Changing How the World Sees Aging Together
One Hundred to Five to Zero
After applying for more than one hundred jobs and landing five interviews, Barbara ended up with zero offers.
As an award-winning marketer, there was only one explanation. Age. She was seen as too old, and that moment became her turning point. A former mall marketing director turned pro-age speaker, she’s now an award-winning entrepreneur and a YouTube show host of The House of Middlescence.
Former mall marketing director to pro-age advocate
What’s the Rest of the Story
In 2018, Barbara Brooks saw a problem, and it wasn’t her.
Women in midlife were going unseen and unheard. Including herself. She created a social impact company called SecondActWomen that today boasts a community of nearly 24,000 women and allies.
Living Agefully is the pro-age movement she created, and SecondActWomen is the home it lives in. As the voice that carries the message through speaking, social media, the media property, The House of Middlescence, plus our insights arm, The 40+ Lab, they are changing how the world sees women [and humans] over 40.
Women deserve more than a chance
What Drives Her
Following her mother’s lifelong example of giving back, Barbara does this work to spark real conversations about BoomingGenXMillennial women and help individuals, teams, and communities think bigger, lead smarter, and live agefully at every stage.
Blending humor, data, and real talk to help audiences move from awareness to action, that’s Barbara. Middlescent women deserve more than a chance; they deserve to be seen, heard, and valued. This is the reason bridging the gap between the generations is her focus.
Everyone wins when we come together as one.
A Few of Barbara’s Highlights
Founder of SecondActWomen, a global community of more than 23,000 women and allies
Influencer in Aging by Next Avenue
Featured in Forbes, MarketWatch, Fast Company, CBS Colorado, and the Denver Post
Named one of Colorado’s Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Business
Named Top 10 Leaders in Diversity by the Denver Business Journal
Speaker at Microsoft, Hyatt, Frontier Airlines, and Colorado Startup Week
Mentor for the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Denver Business Journal
Creator of The 40+ Lab insights and strategy arm of the company
SecondActWomen
Because our second act deserves a standing ovation.
SecondActWomen was founded by Barbara Brooks in 2018 and is the community and movement to amplify women in middlescence and beyond through curated events, age-friendly content, and deep conversations that challenge age bias and celebrate life.
