Hannah recalled: “I spent my twenties working in other founders’ high-growth early-stage tech startups, including as Head of Strategic Partnerships for femtech company Elvie. I knew I wanted to become a founder myself and was waiting for the lightbulb moment. That came when I lost my adventurous Granny Jean – I wanted to pay tribute to her and thought what better way than to bring my tech startup experience together with her blueprint for a joyful retirement and share that with as many people as possible.”

The last year

The Joy Club won the Social Impact Hero at the Hustle Awards 2023, and since then its year has been jam packed. Speaking to Hannah, she explained: “This last year has been a really exciting one for all of us here at The Joy Club.

“We’ve been focused on launching new partnerships and programmes of work, including with the likes of some large pensions providers. Last year, we were announced as a winner of the Standard Life Innovation Forum, a contest designed to unearth the best ideas from within the fintech sector. We have also been successful in the Launch Innovation Programme with Lloyds Banking Group. The list continues, but those are a couple of highlights!

“In team news, we welcomed our new Content and Events Producer, Marina, who is responsible for our programme of live online events and on-demand content. Marina’s impressive background in producing nationally award-winning, large-scale public events and her passion for collaboration, empowerment and engagement are central to her role at The Joy Club. In the relatively short time she’s been with us she’s already made a huge impact on both the team and our members.

“Additionally, we have welcomed investment from existing Shareholders – like Calm/Storm VC and Impact Shakers – and new investors, to continue to innovate at pace.”

How does Hannah see the AgeTech sector evolving, and what role does The Joy Club play in this?

“I have experience of category creation in a nascent market, from being one of the early employees of FemTech company Elvie. During my time there, FemTech went from being considered niche to comprising a global multi-billion-dollar industry. It is my firm belief that AgeTech will go on the same journey very soon.

“Several macro tailwinds make this inevitable. The global population is ageing, as well as becoming increasingly digitally literate. This demographic holds significant wealth yet is underserved and often overlooked.

“For too long, ageist attitudes (like the notion that older people can’t or won’t use tech) have stifled tech innovation for people in later life – that’s where we come in. We’re building the go-to platform for the modern retiree – someone who is online and ready for the most exciting chapter of their lives.

“Of course, being an early innovator in a nascent market is not without its challenges, but it also means massive opportunity when the tide inevitably rises. At The Joy Club, we are well positioned to ride this wave, but also to amplify and grow the sector as a whole.”

The sector is growing, and The Joy Club is at the forefront of this exciting revolution, and well prepared to be a front-runner.

The challenges of the journey

Every startup faces challenges, and The Joy Club is no exception. Though challenges arise, startups are able to pivot and overcome these challenges to create something great.

“I’m a state school-educated, sole female founder – a species that receives less than 1% of VC funding. My determination and resilience, alongside the continuing support of my shareholders and advisors, have enabled me to successfully raise over £3 million to date.

“I raised the first investment round in March 2020, just days before the first lockdown, then raised all subsequent rounds and hired my team over Zoom. Building The Joy Club during lockdown and beyond has enabled me to create a business that is intrinsically flexible and resilient. Our remote-first culture has enabled me to hire the best talent from across the UK, regardless of location.

“Another aspect of creating The Joy Club, which could be perceived as a challenge, is that I am not representative of the end user. I am less than half the age of our average customer and at a very different life stage, with different needs and reference points. To address this, I consulted over 100 people on their retirement journey, to inform the company’s initial stages of creation. Since launch, I have involved thousands of members in the development of The Joy Club through surveys, insights interviews and involvement in our Member Steering Group. Through this radically user-centric approach, we have created a platform that truly resonates with our users.”

With the challenges come the highlights

Whilst every startup faces challenges, the highlights can outweigh this struggle. Hannah explained: “Last year was an especially rewarding year for us at The Joy Club.

“We’re succeeding in building a platform that truly reflects the needs of retirees, which has been reflected in the accolades that we’ve achieved over the last 12 months. In addition to the Hustle Award Social Impact Heroes Award, we were named HealthTech Company of the Year by the Global Business Tech Awards and one of Britain’s 50 most impactful companies to work for by Impact Fifty. This award is given to companies where employees feel they are making a difference to an important cause – other companies honoured include Patagonia, Mind and UNICEF – and means a huge amount to me. I was also the proud recipient of a Great British Entrepreneur Award and the Retirement Wellness Platform CEO of the Year Award!

“On a more personal note, I’m proud to have welcomed my first child, Ottilie, into the world! I feel like my brain and heart have expanded, making me a better person – and founder – for it.”

Learning lessons

With the highs and lows of startup life, Hannah has learned a multitude of lessons. “There are countless challenges and lessons along the startup journey - too many to list out here - but ultimately, as founders, we have taken the leap and are building something from nothing. We must have a sense of pride in that, regardless of how well things may be going on a particular day! This quote from Theodore Roosevelt reflects my attitude to life and business:

“‘It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.’

“I first heard it when read by my skipper, on the foredeck of a yacht before we set sail to race across the Atlantic – a race we won. Since then, I have put it in a frame on my desk and had the words ‘in the arena’ tattooed on my arm – a matching tattoo with my closest advisor and dear friend, Jane Reddin, who is a partner at Albion Capital.”

What does the future hold?

“Lots of plans in the pipeline! We’ll be rapidly scaling our membership base via exciting partnerships with values-aligned organisations across multiple sectors. We have an awesome product roadmap in place and will deliver on that – introducing new content and features – with the help of our inspiring members. We will be amplifying the voices and experiences of our members – pushing forward the positive ageing conversation and combating ageism. And more!

“We’re focused on the UK home market for the time being, but our ambition is to build the largest and most joyful community of retirees globally. Watch this space!”