5 famous people who reinvented themselves in later life

Retirement can often be seen as an ending. It usually comes after a lifetime of hard work, where you earned and saved to enjoy your lifestyle during your career and in later life.

But just because that’s the standard retirement, it doesn’t mean it has to be yours.

Instead, it can be an opportunity to try something new - perhaps things you always wanted to do but didn’t have time for while you were working.

That’s why we launched our new campaign, Born to Retire. We're changing the narrative around later life and reminding everyone that retirement’s not the ending of the story. Instead, it’s the start of a new chapter for you to make the most of. 

Your PensionBee pension could allow you to do exactly that. You can be who you’ve always wanted to be, reinventing yourself and reaching the goals you’ve always wanted to.

There’s a long history of people who’ve achieved their major life successes in their older age. 

Find out about five who might inspire you to take on something new once you stop working.

1. Charles Darwin 

The founding father of evolutionary biology, Charles Darwin is one of the most well-known and influential people in UK history.

Darwin posited the theory of natural selection via the survival of the fittest, and the idea of descent from common ancestors.

From a lifetime of research, Darwin introduced his idea in his groundbreaking book, On the Origin of Species. 

Many of Darwin’s observations in the book come from the famous second voyage of the HMS Beagle in the 1830s, when he visited the Galapagos Islands.

When the voyage departed, Darwin was 22 years old. Yet he didn’t publish his book until he was 50.

Instead, Darwin had spent a lifetime collating knowledge and understanding. That investment later became a paradigm-shifting theory which has influenced our view of how the world works.

Throughout your career, you’ll have learned valuable lessons, both in your line of work and about life.

Retirement could give you an opportunity to reflect on all the knowledge you’ve collected and turn it into something new. That might be a book, social media channel, or even a new business.

2. Bram Stoker 

Irish writer, barrister, and literary critic Bram Stoker is best known for writing the Gothic horror story, Dracula. But you might not’ve realised that Stoker’s legacy work wasn’t published until he was just shy of his 50th birthday.

Stoker had been managing a successful theatre tour, when he went to Whitby in Yorkshire for some downtime. 

While there, the Gothic atmosphere of the seaside town inspired him to write his now-famous story.  

Although the book wasn’t particularly popular in his lifetime, it’s become one of the most well-known works of fiction of all time. In fact, his titular villain is now the most portrayed literary character in cinematic history.

Stoker had travelled to Whitby for a break from the intensity of his theatre work. Yet, by resting his mind for that short period, his creativity sparked. That brought to life one of the most memorable characters in the history of fiction.

You never know what sort of creativity you might unlock - and where it might lead - when you stop working.

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3. Laura Ingalls Wilder 

Laura Ingalls Wilder had a long and varied career. Starting as a school teacher aged 15 in 1882, she became a newspaper journalist before later becoming an author.

That final chapter is what Wilder’s remembered fondly for. She penned the nine Little House books, a series that includes the beloved Little House on the Prairie. 

Wilder’s stories are semi-fictionalised. They’re closely based on her experience of living on the American frontier as a child and her first years of marriage. 

With this subject matter in mind, it’s no surprise that it took a lifetime for Wilder to chronicle her early experiences. Her first book, Little House in the Big Woods, was published in 1932 when she was 65 years old. 

When you reach 65, you’ll no doubt have some stories to tell. Even if it’s just for you and your family, later life could be an opportunity to reflect on the colour and fullness of your life and career.

4. Harland David Sanders 

You might not recognise the name Harland David Sanders at first. But you’ve almost certainly seen his picture before. And you might better know him by his moniker, the Colonel. 

Sanders was the genius behind KFC and its iconic 11 herbs and spices. 

You might imagine that the founder of a hugely successful franchised business like KFC would’ve been a millionaire since his early career.

But Sanders was a very late bloomer. It wasn’t until 1952 that he signed his first franchise deal, aged 62. 

The deal was a simple side hustle to complement his primary business: a roadside restaurant in Kentucky.

Incredibly, that was just the beginning of his story. Sanders famously went broke aged 65 in 1955 when his restaurant went bust as a result of declining traffic to the area.

Yet, he didn't give up. Instead, he headed out on the road with his recipe and pressure cooker, selling his franchise idea to restaurants across the country.

In 1964, aged 73, Sanders sold his company to a group of investors for $2 million - that’s roughly $20.8 million today. All that from a humble side hustle.

Retirement could be your chance to start a new venture. That might be a side hustle you already have, or something you’ve always thought could be a great idea but never had the time or space to explore.

5. Vera Wang

Becoming Fashion Editor at Vogue at age 23, Vera Wang was certainly successful early on.

But Wang isn’t best remembered for her editorial achievements. Rather, it’s her role as a designer in her own right - especially in bridalwear - that made her a household name.

Like many of the other people on this list, that’s a venture she could only pursue because of all the knowledge she built in the fashion world first.

Wang was 40 when she founded her bridalwear company. And it’d take at least another decade for her to become a globally-recognised name, which she did in her 50s.

Perhaps most interesting is Wang’s reason for her change in career direction. She didn’t set out simply to change the industry; she created the dress she wanted to wear at her own wedding, and the rest is history.

Wang’s story offers an inspiring lesson you can take with you into retirement: if you like it and it doesn’t exist, then make it.

Save for the later life you want

Your pension savings could be the ticket to achieving the life you want in retirement.

With PensionBee, combine old pots and contribute easily online. Then, when you come to access your pot (from 55, rising to 57 from 2028), choose from drawdown or buying an annuity.

You can also set up Automatic withdrawals, having your funds regularly delivered to your account when you choose.

Sign up today and find out who you could be with PensionBee.

Risk warning

As always with investments, your capital is at risk. The value of your investment can go down as well as up, and you may get back less than you invest. This information should not be regarded as financial advice.