As part of our ongoing series “The Age of Work” about how demographic shifts are shaking up the global economy, “Marketplace” host Kai Ryssdal and ADP chief economist Nela Richardson visit London, England. The United Kingdom has a higher percentage of people over 65 than the United States and holds insights into our economic future. 

Four years ago, at age 50, Steve Anyiwo started his own business after decades of working in graphic design. He’s part of a wave of entrepreneurs aged 50 and up in the U.K. — people Anyiwo calls “seniorpreneurs.” 

Ryssdal and Richardson visited Crafty Fox Market in Kings Cross, where Anyiwo was selling his DATSiT body butters. 

“I’ve been making this skincare for my family for about eight or nine years,” Anyiwo said. One of his daughters was having skincare issues that other products weren’t helping with, so Anyiwo spent about a year testing recipes to make something that worked for his family. 

Then, at the start of the pandemic, his work as a freelance graphic designer suddenly stopped.

“I don’t ever want to be in that position where a change of weather can impact my whole family,” Anyiwo said. “So it’s actually the kids that said, ‘Why don’t you sell your skincare, Dad?’” 

He launched the company in January of 2022, and he participated in a six-week course called Startup School for Seniors to learn more about how to operate a business.

Now, DATSiT has about 3,000 regular customers, and Anyiwo is looking for funding to scale up his business. 

“I can see something at the end of the line,” Anyiwo said about his business. “It’s the hope that keeps people doing it.” 

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