Extending Your Network Into Retirement

Imagine a community of diverse professionals with amazing work experiences to draw upon and combine with your own. New neighbor or new business partner? #rethinkretirement

A recent Gallup poll found that 74% of adults plan to work past retirement age. Instead of having to work, the vast majority of this percentage would like to continue working. And why not? You’ve spent an entire career becoming an expert. Your knowledge and experience bring value to the professional world. And the generations below you are eager to draw upon your sage advice.

Freelance friendly

So you do a little consulting on the side? So you still manage the books of the family bakery? So you still dabble in some painting and sales at a gallery in the area? Whatever you bring with you to the Summit Vista community—including a desire to continue working at whatever capacity—is heartily welcomed.

Freelance work is yet another wonderful example of how many of our retirees are choosing to stay engaged and provide value to those around them in their professional networks and to their fellow retirees.

Collaboration and networking opportunities

You’ve been a health inspector for 35 years. Retirement’s great, but you’ve just had a rousing idea to contract sanitation trainings with local restaurants, cafes, and catering companies. You’ve never tried your hand at personal entrepreneurship before and you don’t know exactly where to start. That’s when you remember that David in the building across from you has a lot of experience in marketing, and Nadia on floor two owned her own business and knows a lot of people in professional printing services. After an hour-long conversation with both of them during lunch, your wild hair of an idea is much closer to becoming a viable business proposition.

Networking in retirement, who would have thought?

Naturally, not everyone may be interested in such a project, but at Summit Vista there is no shortage of opportunities to engage with the people around you and combine skillsets to work toward new long- and short-term goals.

That’s the beauty of a retirement community; you’re surrounded by experts in various academic subjects, industries, and practical experiences—all potentially available to become part of your network.

Hobbies new and old—determined by you

We’re redefining what the term “hobby” means. Because if an activity brings you a sense of joy, peace, and fulfillment, then it doesn’t matter the nature of the activity. So whether it’s a leisurely morning in the garden, cycling up one of the Cottonwood Canyons, or even a full afternoon of stock trading for your old company, it’s for you to determine what your hobbies will be after retiring.

Even if you’re ready to move onto completely new pursuits, there’s already a long list of clubs and interest groups that regularly meet. Try one out! But if you don’t find exactly what you’re looking for, then start your own group and bring together the individuals interested in the same topic.

This is the place where the experiences that the people bring are simply the greatest asset. And that includes you.