Henry interviews Di and Ross Lawrence who run a business selling deer antler velvet in their retirement.
Before Di and Ross retired, they ran a deer farm. Di worked part-time as a bookkeeper and Ross ran the farm. As they got older, they knew they would have to leave their farm as it became too much work for them to maintain. Ross even got pretty seriously injured. In 2014, they decided it was time to sell.
Henry talks with them about the transition from farm life to life in the suburbs. It was an easy transition for them. They bought their home before they sold their farm. Ross and Di downsized their belongings. They were prepared for it. It was, however, difficult for Ross to leaving the animals he had taken care of for so long.
Ross knew he wanted to stay in touch with the deer industry after he retired. He already had a small online business selling deer antler velvet products and he decided he would continue that business in his retirement.
What is Deer Antler Velvet?
Deer antler velvet is the entire immature antler. It is harvested before it calcified to its normal state. Once they remove the antlers they do grow back each year. It has been used for thousands of years as a food product. It is also used in Chinese medicine to promote good health and is used as a natural remedy for a wide variety of things. Henry talks with Di and Ross about their business and the various uses for their product.
Di and Ross haven't only been “working” in their retirement. Di has been enjoying getting her new home together. She has been able to catch up on sewing, reading, and she has been able to start doing more walking. Ross has plans to start golfing and they have been doing some traveling. All of those things we don't usually have time to do before we retire.
If you would like to contact the Lawrence’s, you can email them at ross@deerfarm.com.au. Find them on the internet at www.deerfarm.com.au. You can also find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/deervelvetantler
Tim Stansmore went from cats to classic cars in his retirement.
Tim built a successful “Cattery” during his working career. What is a “Cattery”? Good question because I didn't know either until I listened to this interview. A Cattery is a boarding establishment for cats. Tim didn't just build any cat boarding facility, this was the Taj Maj Hal for cats. Ironically, Tim is allergic to cats.
Tim and Henry talk about some of the hilarious stories of the owners of the cats. Tim says in the interview, if he was to write a book, it would be on the cat's owners and not the cats themselves.
So how does Tim go from cats to classic cars?
After 10 years, Tim sold his business and bought a property on the east side of Melbourne Australia. The property came with a garage, a huge shed, and an aircraft hangar. This would end up being perfect for him to store his many classic cars and motorcycles.
This guy knows his stuff when it comes to cars and motorcycles!
Tim and Henry talk about they many cars and bikes he has collected including a 1926 Model T Ford, 1930 Model A Ford, 1971 Lancia Fulvia and many more. Tim likes to buy cars, restore them and then trade or sell them for a small profit. Unless he gets attached to a car and cannot bear to part with it once it is finished. However, for Tim, it's not really about the money. It's about saving the cars.
Old cars and motorcycles are Tim's passion. It is a lot of work but as Tim says “if you enjoy what you are doing, it's not really a job”.
Tim tells a story of a car he bought and sold the same day. He owned the car for a total of 15 minutes and made a decent profit from it.
So what's next for Tim?
He is going to sell off his fleet and buy more of course! His real passion is old English Motorcycles and that is what he plans on focusing on in the future.
Do you have a story about cars or bikes? Do you have a story about cats? Leave me a comment in the Reply box below.
Special Thanks for telling your friends about the show, leaving comments below, sharing episodes you really like on Facebook, and reviewing the show on iTunes
Special Thanks to:
Angie Strehlow who helps us get great guests that help us with our retirement lifestyle while keeping everything on track…and helps with these show notes!
Les Briney, my husband, and Danny Ozment of Emerald City Pro who edits the show and makes my guests and me sound terrific
Henry Shapiro, host of Retired Excited that airs on Fridays
YOU for telling your friends about the show, leaving comments below, and sharing episodes you really like on Facebook, and reviewing the show on iTunes
Angie Strehlow who helps us get great guests that help us with our retirement lifestyle while keeping everything on track…and helps with these show notes!
Les Briney, my husband, who edits the show and makes my guests and me sound terrific.
Sharon Drury, who volunteers her time to work on transcription for us.
YOU for telling your friends about the show, leaving comments below, and sharing episodes you really like on Facebook, and reviewing the show on iTunes
Henry interviews Di and Ross Lawrence who run a business selling deer antler velvet in their retirement.
Henry interviews Di and Ross Lawrence who run a business selling deer antler velvet in their retirement.
rgic to cats.