The Gifted Girl Who Forgot to Curtsy: Why Building a Brand After 40 Is Powerful (Not Past Due)

by Caroline Onyedinma

 

 It’s once said that Aretha Franklin referred to Beyoncé as
“the gifted girl who forgot to curtsy.”

Now, we weren’t in the room...
But let’s imagine what Aretha, the Queen of Soul, might have been feeling.

Revered. Respected. A living legend.
She paved the way lyrically, musically, spiritually
for a generation of artists to even have a stage.

And there she was, watching a young woman
stand on her shoulders…
singing, slaying, soaring.

Sure, there was admiration.
But maybe, just maybe, a smidge of
“Oh, this heffa tryna steal the spotlight?”

A whisper of
R-E-S-P-E-C-T — find out what it means to me.

That quote stuck with me.
Because it made me think about what it feels like
to build a brand or start a business after 40.

What It Feels Like to Build a Brand After 40

You look around and suddenly—
It’s the TikTok girlies.
The Instagram baddies.
The Gen Z influencers.
The digital natives who seem to be five steps ahead on every platform.

And if we’re honest?

Social media can start to feel like a silent competition.
Gen X vs. Gen Z. Age vs. Algorithm.

Especially when the “Internet Nieces” show up
with that “OK, Auntie” energy —
loudly declaring they’d never take business advice
from someone who shared music on mixtapes
and dated before the iPhone existed.

And sometimes, we clap back.

“I’m a grown woman. You’re still growing.”
“Mama has lived. You’re still living in your mama’s house.”
“I’ve got wisdom you can’t Google.”

We say it with our chest.
But sometimes, if we’re honest,
we say it from the pain in our chest.

Because what we’re really asking is:

Am I still relevant?

The Truth About Midlife Entrepreneurship: You’re Not Too Late. You’re Right On Time.

Here’s what I’ve learned:

Gen X + Gen Z is a power move.

When we stop competing and start complementing.
When we recognize what each generation brings to the table.
We’re unstoppable.

We walked so they could run.
And when we run together? It’s game over.

Honestly, the best person to have on speed dial
is a younger one who gets it.
Smart enough to learn from an OG,
Bold enough to get to the bag regardless.

And it works both ways.

Real-Life Proof That Building a Business After 40 Works

Let me give you a quick story.

When I need help figuring out how to update my phone,
decode a meme, or stream Peacock
so I can watch The Real Housewives of Atlanta in peace?

I don’t waste time troubleshooting.
I call my daughter.

She’s not rude. She’s not rolling her eyes.
She tells me what I need to know
clearly, quickly, kindly. RESPECTFULLY.

And I run with it.
Because I’m sharp, focused, and open to learning.
I just don’t have time to keep up with every new update.

That’s her lane and she owns it.

But when she’s in a spiral about life, money, or relationships?
She doesn’t call up a 21-year-old TikTok life coach.

She calls me.

Because I give her more than advice.
I give her clarity, emotional space, real strategy, and lived wisdom.

Yes, sometimes I give her money.
Sometimes, a designer bag.
But always?
I give her truth.
From a place of love and experience.

That’s what this generation is craving.
Not more noise, real guidance from people who’ve actually lived.

Still Wondering If You’re Too Old to Start a Business?

Let me give you confirmation.

As I was writing this,
I got a message from my niece.

She’d come to me recently overwhelmed, unsure,
needing both guidance and a little financial help.

I didn’t ask her to curtsy.
But I gave her the truth.
The strategy.
The support.
And yes, a little rich African auntie love in the form of cash and a designer bag.

Because a cash gift solves the moment.
But what she really needed was a business.
A bit of vision.
The belief that she could be amazing, not average.

She took action.
She made her first sale.
And she messaged me to say, “I did it.”

That was the RESPECT.
That was the curtsy.
And I received it with love.

As Queen Aretha once said:

A rose is still a rose.

The Best Time to Build a Brand Is Now Especially After 40

I bring that same energy into my program,
A Thousand Fresh Fans.

It’s designed for people just like you.
Midlife women ready to build a brand that converts.
Not just followers.
Not just vanity metrics.

Real connection. Real clients. Real confidence.

You’ll learn how to create human-to-human content that resonates
across ages, across platforms, across generations.

Because whether you’re a Gen Z finding your voice,
or a Gen X-er reclaiming yours…
when your message is rooted in truth and connection?

It reaches. And when it reaches, it converts.

Don’t let age, algorithm anxiety, or the noise of younger voices
trick you into thinking your time has passed.

You’re not too old. You’re too valuable to sit this out.

If you’re ready to build a fan base that doesn’t just follow,
but buys, this is your time.

A Thousand Fresh Fans is where we start.