60-year-old woman launches tech startup, works 70-hour weeks: ‘Retirement was never really…’ 

Despite having no tech background, founder-CEO of Chamber Perks App, Karen Hastie, built a team from scratch. (Image credit: LinkedIn)

Retirement wasn’t part of the plan for this 60-year-old Canadian entrepreneur. After selling her fitness retail business in a seven-figure deal during the pandemic, she chose to launch a tech startup instead—working 60 to 70 hours a week and building a product she believes in, Business Insider reported.

After running a fitness store chain in Northern Ontario for over 30 years, Karen Hastie sold the company and briefly considered retirement. But the idea didn’t sit right. “I knew I still had more to give,” she said.

Her new venture, the Chamber Perks App, helps Chambers of Commerce deliver more value to their members. Despite having no tech background, she built a team from scratch. Her CTO has experience with Silicon Valley startups, and her daughter’s marketing firm handles branding and outreach.

Redefining retirement and leadership

“I love to golf and travel, but that isn’t fulfilling for me. I need purpose,” Hastie told the publication. “Retirement, for me, means having the freedom to do work you love without the pressure of providing for your family.”

She starts her day at 8 am, pitching the app, speaking at conferences, and working with her team, and admits that working in tech at her age was an adjustment. “Tech is dominated by younger people,” she said, adding that she had to adapt her leadership style to respect work-life balance and avoid micromanagement.

"I enjoy what I do, so it doesn't seem like work. My daughter's generation prioritizes work-life balance differently than mine. I'll easily work a 60 to 70-hour workweek and not consider that long, but when you love what you do, it's enriching," Hastie told Business Insider.

Bootstrapped and scaling

The company has been bootstrapped and debt-free for 2.5 years. All revenue has been reinvested. Hastie is now launching a second product, Chamber Member Pro, a CRM for chambers.

The long-term goal, she says, is to grow, scale, and eventually sell.