Twinagers’ Cynthia and Leslie are on a mission to change society’s narrative around ageing and encourage intergenerational dialogue. The sisters share their story with Verve.
We’re so excited to talk about all things Twin-agers with you. But first, we’d love to know more about yourselves.
We both had successful corporate careers, and both also had an epiphany that led us to dramatically change our paths. Cynthia’s was a pivot from big ad agency security to starting her own company. Leslie left a secure 25-year career for smaller passion projects.
We get asked about being twins a lot – but we’ve never known what it’s like to not be a twin! Are we clairvoyant? Does Leslie say ouch when Cynthia stubs her toe? Not exactly. But we are pretty good at predicting what each other will say or do… like a living, breathing crystal ball.
What’s something you wish more ‘grown-up’ people gave themselves more credit for?
All our experiences are powerful and deserve to be shared. We don’t give ourselves credit for how much we know so our confidence and self-esteem start to erode when the opposite should be happening.
Tell us more about twin-agers.com and how you hope to change the narrative on ageing?
So much ‘inspiration’ takes a decidedly narrow form, often in the guise of older celebrity women focusing on fashion and beauty. But what do everyday people think about ageing? Where do we hear stories more relevant to our lives? They are inspirational too.
As for the narrative, we hope to change everything about it. Not very realistic perhaps, but changing the whole narrative necessarily starts with impacting younger generations. Show them that ageing should be embraced and celebrated.
What kind of content can followers expect to find on your website and Instagram?
We’re looking at content as curators and creators, sharing stories, events, and artists that inspire us. Anything that resonates with our community will be explored more deeply. We see ourselves as a conduit to give others a voice. A podcast is also in the works.
Show them that ageing should be embraced and celebrated.“
How do you envision Twin-agers making a difference?
Twin-agers can make a difference if we focus on how we make people feel by creating a safe space to talk about ageing. So, we want to inspire and build a community around connection and even consolation. We can make a difference if we can show all generations what an age-friendly or age-agnostic world looks like. We also think we need to ask hard questions and introduce ageism into the larger conversation of diversity, equity, and inclusion.
How do you plan to do things differently from other influencers in your field?
It starts by not being an influencer which tends to infer commercial relationships or partnerships. The only thing we want to do right now is present our belief that society should think differently about the people in their Magic Hour. Rather than ‘influencer’, we’re ‘facilitators’ or ‘accelerators’.
Twin-agers.com already has more than 1,500 followers.
Tell us about the feedback so far.
The response has been overwhelmingly positive and supportive! We’ve received an avalanche of invitations to connect on LinkedIn, as well as many press and podcast inquiries. The term ‘Magic Hour’ really resonates with people. Interestingly, the interest is equally divided among men and women.
How will you use your platform for the greater good?
We strive to use our platform to reach hearts. To that end, we want it to be a place for connection and community where people can share intergenerational stories to advance the understanding of ageing. We believe inspiring those in the Magic Hour will help them navigate this time of life with happiness.
We want to inspire and build a community around connection and even consolation. We can make a difference if we can show all generations what an age-friendly or age-agnostic world looks like.
Future plans for the Twin-agers brand?
Any evolution should be driven by the community without losing sight of what has so engaged people. Also, we believe that strategic partnerships can really help amplify our efforts and as such, the Twin-agers brand must have a solid brand foundation for those partnerships to work.
How can readers get involved and support the Twin-agers ethos?
• Follow us on Instagram
• Reach out via our website with any story you want to share
• Spread the word among your community and networks
• Help us grow our network of contributors
• Be kind to yourself and those around you… pay it forward
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
If you want to eliminate discrimination of any kind, you have to start with kids before they adopt the prejudices of those who influence them. To that end, even though they are grown, we want to be role models to our own kids. We want to show them how one can continue to contribute to their community and society in a meaningful way by demonstrating their value and sharing their wisdom.
Finally, and we can’t stress this point enough, we must be open to learning from younger generations. We must be willing to see the world through their eyes and understand what matters to them. Call it reverse mentoring if you will, but as we tackle the Magic Hour of our lives, we have much to gain by removing the barriers with those younger than us.
Instagram: @twinagers
