🤣 You're like a 100 years old...
Dec 14, 2025
Yesterday I crossed a stage I never thought I'd stand on.
At 63, surrounded by Shari—my amazing, sweet, beautiful wife and biggest supporter—along with our wonderful family, I received my Master of Science in Entrepreneurship from the University of Florida.
3.94 GPA. Straight A's throughout the entire program.
But here's what the diploma doesn't show:
- → The nights I questioned whether I was too old for this.
- → The group projects where I had to prove myself to teammates not even half my age.
- → The uncertainty in developing the Retirepreneur business plan from scratch and submitting it in the Luby Microgrant Pitch Competition... and then the gratitude of being awarded $10K in grants!
- → The terror I felt delivering my first live pitch after decades of being confident in boardrooms.
- → The hundred times I practiced that pitch, determined to overcome the fear.
- → The moment Shari squeezed my hand before I walked on stage for the UF Big Idea Competition.
- → The pride I felt when UF gave me the Entrepreneurial Spirit Award—not just for Retirepreneur, but for staying an extra day to support the other finalists.
Two years ago, I was a burned-out CFO staring at retirement, wondering "what's next?"
Yesterday, I stood with my family and realized this is what's next:
Learning.
Growing.
Building.
Showing our grandkids that courage doesn't mean you're not afraid—it means you do it anyway.
To everyone who thinks they're "too old" for something: I'm building Retirepreneur while still learning how to build Retirepreneur.
I'm 63, and I'm just getting started.
And to my professors, classmates, and the entire UF Warrington College of Business community: thank you for proving that the best education happens when you're humble enough to approach it like a beginner, regardless of how many decades you've already lived.
The straight A's feel good. But standing there with Shari and our family, living our "no regrets" philosophy?
That's the real achievement.
Now, a well-deserved break 😊
P.S. Quick funny story. During our celebration BBQ one of the grandkids blurted out with a cute laugh "why did you go to school... to learn? you're like a 100 years old" 🤣
