“I’d never thought of owning a business before, but I’d rather work for less money on my own than for someone else,” says Tayloe. Now, Tayloe calls himself “owner” of a DUCTZ franchise, which offers ventilation-cleaning services. He is looking to acquire a second franchise in the near future.

Rob Allen, 58, had shifted careers four years ago from the telecommunications business to auto transport logistics in Atlanta. When he was laid off in August 2008, he hadn’t built up enough of a record in his new field to edge out the competition, and his telecom experience was too far behind him. So after what he suspected had something to do with age discrimination in failing to land job interviews, he, too, plunked down for a franchise business to run and bought a ShelfGenie outpost.

Franchises, consulting, and other self-employed situations are a natural for workers who are laid off, says Sara Rix, strategic policy advisor at AARP, especially those who have built up years of experience and contacts. “For some, this can be a good easing into full-time retirement,” she says. “The question is, will they exhaust their 401(k)s funding it.” Indeed, some, like Tayloe, have rolled over their entire 401(k) into their new venture.

“Many people feel they don’t have any choice” but to go out on their own, Rix adds. “They probably have more skills, expertise, and managerial skills, but it’s necessity that led them to put themselves in this situation.”

But they may also be helping the economy. From economists to the Obama administration, there is an implicit expectation that entrepreneurs will drive much of the recovery and job creation. This demographic, whether out of necessity, a lack of desire to stop working, or simply because they didn’t know what else to do, is doing its part. According to a study by AARP, the number of older Americans starting their own businesses has increased slightly from 10 percent to 10.4 percent between 2006 and 2009.

But at the end of the day, there comes a realization that the workplace has changed, and older workers must find new solutions.

“Those jobs aren’t going to be coming back,” says Dane Stengel, senior analyst at the Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City, Missouri. Because of that, he says, “We might be on the cusp of a mini entrepreneurship boom.” Older workers, whether by choice or necessity, may be helping to lead that trend.