If you could only sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to the people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person.

~Fred Rogers

We hold this space as an opportunity to showcase those people we encounter now and then who simply show up every day with a radiant,  uplifting spirit coupled with a genuine willingness to give back. That said, as Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of this award-winning global media digest and CEO/ReImaginator for 360° Nation, I was delighted to have the opportunity to get better acquainted with Marc Joseph, Co-Founder of BabyBoomer.org, whose mission is to be part of Boomers’ daily lives – not only to help them find what they need but also enrich their lives and find new friends with similar interests

Who is Marc Joseph?

Marc Joseph is better known as Gramps Jeffrey. Gramps Jeffrey’s children’s book, “I Don’t Want to Turn 3”, explores what goes through a toddler’s mind that parents are so desperate to understand. It is based on the true experiences he has had with his 6 grandchildren that were born 2 each to his 3 Millennial daughters. Gramps Jeffrey is the pen name for Marc Joseph whose first book “The Secrets of Retailing…How to Beat Wal-Mart” was written to help entrepreneurs and Small Businesses compete against the big guys. Arianna Huffington read his book and asked him to contribute to the Huffington Post. He has written over 100 articles about small businesses, Education, the homeless, and several other nonprofit topics dear to all of us. Gramps is currently the co-founder of the new site www.babyboomer.org which pulls together news and resources for the baby boomer community. Gramps and his lovely wife Cathy live in Scottsdale, Arizona where 2 of his grandchildren live. 2 more live in Austin, Texas, and 2 in Orlando, Florida.

We would like to hear about your professional journey up to now, and the Wisdom gained/lessons learned along the way, including any pivots/course changes.

In the first part of my career, I was in corporate America helping run major Retail chains in the department store, discount store, and dollar store industries. I then decided to become an entrepreneur which I learned to appreciate in my early life because, on both sides of my family, they too were all entrepreneurs. I have started 3 companies of which one I took public in the B2B Internet world. 50% of businesses fail in their first 5 years of business. So, lessons learned along the way include:

1. Make sure your product or service is actually wanted by customers. 42% of businesses fail because they think they have the greatest item since sliced bread, but they are the only one who likes the product. I learned early on as a buyer for a department store, that you do not buy for what you like, you buy for what your customers want.
2. Make sure you have enough capital to survive the first 6 months as if you had no sales. 29% of businesses fail because they just don’t have enough funds to sustain their early development.
3. Build a team around you that is smarter than you are. 23% of businesses fail because the owner has such a big ego, that they cannot recognize their weaknesses and don’t find a staff that can complement their abilities. Along with this, the entrepreneur needs to make sure they are communicating and sharing their vision with everyone in the company to create a shared experience.

Tell us about BabyBoomer.org and the inspiration behind it.

The Baby Boomer Generation is as diverse as any generation before and after it. There are major differences in political views, diversity in religion, and ideas of how our lives should be lived. But the one thing Baby Boomers do have in common is a connected shared experience. When we were growing up there were only 3 TV networks and we all had landlines, so we all were exposed to the same information.

We all experienced the Kennedy assassination, Martin Luther King’s assassination, the landing on the moon, Vietnam, riots in the streets, and birth control becoming widespread. We have our shared music whether it is Elvis, the Beatles or the Beach Boys or 3 Dog Night, The Association, or the Supremes. We have the movies that brought us together like Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid, Jaws, Animal House, Star Wars, or The Godfather. So, we actually have more in common than what splits us apart. Because we are not a homogenous group, there has never been one single trustworthy source to speak to our many and varied interests. We know there are various digital tribes or pocket groups of Baby Boomers who are already online —divided by geography, special interests, access to specific experts, or ideology. Areas that we want to highlight to bring us together include but are not limited to Caregiving, international and domestic Travel, the ex-pat Lifestyle, grandparenting, antique cars and memories, Healthy Eating, Finance, Retirement, healthcare, dementia, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, and fitness. Pickleball, Volunteering, giving back, and how to leave a Legacy.

What’s unique about it, and who is your ideal audience/participant?

Our content is made up of contributors and authors who are either baby boomers or write about topics that would be of interest to our generation. The site consists of the best podcasts, blogs, videos, books, and articles related to our interests. Whereas, when we started the site, we anticipated our audience would be baby boomers like us, but what has evolved is traffic is also coming from the baby boomer children and grandchildren trying to figure out what makes our generation tick.

When did you launch BabyBoomer.org, and what’s been your biggest challenge so far?

BabyBoomer.org is a new site launched in September of 2022. Our biggest challenge so far is finding the right content to turn it into a destination site. We call this Phase 1 which we are just about done completing. Phase 2 which launches shortly will be to let the world know who we are.

Any noteworthy surprises along the way?

I was totally surprised by how quickly we were embraced by contributors who want to reach our core market. They then shared their experiences with other potential contributors, and it helped us build the site faster than we thought possible.

What distinguishes your business from others in the same profession?

Our site was built by baby boomers for baby boomers. Our contributors are passionate about the information they want to share with our audience. As we get older and there is more time behind us than in front of us, we realize it is truly our mission to educate younger generations. By doing this we create our legacy and that is what this site does.

What’s the next big thing and/or greatest challenge for BabyBoomer.org?

Our greatest challenge is letting the 70M baby boomers know we are here to help educate, enlighten, and help them on the next phase of their journey. When you are kids, you have lots of friends, but then life gets in the way of building a career and family, and we do not have as many friends. Our site wants to help restore that sense of belonging and finding others who have the same niche interests as you do.

As an experienced leader and entrepreneur, what’s non-negotiable for you?

Your word is your bond. In today’s world of unscrupulous salespeople amplified by the ease of using the Internet, it is more difficult to establish great Relationships that will benefit both parties. Once these relationships were based on face-to-face meetings, but in today’s world with COVID lingering, we have turned into a Zoom society. How do we establish trusting relationships that will last a long time? This trust is what is non-negotiable to me and each day we must earn it.

How can our global audience learn more about you and BabyBoomer.org?

• https://babyboomer.org/
• https://www.facebook.com/BabyBoomer.org/
• https://twitter.com/babyboomer_org
• https://www.linkedin.com/company/babyboomer-org/
• https://grampsjeffrey.com/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/gramps-jeffrey-3b022b214/
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcjoseph/
• https://www.facebook.com/grampsjeffrey/?business_id=193853812379998
• https://twitter.com/AuthorGramps
• https://www.instagram.com/authorgrampsjeffrey/
• https://www.pinterest.com/hellogrampsjeffrey/

Bonus Question: What one thing would people be surprised to learn about you?

I am a substitute teacher at our local high school and middle school. There is such a shortage of teachers, that I would urge everyone to volunteer to help educate this greatest generation our country has ever produced. We are all looking to leave our legacy, and pass on these decades of knowledge we have learned from not only the mistakes we’ve made, but the positive experiences we have had. What better way to pay it forward than helping our communities influence our future generations…

Editor’s Note: We are pleased to now add BabyBoomer.org to our expanding global network of special media alliances, setting the stage to enhance the visibility of our respective writing communities. Visit Become A Content Contributor if you’d like to have your BizCatalyst 360° Articles syndicated via BabyBoomer.org. 

Dennis Pitocco Chief ReImaginator of 360° Nation

Dennis is the founder and CEO of 360° Nation, a multifaceted media enterprise promoting global positivity. In collaboration with his wife Ali, who serves as Chief Inspiration Officer, Dennis oversees several successful ventures; BizCatalyst 360°–an award-winning global media platform; 360° Nation Studios –producer of uplifting content and events, and; GoodWorks 360° –a pro bono consulting service for nonprofit organizations worldwide.

For over a decade, Dennis and Ali have pursued a mission to illuminate the finest aspects of humanity and leverage their resources to effect daily positive change worldwide. Their operational philosophy emphasizes presence, compassionate service, and the allocation of time, talents, and resources for societal benefit rather than solely for profit. As a contributing author to multiple best-selling books, Dennis is committed to fostering transformational change and promoting holistic wellness.

Dennis and Ali strive to exemplify responsible stewardship while influencing and showcasing humanity's highest potential. Their work reflects a dedication to ethical business practices, community engagement, and the belief that media can be a powerful force for good in the world.