Local woman starts site for senior citizens

When Florence Klein decided to start a Web site for senior citizens, she didn't mess around.

"I had a big vision, so I started big," the 74-year-old Colorado Springs woman says matter-of-factly.

Klein launched silverplanet.com in April, but the site looks as if it had been an online mainstay, with a range of information not seen on even more mature sites that target seniors. It has blogs and columns on entertainment, consumer news, health care, lifestyles and relationships, book and movie reviews, crossword puzzles and recipes.

What's not there, she says is, "advocacy, promotion of particular religions, scams, lobbying, politics."

"I wanted a place that seniors could trust," she says.

Klein is the first to admit that she is no techie, but she has a lifetime of business experience to bring to her role as Silver Planet's founder and chief executive.

She grew up in Pennsylvania, earned a degree in marketing and management from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, and became one of the first female stockbrokers in Philadelphia. She was also a real estate developer. About 20 years ago she started American Classic Financial, of which she is CEO. She moved to Colorado about 13 years ago. She has three children and six grandchildren.

Question: Why did you start www.silverplanet.com?

Answer: Traveling around the country, I've talked to a lot of seniors who have told me that they are really frustrated with the Internet. They are especially afraid of scams and can't find information they can trust. There's a lack of credible content. So I decided to provide it.

Q: Why a Web site for seniors? They don't visit the Internet as much as other age groups.

A: I want to empower more seniors to communicate and interact more effectively in today's highly technical world. The use of the Internet by the 55-plus group is growing, especially with the baby boomers aging and using the Web. Our tag line is "Inform, inspire, interact."

Q: How long did it take to set everything up?

A: We worked on it for a year and a half. We started with a business plan and talked to consultants. Since it's a large site, we needed to get a lot of people and technology in place, design and graphics.

Q: How large is your staff?

A: Counting myself, we have seven full-time and seven part-time, all paid positions. We have freelance columnists and use some syndicated material.

Q: What are the business challenges and how are you meeting them?

A: The technology changes so quickly and you have to be up to speed in programming and codes - also increasing traffic and monetizing the site. We need to start getting revenue now. We are talking to some big pharmaceutical companies and others.

As far as traffic, we have been using word of mouth, links, publicity, e-mail. We are moving into more established public relations work in different cities. We aren't just a local site; we are international.

Q: Are you getting visitors?

A: We are moving along and people are starting to become aware of us. Traffic has increased 600 percent in the past six weeks. But I'd rather not give figures.

Q: You recently received a $10,000 grant from the Rose Community Foundation in Denver. Explain what you are doing.

A: The grant will be used to create a Silver Ambassadors Program, which will get senior citizen Web users away from computer screens and into the community for special events sponsored by Silver Planet. What bothers me a lot is so many seniors become so lonesome and isolated.

When people get older they need to be part of the regular community and connect with others. We'll have programs on all kinds of things, from the arts to finances to guided-travel groups.

Q: How much has it cost to start the Web site?

A: It has been a large investment. I don't care to say how much. But we want it to be profitmaking. But we don't want to compromise on integrity to get there.

Q: How much does it cost to subscribe to your site?

A: It is free. You don't have to pay at all.

Q: What are some of your favorite features?

A: My favorite is the Silver Star stories about extraordinary, inspiring seniors who embrace a new view on aging. We give an annual Silver Star Award based on the person who receives the most online votes. (Silver Planet is now choosing the 2008 winner, and gearing up for the 2009 contest. People can go to the Web site to nominate themselves or others for 2009.)

We have six bloggers and other contributors. We have a resident poet, known as the Silver Sage. There's an advice column called Crabby and Blabby, and a caregiver blog, a recipe doctor, nutrition, finance, and another on aging called Dear Ellie.

We have a scam alert so our members know what is happening and can beware of people who try to take advantage of seniors. That really gets me. We have a lot of original content and an editorial review board to choose everything that is printed on the Web site to make sure it is up to our standards.

Q: Have you thought of retiring?

A: Never. I feel ageless. But ideas about retirement are changing and we believe that there is a different approach to aging. It's not sitting in a rocking chair. It's being active, expanding your horizons and being helpful to others. That's my mantra.

-

Questions and answers are edited for space and clarity.