About me
Donna Cravotta is the CEO and Founder of Cravotta Media Group and the creator of BeVisible.club mastermind and The Real 50 over 50: The Wisdom Revolution, a visibility project featuring 100+ women over the age of 50 who are quietly, or not so quietly, making a difference.
After years of creating marketing strategies and building customized online platforms, Donna saw a recurring theme. Clients had gaps in their own stories. They left out parts of the journey that got them to where they are today. This gap created a disconnect in their work and in their marketing.
So she flipped her own story, spent a year evaluating 40 years of her own working experience, listened to and learned what small businesses need, and redesigned her business. Now, her focus is on guiding clients as they pull together all of the parts of their stories and mix tried-and-true strategies with new technology to be visible and connect with their perfect audiences.
Her clients have expressed how empowering it is to see their stories through a new lens. How their confidence has grown by embracing their own stories. and feel prepared to be visible in an entirely new way.
What do you do and why do you do it?
I intentionally redesigned my business to align with my beliefs, values, and the work I genuinely love. This precious gift of time opened the door to unexpected opportunities and possibilities.
During this introspective period, I deconstructed my business piece by piece, examining what I was doing and why I was doing it and deciding what stayed or went. Through this decluttering process, I realized that I am a story gatherer, creative, and someone who helps others reclaim their own stories. It became clear that this was what I needed to lead with.
I listened intently and learned what small business owners truly needed and wanted:
- They had gaps in their own stories and left out parts of the journey that got them to where they are today. This gap frustrated them and created a disconnect between their work and their marketing.
- Many were in a state of transition, seeking new ways to work and market themselves.
- Community and collaboration are important to them.
- They are disenchanted with the online world. They have a message, a body of work, and know there is a better way to become known to the right people; they simply don’t know how.
As I was rebuilding, one focus evolved into two. I was deep into building the BeVisible club community, which was plenty on its own.
Then, on February 17, 2023, I received a nudge. While listening to Mika Brzezinski discuss the Forbes 30>50 Conference she hosts and other conferences for women, mostly of a certain age, I couldn’t help but think about the remarkable women I know who are changing lives every day. While I applaud any movement to raise women’s visibility, they were missing a wide range of women over 50.
The other women over 50 who continue to learn, grow, connect, and make a difference. They are not making $10 million or running big corporations.
They are solo parents, helping their elder relatives, living with compromised health. They are our mothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, friends, mentors, and colleagues. They are people we know and love.
The work they do matters. Their industries span healthcare, mental health, business and life coaching, holistic healing, dance, art, technology, marketing, legal, financial services, and so much more. These women have consciously decided that what they did in the past is no longer an option, or society or the corporate world made that decision for them.
Inspired, I quickly made a list of these courageous women I know, reaching 50 names within 15 minutes. Keyword research revealed that the top search terms for women over 50 revolve around hair, makeup, dating, what not to do, and scary health issues. Next, I was able to purchase the domain thereal50over50.com for one dollar. This information is typically used for marketing to women over 50, in the job market, and for funding women-owned businesses – once again, missing an entire segment of remarkable women in business.
I reached out to a few women on my list and asked if I started to do live interviews, would they share their stories? Within 2 weeks, I had 40 weekly interviews booked.
The Real 50 over 50: The Wisdom Revolution was born.
As I write this, a little over a year since the first interview, we have completed 57 interviews, 7 Wisdom Panels (another surprise), and weekly interviews booked into January 2025. There are over 100 women in the project, with a collective reach of well over a million people.
This project has changed me and many others, too. The stories are real, unscripted, often raw, and generously shared by this remarkable group of accomplished women. I’ve learned so many lessons through these conversations; one of the standouts is that it’s so much more than reinvention. When we have the time and space that seems unavailable until we reach mid-life, we remember who we are at our core and reclaim the parts that we lost or willingly gave away in support of others. Reconnecting these parts of ourselves is when the magic happens. I help people do this with BeVisible.club and provide a platform for women to share their stories to inspire others.
All I can say is watch us, listen to our stories, share yours too, we’re just getting started.
Over the past year, these two projects became ONE. This is precisely the work I am meant to do.
What changed for you after age 50?
I’m turning 60, my 50s have included: a significant health issue, sending my son off to college during a pandemic, and spending a month in the jungle in Costa Rica. The jungle is not for me.
As long as I can remember, I have been caring for someone, and I’m done. It’s my turn. I’ve been working on my maintenance-free life for years, and it’s just about there. My home already accommodates this goal, my business is well on the way, and my son is too. I’m ready to enjoy this next stage of life. Do good work, have some fun, learn every day, help others, and stay healthy.
Through the Real 50 over 50 interviews with so many women who have lived longer and are wiser, I’m learning that the 50s is a time for change, to make room for what you want, eliminate what you don’t, and reclaim yourself. This often uncomfortable journey prepares you for the 60s and beyond. I sit at the turning point of my 6th decade with hopeful anticipation. To see and experience what I’ve worked so hard to build come to life and take off. To stay curious and step into what’s next.
Stay tuned!
What would you tell the 20 or 30-year-old YOU?
RUN!
What do you think you’ll tell yourself in retrospect at the end of your life?
For my son, I ended cycles of generational trauma… Through my work, I created ripples that impacted more people than I will ever know. You go girl!
What impact do you think increased visibility can have on your business?
My vision for my business has always been to create one big giant ripple effect. The more people I can help embrace visibility, be prepared for the opportunities, and build relationships and connections intentionally based on what they value and care about. The more significant the impact we can all make collectively. This is why this project is so important to me. I know what I can do. I know how I can help people.
Who or what inspires you and why?
Every woman in this project inspires me. Read through the profiles. They are all here to make a difference, leave a legacy that is way more than financial, and change lives daily. These are REAL women, doing REAL work, and vulnerably sharing their REAL stories. There is so much power here. I truly believe that together we are unstoppable.
Something else I’d like to share
On February 17, 2023, I woke up with an idea. I am humbled by the response and willingness of these incredible women to see my vision and jump on board.
