Susan Feldman On Time-Tested Women and Getting In The Groove.

By Erica and Karen

Susan Feldman discovered her entrepreneurial passion in her early 50's. After almost two decades as a fashion sales and marketing executive, she saw a gap in the market, quit her job and founded One King's Lane, one of the first online retailers for everything high end home.

Success came big and it came early. After selling her company to Bed, Bath and Beyond, Susan could have rested. But, no, she quickly found a new passion--this time, shining a light on remarkable women over 45 and what they need and want now.

Susan talked with Lustre about founding "In The Groove," how she selects the products to showcase, and what she wants to accomplish in the next third of her life.

Lustre: You could have, but chose not to be, content to rest on your One King’s Lane success. Why? What made you want to do something new and found In The Groove?

Susan: I can’t help myself? No, in all seriousness, In The Groove was born because all around me, women somewhere in the vicinity of their 50th year, were describing that in the middle of a mostly joyful life they began to experience feelings of invisibility. The idea that you could go from a decade of feeling like a “world beater” to a decade where your stock was speedily approaching an expiration date just seemed crazy.

I thought—where online do women in this demo go to get inspiration about how to navigate the challenges of growing older with style and grace. After looking around I found that our interests were not well represented. There were no online destinations for women our age that shared their keen intelligence, impeccable taste, hard-earned wisdom and most importantly their wicked sense of humor. So I thought—someone has got to make this right and it might as well be me. Enter In The Groove—a lifestyle destination for age-defying women.

L: Are there any differences between starting something new in your 50's and starting something in your 60's? How is your age a barrier or an enabler (or both) to what you want to accomplish now?

S: Honestly I have to say in starting both of my businesses I never really ever thought about my age. I had an idea, I vetted it, and decided to go at it.

If you start thinking about your age as it relates to starting something it is just going to get in your way. I believe it is important for all of us to own our age but it shouldn’t be a factor in going out and making things happen.

L: What do you like the most, what's the most fun, about being your own boss? The worst part?

S: Being your own boss definitely has its pluses and minuses. The pros are that I own it and can do what I think is right for the business. The cons are there are times I wish I had someone there with me to figure it all out and brainstorm with. I have done it both ways and I have found both to be positive experiences.

L: How do you find and choose the products to showcase on In The Groove? Are they just for women over 45, or are they intended for younger women too? Where do women over 65 fit in your thinking and product selection?

S: High/low is my personal sweet spot so I am always looking for those amazing investment pieces that you will wear all the time and have for many season and pair them with fun things that speak to the trends. You will be sure find everything from Gap to Gucci represented on the site.

I don’t think about age when I curate the product. I am on the hunt for items that will look good and make someone feel good using or wearing them. The one section of the site that does focus on women 45 plus is our Menopause Registry. We feel that this is a major moment in a woman’ s life and we should talk about it and celebrate it.

L: What are your wishes for the future of In The Groove, for the next third of your life, and for older women generally?

S: We have heard so many women tell us that they feel invisible and that they want to be relevant. In order to be heard and feel that you are part of the conversation you need information. In The Groove is here to provide information and give her access to things that help her stay in the groove. We are here to offer a girl-friendly assist.

My dream is that Get In The Groove becomes the go to brand for age-defying women. I want to build a a community for time-tested women who are ready to unleash the potential of what’s next, empowering them to be a part of the conversation and to be their best selves yet.

L: Thank you, Susan. Filling a need, and inspiring, as always.