SecondAct|Women, a division of Bloom+Co Presents, is a female-focused multi-media company working to counter and re-script the professional and social narrative that women 40 & 50+ are past their prime. Whether women decide to go back to corporate America, startup, or launch a side hustle, we are building tailored programs, workshops, resources and a national network to help them take control of their life and pave their own path to success. The organization was featured at Denver Startup Week 2019 and will grace the stage at SXSW 2020.
SecondAct|Women was created by Barbara Brooks (53) and Guadalupe Hirt (46). It was launched in July 2018 and is based in Denver, Colorado.
We are a group of real women that are 40 & 50+ years young. We are diverse on purpose...and unstoppable always. Second business together. 10+ years of friendship. Thousands of laughs and memories. #secondact #owningmyage #womenwhohustle #businesswomen #workwife #ageless
Ageism is the one 'ism' that most - regardless of race, sex, ethnicity or income -- will experience. SecondAct|Women is hosting conversations from coffee shops and boardrooms, to online discussions and national stages to educate and move people to challenge ageist thinking. As they say, together, we can make a change.
Founder & CEO
A 19-year marketing and PR corporate businesswoman turned three-time entrepreneur, advisor and speaker. Graduate of Colorado State University.
It's 2018 and at 51, Brooks found herself professionally and personally stuck, unhappy, and passionless. After both she and Lupe called it quits on their marketing and PR company together to go back to corporate America, she was unable to land a job. As a single woman and uncertain of what to do next, she turned inward to find that thing she enjoyed most through all her years in corporate and as a small business owner.
Impact maker, connector, and community philanthropist, she toyed with the idea of creating women's business week, but the idea sat on the “shelf” for five years. She rallied to turn her idea into reality, only the focus would be on the woman over 40. After hearing stories of women (and men) unable to move up the corporate ladder, getting pushed out and not hired, she was laser-focused on providing programs exclusively on the woman 40, 50 and beyond and by summer 2018, she founded Bloom+Co Presents, the company behind SecondAct|Women.
Co-Founder & CCO
A 24-year public relations entrepreneur turned associate producer, author and co-founder of SecondAct|Women. Graduate of San Jose State University.
At the same time, Hirt was going through her own “second act” at 45. Four companies under her belt, including a marketing and PR firm with Barbara, she found herself unsure of what to do next after she stepped away from a five-year passion project as an associate producer on a short-subject documentary and author in Feb. 2019.
For five years, she thought this documentary project was her “final act,” but she was wrong. Uncertain of what to do next because she had been out of the corporate scene for 24 years and frustrated by the countless resume submissions and rejections, she personally related to the mission Barbara was trying to achieve with SecondAct|Women. She, just like Barbara, was going through her own midlife crisis turned midlife quest to find herself. And so she joined SecondAct|Women’s executive committee in October 2018 and formally stepped in as Co-founder and Chief Communications Officer of the company in February 2019.
Michelle Fox, age 47, is a mom, partner, friend, yogi, spiritual healer and occasional chef. She also loves to write when she finds the time. She has spent the last 25 years working in the field of financial services and now has a growing passion to help other women create wealth.
Michelle's SecondAct is a new marriage, a growing consulting practice, and a new phase of life now that her children are more independent. She is passionate about helping others thrive and is excited to be on our team to support our members.
Project managements' her game and we suggest Michelle for your special marketing and management projects.
Brielle Killip is a driven design professional who can help solve all your creative needs as the founder of Blue Linen Creative. She offers companies a fresh perspective on their branding and visual communications, and is the genius behind SecondAct|Women's branding.
With more than 15 years of experience in the design world, she has a unique background combining both business sense and creative skills. She brings both an aesthetic design focus as well as a practical, quantitative mindset that adds value to individual creative solutions.
If you're in need of a graphic designer with marketing and growth hacking acumen, we highly recommend Brielle.
Co-founders of SecondAct|Women insist on changing the narrative.
Hear how Barbara and Guadalupe started it all from passion to purpose. They share their back story with the national audience of Daily Blast Live.
Founder, Barbara Brooks (53) and Co-founder, Guadalupe Hirt (46)
A world of gratitude for these two amazing women.
Bobbie Brooks (83) Colorado Springs by way of Houston, Texas
Victoria Montes (79) San Jose by way of León, Guanajuato, MX
Children come in all shapes, sizes and species.
Miss Riley B. | Barbara's kiddo
Mr. Rigglesworth | Lupe's 'lil man
We're on a mission to set the record straight about women 40 & 50+. The time is now to challenge status quo and reclaim our narrative. We know we're preaching to the choir when we say that life is just getting started and we're done being told otherwise.
Click the logos to hear 'our + your' story...
Got a life, business or career story to share? We want to hear it! We are always looking for fabulous women to share their journey of the good, the bad and the interesting in our Thursday e-newsletter. What's your story? ...and this is an opportunity for InsiderClub members to submit.
Here's the skinny on what we need:
- Blogs must be at least 400 words.
- With form, submit a Word version of your blog.
- With form, attach 1-2 supporting images to use with your blog.
Life lessons of an entrepreneur | How I got a raise? | My journey with affirmations | How to dress for success? | Re-connecting with myself | The day my life changed | Money saving tips for women
"My 40s have had me jumping into my Second Act everywhere. I stopped trying to be who I thought I was supposed to be, and stepped into authenticity."