This conversation with Reetta Rajala was recorded about a year ago, but the questions we discussed have only become more relevant with time. Reetta is a Finnish entrepreneur, former CEO, and business angel who has, in recent years, become an active voice for age equality through 55 Rise and Shine, a movement promoting age equality in working life. This work has also taken her beyond Finland — including to Estonia — through seminars, conference talks, and public discussions.

Reetta’s journey into age equality began with a very concrete and revealing moment: she was approached for a CEO role, told that her background would be highly suitable, and then told she was “too old.” That experience eventually grew into 55 Rise and Shine, a movement in Finland that works to challenge ageism and promote age equality in working life. In this episode, we talk about age diversity as a leadership and business issue, not only as a question of fairness. We discuss what mature employees bring to organizations, why mixed-age teams are stronger, how hidden biases shape recruitment decisions, and why societies with aging populations cannot afford to leave human experience and potential untapped.