We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amy Temperley a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Amy, we’ve been so fortunate to work with so many incredible folks and one common thread we have seen is that those who have built amazing lives for themselves are also often the folks who are most generous. Where do you think your generosity comes from?
Throughout my life, I have seen generosity demonstrated by my parents, especially my mother. In elementary school, my mother volunteered at our school or played piano for the local state school serving individuals with disabilities. In my early teens, she won a “Volunteer of the Year” award in my hometown. Primarily, I watched her and my father care for those around them. Whenever a family member or friend was in need, they were there to help whether that was financial support or hands-on care. My mother is the consummate caregiver, providing support for her parents and my dad’s parents during their lives. She continues to demonstrate that care through supporting my husband and I in our work. She even creates lifelong learning presentations for us free of charge!
Through watching my parents and my natural bent toward empathy, all of my work has been based in giving to others in some form or fashion.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
After many years working with older adults in the nonprofit and social services sectors, my husband Damien and I found ourselves with an idea to create positive, engaging classes for older adults- the kinds of classes that we hoped to have access to as we aged. In 2016, we launched Aging is Cool and after a little trial and error, we found gap in the market and a model that worked.
Today, Aging is Cool is a provider of innovative wellness and recreational programs for older adults. We partner with senior living communities to enhance their lifestyle programs and improve the health and well-being of their residents. Our programs are designed to help residents thrive, and to provide them with opportunities to socialize and connect with others. We offer over 100 classes with in-person instructors including fitness, lifelong learning, brain games, art, music and discussion groups.
Our work is rooted in anti-ageism and a great respect for older adults and their ability to continue to grow and contribute throughout their lifespan.
Because we also wanted to ensure that we served as many people as possible, regardless of ability to pay, we set up a nonprofit fund and provide free online classes daily as well as provide free programs for nonprofit partners.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
At Aging is Cool, we are strongly focused on our values. We respect each person’s strengths and talents (our clients and staff), we promote personal growth no matter your age, we operate through collaboration and connection, we are strongly anti-ageist and we give back to the community. All of our work runs through these filters and it helps us stay on track and provide the best programs possible.
In terms of advice for others, I have had a philosophy for many years that essentially I never say no to coffee. When someone reaches out to me and wants to connect, I meet with them, even if I can’t see the “what’s in it for me.” I spend more time listening than talking and go into the meeting with genuine curiosity about who they are and what they do. Even if a concrete connection is not made, these meetings have resulted in relationships that often pay off years later. Many people that I have met with over the years, have come back into our circle at the right time with new ideas or relationships for us.
We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
I have always been a strengths-based leader. I look at the things I do best as well as those of the people on my team and try to lean into them. I have been getting better over the years at delegating or hiring contractors to support me in my weak areas. That said, I do believe it is important to invest time in learning as much as you can about as many things as you can. Without a basic understanding, it is difficult to support or direct those you have delegated.
I have found that when you play to people’s strengths, they are much more engaged, energetic and successful in their work. I have watched many an employee beating their head against the wall trying to do a part of their job that they dislike or are not good at. Whereas support and training can be helpful in these situations, sometimes, if that does not work, it is best to reasses the job description and look at new task distribution to make it best for everyone involved.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.agingiscool.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/agingiscool/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/agingiscool
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/aging-is-cool
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Agingiscool1
Image Credits
Aging is Cool
