For generations, midlife was seen as a time of slowing down, particularly for women, who were expected to step back, fade from view, and pass on the reins. Today, that narrative is shifting. Women in midlife are harnessing their experience, emotional intelligence, and perspective to step forward as dynamic, powerful entrepreneurs.
Dori Moreno | image supplied
And this is not just my opinion, research backs this up. According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), nearly 28% of South African women entrepreneurs are between the ages of 45 and 64.
Mastercard’s 2025 report found that 57% of South African women now identify as entrepreneurs, with Gen X women (aged 43–58) leading the charge in turning side hustles into full-time ventures.
Why this revolution? At 50, you've experienced enough to know what matters, and you're bold enough to pursue it unapologetically. We bring decades of experience, emotional intelligence, and perspective to the table.
We’ve navigated careers, raised families, survived loss, and reinvented ourselves more than once. We’re not here to prove ourselves anymore. We’re here to express ourselves, and that makes us powerful.
Reframing midlife as a launchpad
For many women, midlife brings a powerful question to the surface: What about me? After decades of fulfilling the roles that society traditionally expected of us, caregiver, employee, partner, we begin to explore and define what we truly want. This is a time that often becomes the catalyst for reinvention.
What about in a South African context, where gender roles are ingrained in many cultures? The shift is happening, but it’s layered. Our cultural diversity means we hold many perspectives at once.
In many communities, traditional views that a woman’s purpose is to serve quietly in the background still dominate.
But South African women are resilient. We’ve learned to hold tradition and transformation at once. We’re showing our peers and global observers that we're not rejecting our cultures, but rather we’re evolving them.
We’re making the case, quite successfully, that wisdom and leadership are not at odds with tradition, but an extension of it.
We’re also seeing a rise in self-leadership and wellness practices. Coaching, therapy, retreats, and introspective work are no longer fringe; they’re mainstream. The result? A wave of purpose-driven ventures led by women who know exactly who they are.
In my work as a growth strategist and coach, I often speak about “tending your inner flame.” What does this mean? It’s the idea that your inner work, your self-awareness, your healing, your clarity, is what fuels your outer impact.
And I’ve seen it time and again: when women reconnect with their authentic selves, they become unstoppable.
My own midlife reinvention story
How can I be so sure? I know this because I’ve lived it. I spent the early part of my career in the corporate world, leading large teams, heading up a banking division in one of our country's largest corporations, and thriving in a high-pressure environment.
But I reached a point where I knew the pace was no longer sustainable. If I didn’t make a change, I risked becoming a liability to myself and those around me.
So I made the scary decision to leave. Over the next two decades, I successfully ran my own businesses in industries where I might not have possessed the technical knowledge, but what I did have was something much more important: solid business principles, a "can-do" mindset, and the drive to succeed.
As was the case with many entrepreneurs in our country, when Covif hit, my business took a massive knock and eventually closed. But within that loss, I saw possibility and tapped into a well of intent and opportunity, and that is where I found my purpose.
South Africa’s women-led success stories
South Africa needs leaders who are resilient, socially conscious, and deeply rooted in community. Women over 50 are uniquely positioned to meet that need.
We just have to look at women like Wendy Luhabe, who founded Women Investment Holdings in her 30s and continues to shape the private equity space well into her 60s or Judy Dlamini, founder of the Mbekani Group and a force in healthcare, education, and boardroom leadership.
This wave of leadership is not limited to high-profile boardrooms. It’s happening in townships, in online communities, in wellness spaces, and in small businesses that are quietly transforming lives.
Women are launching consultancies, turning side hustles into income streams, and building ventures that reflect their values and vision. And they’re doing it with fire.
A call to action for women at midlife
If you’re a woman in your 40s, 50s, or 60s reading this, I want you to know: it’s not too late. You are not too old. You are right on time.
This is your moment to ask: What now? And more importantly: What next?
Whether you want to start a business, write a book, launch a movement, or simply reconnect with your purpose, the tools are available. Coaching, retreats, community circles, and self-work are not indulgences. They are investments in your next chapter.
Because the truth is, South Africa’s next chapter is being written by women over 50, and it’s bold, brilliant, and beautifully overdue.
