Older, wiser, and wealthier: How the over-50 set became the next big brand opportunity

Older, wiser, and wealthier: How the over-50 set became the next big brand opportunity

Retirement? Martha Stewart didn’t get the memo. At 84, she’s reinventing herself—again. With Elm Biosciences, the self-made billionaire is adding a skin care venture to her formidable empire.

She’s not alone. Halle Berry is building a menopause care brand, Respin, while Pamela Anderson has entered the game with skin care brand Sonsie. These women, both over 50, aren’t exceptions. They’re indicators of a changing tide of older entrepreneurs here to fill gaps in industries that have historically been obsessed with youth.

One in five Shopify merchants over 55 launched their business in the past year, according to company data. The over-50 demographic, often ignored as brands clamor to crack the Gen Z code, controls 42% of global spending, according to nonprofit research organization Brookings. Now, savvy founders, regardless of age or celebrity status, are pivoting to appeal to this consumer group.

With multi-trillion-dollar spending power and an increasing interest in shopping online, this is a demographic to watch. And, it’s one that’s being served best by entrepreneurs within it.

Banking on experience

Older founders have a unique advantage: a combination of financial stability, free time, and decades of hard-earned wisdom. Together, it makes for a bulletproof resume.

"Sometimes we underestimate the value of the tremendous toolbox of skills that we have amassed,” says Angel Cornelius, who launched her hair care brand Maison 276 at the age of 57.

Cornelius launched her business to address an underserved segment: women celebrating their grays who don't want to apologize for aging.

“This particular problem, I decided to take on myself in my kitchen,” says Cornelius. As her friends discovered her homegrown formulas, she started selling them while still working full-time.

Eventually, Maison 276 struck a chord. Cornelius was approached for press opportunities and found a community that—just like her—was ready to celebrate aging naturally.

Cornelius then moved her business to a dedicated online storefront and brought on as president her millennial son, Keith Cornelius Jr. She sidestepped retirement to run Maison 276 full-time.

The overlooked majority

In 2025, 4.18 million Americans will reach retirement age—over 11,400 people turning 65 daily, according to research from Alliance's Retirement Income Institute.

Cornelius’s son Keith, a former JP Morgan analyst, saw the opportunity clearly: Older generations don't demand representation like millennials and Gen Z—but enthusiastically embrace it when they find it.

This insight revealed an untapped market seeking brands that speak directly to them, especially on social media. Cornelius launched Maison 276, as she puts it, at the start of a social movement. And the evolving digital confidence of the demographic means that movement is growing. “Middle-aged women are the most powerful consumer group in the world,” she says. “That's not a niche.”

In her sector, the opportunity is even more apparent. “The beauty industry is very youth-focused,” she says. “Even when they try to sell products to middle-aged women, they use women who look like our daughters.”

Cornelius takes center stage as the face of her brand, something that’s helped her build a community around her business. She’s one of them. And icons like Martha Stewart are leveraging not only their star power but their common ground with the consumer, too.

Authenticity sells

Nearly nine in 10 American Boomers say they shopped online in early 2025, according to Statista Consumer Insights. Even social media is factoring into their decisions: 70% of Boomers have purchased a product recommended by a social media influencer, according to influencer marketing platform Benlabs, and one in five participated in live shopping events, per Capgemini Research Institute.

While older entrepreneurs best understand this demographic, younger founders are taking notice. And older creators—dubbed “grandfluencers”—are the gateway.

Fragrance brand Dossier and skin care company Ilia are two brands actively targeting older consumers, partnering with TikTok’s J-Dog and “silver hair model” Regina Burton, respectively.

There are older influencers in every category, from food to comedy to men’s fashion. Skin care brand OneSkin ran a promoted post with 79-year-old Instagram fitness creator Joan MacDonald. The messaging feels authentic. “This isn’t about looking younger,” the caption says, in part. “It’s about helping my skin stay as strong as the rest of me.”

Activewear brand Beyond Yoga has also perfected the strategy, pairing its products with aspirational content that appeals to an older customer. The brand pulled it off by partnering with Gym Tan, a 65-year-old jet-setting lifestyle influencer.

These brands are not exclusively targeted to consumers over 50. In fact, their websites and social feeds predominantly feature younger models. Partnerships like these allow brands to authentically enter the space and welcome a wider range of customers.

This story was produced by Shopify and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.