Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jean Ketcham. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jean, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s something crazy on unexpected that’s happened to you or your business
One of the things I am most proud of is our “Tastefullly Nude Calendar”. Women 50 to 86 tastefully posing (important parts covered) and writing below their picture, how they felt about aging.
After the first Calendar came out – I was at a graduation party in Chicago and everyone was talking about the Calendar.
Two 15 year old girls came up to me and said, “thank you for doing that calendar because if older women can get out there and show their bodies and not be embarrassed, then we shouldn’t feel embarrassed about ours”!
They were so serious and emotional. THAT was worth it right there! We sold 700 copies and not one negative remark. I had so many positive remarks from women who it helped.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your background and context?
I am 86 yrs old and have always owned my own business, When I was in my 30’s I owned a Clothing Boutique for women in St Louis, Mo. I would fly in to New York on buying trips. That was quite a feat for a “girl” from a small town in Kansas.
After that I moved to Mpls and became a fabric rep calling on interior designers.
At the age of 69, my friend, who was 61, and I started noticing that our friends and other women were getting traumitized about getting older. They were so scared of aging! So, Suzanne and I decided we were going to get these women off the sofa and out of the house. Suzanne came up with the name “Aging But Dangerous and we were off running. That was 18 years ago.
We startted having monthly events – Martini Jump Skydive, Colonoscopy Party, went to a Gun Range, Tatoo Palour, learned about sex toys,etc. Then Covid came, Suzanne dropped out after 7 yrs and I went it alone.
I turned ABD into an online company. I do live videos on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok. I have written a book and I am very excited because Iam launching an online course called “Still Wild at Heart” showing women that it’s not over yet, just because we are getting older
And I am starting a community of women called “The Power Years Society”. A weekly zoom call with a topic every week that we can discuss together.
And I want to get more speaking engagements. That is my love!
!!
How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?
I have 5,000 people on my email list ( that is gold)
I have 200,000 followers on Facebook
5,000 on Instagram
To keep getting exposure and stay in touch with all these followers I do a lot of social media and I publish a newsletter every week.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
I just did those live videos all the time. I started doing that when Covid hit so people were staying in the house anyway. I think that helped me.
Just get on there and talk about anything. Show your face.and ask them to join your email list.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://agingbutdangerous.com
- Instagram: AgingButDangerous
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agingbutdangerous
- Other: sign up for my email list- go to agingbutdangerous.com
Image Credits
Annie Marie Photography – Mpls