EIGHT OVER 80: Stanley A. Dashew

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Stanley A. Dashew | 95 | Inventor, Author, Businessman, Sailor

How many hours a week do you work? 50.

Why not retire? I have tried. Unless I am at sea, my mind is busy solving problems. Some of these problems develop into new products. This means I start off on a whole new venture with every problem to be solved. In the last seven years, I invented the Dashaway Mobility Device. I supervised the engineering, worked on the marketing and arranged for the sale of the company. At the same time, I worked on several real estate projects, and spent quite some time each week working with the management and staff of the Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars at UCLA. During this period, I was also working on my new book, “You Can Do It! Inspiration and Lessons From an Inventor, Entrepreneur and Sailor,” so now you can see why I have no time to retire.

Best part of working past 80? It helped me get to 95! I am still working hard every day on my business ventures. My next target is reaching my 100th birthday with the same work ethic.

The worst part of working past 80? I have found nothing bad about working past 80, except some younger people might have some early misjudgment about my capabilities. However, you would be surprised by the number of e-mails and letters I have received complimenting me.

Are you up to date on technology? Do you use e-mail, cell phones or social networking? All of the above. I have kept up with technology from using business machines, including several I invented. In fact, I just bought my first iPad!

Best advice you ever got? Don’t ever pay a bribe to anybody (governmental or corporate included).

What advice would you give to people who want to work well past 65? Go do it!

What’s the secret to staying healthy and active? Work hard, eat good food and have a good sex life.

Do you work as much as you used to in your 40s and 50s? No, it’s about 20 hours less now.

What do you miss the most from when you were young? The thrill of meeting new potential clients or partners or key employees. And girlfriends. But even though I am 95, I look forward to each day with the same excitement I did 50 years ago.

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