Marc Trup was one of our esteemed panellists at this year's Property Educator Summit. Having built and sold a number of successful companies, he has decided go again at the age of 60+. We'll certainly be watching his progress as he has already proven to be a treasure trove of wisdom and experience.
𝗕..𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗔𝗴𝗲𝗶𝘀𝗺 💪 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝟭: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Leaving a business after years of dedication is surreal—one day you’re all in, and the next, you’re left wondering, ‘𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘸?’ This series explores the uncertainty of starting over at 60, where experience alone doesn’t open doors. At this stage in life, I decided to dive into a new tech start-up. I’ll take you on this three part journey—personal and up close. ✍️ Why write these? For two reasons: to connect with others in their later life, who have reached this crossroad, and also to reach anyone embarking on a start-up who might find some of this relatable. And even if this new idea goes nowhere, it’s still a story worth telling. What's the worst no one reads them. 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝟭: 🗓️ This time, selling out felt different to the other times. I was concerned about my future—not about money, but about time. What was I going to do with the rest of my life? Needing an immediate purpose, I signed up for my mate’s 60th birthday goal—cycling the hills of Majorca. So, on March 1st, 2022, having left the business the day before, I had the brilliant idea: sign up for Deliveroo. My plan? Get fit for Majorca without joining a gym (I hate gyms) while giving myself six months to figure out my next step. I’d start in Mayfair (flat), then tackle Hampstead and Highgate (mountainous). 🚴 Job 1; I picked up from Sainsbury’s in Grosvenor Square—easy 500-yard delivery, right? Except the app didn’t care I was going the wrong way until it figured it out. After 45 minutes, I found the building. Earnings: £2.40. Tip: zero. Greeted by a receptionist who looked at me like dirt—I almost told her, ‘𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝘾𝙀𝙊 𝙮𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙙𝙖𝙮!’ After my £22 Itsu lunch, Job 2; picked up Turkish food from Shepards market deliver to Marble Arch—against a headwind I went up Park Lane. Earnings: £2.80. Tip: zero, again. Knackered and a sore arse (no padding), I cycled as far as the O2 on the Finchley Road, then walked the bike up the hills of Hampstead to home, pride barely intact. Deliveroo was no more. 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗣𝗹𝗮𝗻: 💻 Build a LinkedIn profile and land some non-exec roles. One would have been nice! Over 50 applications later, nothing. Not even an interview. Screw you, I thought. Then came reality: maybe my experience is not that special. Next, send out my CV to advertised jobs. But the response? Silence. Despite all my experience, no one seemed interested—a harsh reality check that left me starting to feel irrelevant. I needed a distraction from this feeling. So, I turned to education. From February 2023 to June 2024, I took various courses—It gave me a sense of purpose and the hope that something would eventually turn up. And it did! Stay tuned for Part 2: March 2024; “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘢"