appear on the magazine’s iconic cover. Stewart was also featured in this year’s issue, alongside Christie Brinkley, 70; Molly Sims, 51; Roshumba Williams, 55; and Paulina Porizkova, 59 (someone who was also a guest speaker at our inaugural 30/50 Summit!). 

Businesses are starting to think more about the consumer segment that is women over the age of 50. QVC recently launched their standout campaign, “The Age of Possibility,” aimed at women over 50. Brooke Shield’s new business, Commence, is specifically building products for women in their 40s, 50s and beyond. Forbes Over 50 alumna Bobbi Brown frequently features women in their 50s and 60s in the advertising for Jones Road Beauty. Women over 50 are not mere observers of life’s rich pageant; we are leading the way.

I created the “50 Over 50” list in part for women who are in their 20s and 30s, to prove to them they will have more opportunity and more time than they ever imagined. To show them that it’s OK to take your time, to make mistakes, to be comfortable pressing reset, pivot careers, and yes, start over.

What I did not expect was this movement’s staggering success. I thought I was creating a place for women to slowly step into.  Instead, we are racing to keep up with the surging numbers of incredibly successful women in this age group. This is  a life-changing message for younger women. They can take that ticking clock that always made them feel like they were falling behind, and smash it into a million pieces.

I am profoundly grateful for the women of the “50 Over 50,” and the work they are each accomplishing. This year’s list is just more proof that the sky’s the limit for us… And perhaps next year we will see one of our honorees as president of the United States? For now, let’s get ready to meet in New York and then dance together in the desert in Abu Dhabi. See you there!