Seb Frey is a REALTOR® and founder of Team Sixty Plus, a curated network connecting older adults and their families with trusted professionals across California. With decades of experience helping homeowners 60+ navigate major life transitions—like downsizing, aging in place, or passing on a legacy—Seb brings deep market knowledge, a compassionate approach, and a commitment to simplifying complex decisions. When he’s not advising clients, he’s sharing expert insights on real estate, retirement strategies, and quality-of-life resources for the 60+ community.
For anyone in real estate, healthcare, finance, or technology, one truth is becoming increasingly clear: adults over 60 are not winding down. They’re reinventing. They’re evolving. And if you’re still looking at this population through the outdated lens of age brackets and retirement timelines, you’re missing a massive opportunity.
That’s where Stage (Not Age): How to Understand and Serve People Over 60—the Fastest Growing, Most Dynamic Market in the World by Susan Golden comes in. This book isn’t just a wake-up call—it’s a practical guide for professionals who want to connect with, serve, and innovate for this growing demographic.
As a professional who frequently works with homeowners 60+, this book resonated with me deeply. It’s also a must-read for marketers, product developers, entrepreneurs, and anyone who wants to better understand the new “map” of aging.
Let’s dig in.
About the Author: Susan Golden
Susan Golden is more than just a voice in the longevity conversation—she’s a recognized expert. As a lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Business and director of dciX (the Design for Change Innovation Program), she’s spent years researching the intersection of aging, business, and innovation.
Her background is multifaceted: venture capital, public health, and strategic advising. That combination gives her a unique ability to see aging not as a medical problem, but as a business opportunity. In Stage (Not Age), she shares insights drawn from research, case studies, and practical fieldwork.
The Central Premise: It’s About Stage, Not Age
Golden’s thesis is straightforward but powerful: people age differently, and chronological age tells you very little about someone’s needs, goals, behaviors, or potential. What matters more is their stage of life.
Are they newly retired? Starting a business at 65? Helping raise grandkids while working part-time? Caring for an older parent at 70? These are radically different experiences—and they demand different products, services, and messages.
Golden outlines ten “stages” of later life, grouped loosely into categories like:
- Exploration and Expansion (people who are starting something new)
- Caregiving and Contraction (people managing new limitations or caring for others)
- Reflection and Legacy (people considering impact and purpose)
She urges readers to ask not how old someone is, but what life stage they’re in. That shift in mindset is the book’s core message—and it opens up an entirely new way to think about aging.
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Get the Guide!What Makes Stage (Not Age) Stand Out
1. It Busts Myths About Aging
Golden systematically debunks the stereotypes most of us still carry around. No, older adults aren’t technophobic. No, they’re not all retired. No, they don’t all want to downsize or move into retirement communities.
Instead, Golden presents a dynamic portrait of older adults: launching businesses, going back to school, dating online, using Peloton, managing complex family lives, and navigating caregiving challenges. They are not one audience. They are many.
She also emphasizes that aging isn’t a “problem” to solve. It’s a market to serve. And it’s growing faster than any other segment globally.
2. It’s Packed With Business Applications
Whether you’re designing housing, healthcare apps, insurance products, or financial services, this book offers real-world examples of companies doing it well—and others that have failed by using outdated assumptions.
One great example is how Airbnb redesigned parts of its user experience after realizing older hosts and guests had different needs, but were an enthusiastic part of the platform.
Golden also shares success stories from startups in the aging-tech space, including caregiving platforms, adaptive clothing brands, and telehealth providers. These aren’t just anecdotes—they’re case studies that inspire innovation.
3. It’s Written for Action
Many books about aging are academic or philosophical. Stage (Not Age) is practical. It includes tools and frameworks you can apply today.
Golden even offers a set of questions businesses should be asking themselves:
- Are we solving a real problem that exists in this stage of life?
- Are we assuming all 70-year-olds are the same?
- How are we collecting feedback from this audience?
This book would make a great framework for a team offsite, a product brainstorming session, or a client service strategy meeting.
Key Takeaways by Chapter
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Get our Guide!While the book flows naturally, here are some of the most impactful ideas broken down by chapter:
Chapter 1: The Longevity Economy
Golden introduces the $22 trillion opportunity represented by the longevity economy. People over 60 control over half of all consumer spending and are projected to account for an even larger share in coming years. This isn’t a niche market—it’s the future of the economy.
Chapter 2: Rethinking Retirement
Retirement today isn’t about checking out—it’s often about starting over. Whether it’s encore careers, volunteerism, or entrepreneurship, this chapter highlights how people are redefining what post-career life looks like.
Chapter 3: The Ten Life Stages Framework
This is the heart of the book. Golden’s stages help readers segment the 60+ audience in meaningful ways. Understanding the nuances between stages like “Active Explorers” and “Legacy Makers” can transform product design, marketing, and customer service.
Chapter 4: Innovation for Every Stage
This chapter explores product-market fit for older adults. Golden profiles companies designing everything from apps to appliances that take into account changing abilities—without being condescending or clinical.
Chapter 5: Work, Purpose, and Income
Not everyone over 60 is financially secure—or wants to stop working. Many are seeking flexible income, new challenges, or side hustles. This section is especially useful for companies in employment services, remote work platforms, and education.
Chapter 6: Caregiving and Support
Golden tackles one of the biggest realities of this stage: caregiving. Whether older adults are giving or receiving care, they often face logistical, emotional, and financial hurdles. This chapter sheds light on an enormous market that is still underserved.
Chapter 7: Longevity Design and Universal UX
This chapter speaks to designers and technologists. Golden argues that inclusive design benefits everyone—not just older adults. Think of larger buttons, voice interfaces, or interfaces designed for cognitive ease.
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Who Should Read This Book?
Real Estate Professionals
If you work with downsizers, seniors, or multigenerational families, this book will give you a deeper appreciation of their actual motivations and needs. It’s not just about selling a smaller home—it’s about understanding the lifestyle shift behind it.
For example, someone might sell a large family home not because they “can’t handle it anymore,” but because they want to travel, start a nonprofit, or move closer to grandchildren. That insight can change how you present options and craft your marketing.
Marketers and Business Owners
If you’re targeting older consumers, Golden’s stage-based framework is gold. It helps avoid cringe-worthy messaging and unlocks truly resonant campaigns. This can improve everything from product-market fit to brand loyalty.
Tech Developers and UX Designers
This book encourages developers to consider the full spectrum of abilities and goals of older adults, not just physical limitations. It makes a strong case for designing tech that’s intuitive, respectful, and empowering.
Policymakers and Nonprofits
There’s a huge need for services that align with real life stages—not just assumptions. Golden’s approach can help you structure outreach, programming, and support systems more effectively.
Criticisms and Limitations
No book is perfect, and Stage (Not Age) isn’t an exception. While it’s grounded in real-world examples, some of the chapters move quickly over complex terrain. Readers hoping for deep dives into issues like elder poverty or Medicaid planning may need additional sources.
Another limitation is its U.S.-centric focus. While Golden acknowledges global trends, most of the examples come from the U.S. and Silicon Valley. That’s understandable given her background—but some international readers may find it less applicable without local context.
Lastly, while the stage-based model is incredibly helpful, it’s not always easy to assign someone to a specific stage. People’s lives are complex and often span several stages at once, especially in transition periods.
Why It Matters—Especially Now
The timing of this book couldn’t be better. Demographic shifts are accelerating. By 2030, one in five Americans will be over 65. Globally, we’re seeing similar trends.
But most industries still market to this group with the same stale images and generic messaging: gray-haired couples walking on the beach, retirement party balloons, or “simplify your life” slogans that often miss the mark.
Stage (Not Age) offers a way out of this rut—and into a more nuanced, empathetic, and ultimately profitable way of serving this dynamic market.
Final Thoughts
Susan Golden’s Stage (Not Age) is essential reading for anyone who wants to serve or engage with the over-60 population in a meaningful way. It’s smart, engaging, and packed with actionable insights.
More than anything, it reminds us that aging is not a decline—it’s an evolution. And when we start seeing older adults as active participants in our economy, our families, and our communities—not as a monolith, but as richly diverse individuals at different stages of life—we can start designing a world that truly works for everyone.
Whether you’re a REALTOR®, business owner, designer, or simply someone with parents in their 70s, this book offers a new lens. And once you see the world through that lens, it’s hard to go back.
Highly recommended.