When John Miller stepped away from his consulting position at Accenture in 2001, he didn’t pursue a traditional retirement.
Miller went on to put his consulting expertise — including helping companies resolve supply chain management issues — to work on both a part-time and full-time basis.
He eventually gave that work up to travel the world with his wife. The couple’s trips have since included two cruises around the globe.
Miller’s travels have helped inspire his next venture: importing wines from the Tuscan and Piedmont regions of Italy.
Miller, 68, co-founded the company, named Terra Toscana, with a friend from his coffee klatch after they discovered a shared passion for the region and for wines.
The company, which was launched last year, just recently brought in its first wine shipment — a little more than 1,300 bottles.
The wine supply is aimed at giving Miller’s fellow residents in his suburban Atlanta community access they wouldn’t otherwise have to Italian culture, via tasting and dinner events.
And even if they don’t soak in the culture, they can still enjoy the beverage.
“I think a lot of people just like drinking wine,” Miller said.
Ultimately, he wants the business to become the go-to importer for Italian wines in Georgia.
The endeavor is just one example of how baby boomers are reshaping their retirements so that they can see new dreams come to fruition. Often, these efforts have nothing to do with their former careers.
“What happens is a lot of successful people do a great job in whatever profession they’re in and make enough money to make their job optional and want to pursue a different passion,” said Howard Joe, a wealth management advisor at Merrill Lynch.
Source : CNBC
