As more and more Boomers delay retirement for a lack of savings, some are taking a risky plunge and putting all their savings into a new venture: starting their own business.

Leaving Jobs Behind

A recent story in USA Today covered the journey of these Boomers, who decided retiring just didn’t sound too appealing and opted for more of a challenge, instead. In a time where the financial fate of retirement seems uncertain for many, starting your own business might seem crazy, but not to these entrepreneurs.

One couple, Todd and Suzie Ford, turned their backs on the corporate business world for a different type of life, the life of a brewery. Todd had been home brewing for years, as many people like to do in their spare time, and he worked in the airline industry as his full-time job.

After his wife Suzie lost her job in the banking sector in 2009, they started looking into an alternative. Todd was tired of being away from home so much, so they decided to make his hobby of home brewing into a career. They started NoDa Brewing Co. in Charlotte, North Carolina, right when craft brewing began to explode in popularity.

Taking a Risk

"We knew that it was a huge risk," Todd said. "We also knew there was a sacrifice. I had been working for a company. Bad business decisions put our company in a bad situation. We felt better having control of our destiny. Good or bad, we would be in control."

In its third year, the brewery is expected to produce more than 8,000 barrels of beer, thanks to the 22 employees that make up the business.

They aren’t the only ones to take this type of risk. Other couples have done the same, from breweries to wineries to small stores in their towns. People are looking for new ways to enjoy their work and have a more secure future than working in the back and forth throes of corporate America, where the lagging economy continues to result in cut jobs.

How to Manage

A process called rollovers-as-business-startups (ROBS) is what these entrepreneurs are using to fund their businesses. Essentially, retirement savings are turned into shareholders in the business, which can help finance the startup without as high of a risk as traditional financing. No taxes or penalties are involved, either.

Retirement seems unrealistic for many Americans who face ever increasing costs and the daunting possibility of a layoff around the corner. Startups are giving these Boomers a new lease on life and the power to control their own finances.

Read more about this new trend and the statistics that show just how common it has become for Boomers to begin their own startups.