Lesley Seymour knows how to help women navigate life’s various ages and stages. She had a fabulous career as a magazine editor at such revered titles as Vogue, Marie Claire, and More, guiding readers with smart, empowering advice and a hefty dollop of high style.

As the industry shifted digital, so did Lesley. When More closed in 2016, Lesley had a huge, hungry-for-info following of women age 40+ who wanted to continue the connection. And they wanted to know all about reinventing their lives after 50, give or take.

To fill this gap, she launched CoveyClub (a covey is a small flock of birds, btw). It’s a network and a resource that guides women to identify, execute, and enjoy their next big thing. Melding in-person events and a host of online features, this community helps women share their expertise and insights as well as support one another as they embark on new challenges.

Having relocated from the NYC area to New Orleans four years ago, Lesley is a walking, talking example of how to face change and make the most of it. Here, she shares her wisdom.  

Q: What do you think is the common thread for women at this age and stage?

A: For our community, what ties everyone together is a love of learning. 

Q: That’s so great to hear, because sadly, the stereotype is that as you age, you sort of harden and stop learning.

A: Right? What I say is that everybody has to have a reinvention plan in their back pocket because as you reach 40-plus, something is going to change your direction. It could be a health issue, it could be divorce, it could be widowhood, emptiness, or loss of a business or a job. Something is going to come into your life. It’s not a straight shot. And it’s going to make you rethink and restart.

Everybody needs a reinvention plan in their back pocket because as you reach 40-plus, something is going to change your direction.

Q: So true! The road is long.

A: So long. Look, we live these incredibly long lives. The average life expectancy for a woman now is 82 in the U.S. And in this long, long life, you’re not going to want to do the same thing, just one thing. You started out at age 20 and many of us are finding ourselves in this digital age in the age of disruption, and we’re seeing that our old jobs don’t even exist. Our industries don’t even exist!

Q: The rate of change has never been faster. So what should you do if you’re interested in reinventing yourself after 50?

A: Recognize that you couldn’t be on a straight shot if you wanted to because it just doesn’t exist. You’re going to have to rethink, reorient, and change direction.

And what we found through our studies is that doing that alone is harder than doing it in a group. Doing it in a group – a group of sisters, a group of friends – is easier. In a group of friends, they like you the way you are, consciously or not, so they don’t need you to change. They actually don’t want you to change, even though you might be talking about it a lot. They may react by thinking, “That’s so weird. Why is she doing that? She shouldn’t change!” With relative strangers, though, you can leapfrog ahead. 

Your friends like you the way you are, so they don’t need you to change. They don’t want you to change…

Q: It sounds as if being part of a group can be a tremendous catalyst.

A: Yes. That’s why CoveyClub puts members together in small pods in different areas they are curious about, like eldercare, entrepreneurship, or podcasting. Those in a pod can advise one another, read each other’s materials, help them decide next steps; that sort of thing. And it really works.

For instance, one woman, Claire Laryisson, who comes out of the recovery business, wanted to start her own retreat center. She was part of a marketing pod with us, which got her so excited to move ahead with her idea. Since then, she’s opened Collina House, a retreat house in Port Gibson, Mississippi. 

Q: That sounds like a better path than random Googling for answers. 

A:  Yes, I’ve been watching reinvention for quite a while now, and you need to be smart about finding resources and getting honest guidance. I’ll give you an example: On CoveyClub’s podcast, we talk about how real people have done reinventions on their own or with help, and we outline for our community how to do it. We’ll ask our guests, “How do you make it happen? What are the tips and tricks? Did you have to take a mortgage on your house? Did you have to leave town? Did you have to dip into a college fund?” 

We’re not afraid to ask, ‘Did you have to take a mortgage on your house? Did you dip into the college fund to make your reinvention happen?‘

Q: That kind of honesty is great. Because most of us are wondering quietly, “How the heck did she pull that off? How do I pull that off?” – whether it’s a new job, a new career, or a new degree or certificate. 

A: Yes, and sometimes even just a quick hit of insight can be so helpful. We also have what’s called Take 10. It literally gives our members a structured 10-minute discussion with somebody. So you can ask a community member some key questions and get quick advice on what you’re thinking or planning to do next. Everybody has 10 minutes for each other. It’s like speed-help, you know? Sometimes you just need someone to listen and advise you on, “Hey, is this the right opening for a speech I have to give?” 

If you need more advice, you can head for our new Marketplace and hire someone from our community with the skills you need to move your plans ahead. We’ve seen women get coached and turn a hobby like pottery into a full-fledged business.

Q: How are you liking your reinvented life in New Orleans after so many years in New York City? 

A:  We’ve been coming here for 30 years, and we always loved the city, the architecture, and the food. I love the feeling down here. It’s more relaxed. It’s the complete opposite of New York. We love the warm weather, the friendly people, and the sense of community. 

I think my husband originally thought we’d split our time between New York and New Orleans; he didn’t get that this wasn’t a second home we were buying. But I was all in on reinventing our lives someplace new. And here we are, and it’s been wonderful for both of us!

Q: Spoken like a true reinventer!