Social Media Stars Making a Social Impact: Why & How Francesca Elisabetta Owens Is Helping To Change Our World
…You’re your own avatar. I learned over time that I’m my own audience. I’m creating for people like me, but I didn’t realize that at first. If someone had told me that sooner, I might’ve been able to connect better with my audience earlier on…
As a part of our series about leaders who are using their social media platform to make a significant social impact, we had the pleasure of interviewing Francesca Elisabetta Owens. Francesca is a Thought Leader who jokingly calls herself the gray-haired wrinkled influencer, connecting with women aged 60 to 85. Drawing on her international experiences and perspectives, she offers guidance to mature women through a down-to-earth and authentic approach. Francesca’s candid storytelling, highlighting her life in a small Italian village and her transition back to the United States, creates a sense of community in a world where many older women feel overlooked and isolated. In Italy, Francesca was celebrated for her wisdom and experience, but her return to the U.S. exposed a stark cultural contrast, motivating her to help women rediscover their value and embrace their earned wisdom.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?
After an unexpected medical crisis post-fitness bodybuilding competition at 40, I was forced to abandon my AAA lifestyle. I chose to live in an Italian hilltop village untouched by foreign influences for the next 16+ years. Life there taught me that it wasn’t about who you were or what you accomplished, but about building trust and how you related to the other locals. Every day was personal, someone would ask, “Ciao Francesca, Cosa hai fatto per cena ieri sera?” (what’d you make for dinner last night) or “Cosa compri oggi?” (what are you shopping for today?). People craved and needed their daily dose of community connection, which deeply resonated with me.
When I left my apartment, heading to a café for coffee wasn’t just a task. The primary café was only three minutes away, but on the way, I’d pass 10 or 15 little shops, food markets, trattorias, clothing stores, and end up stopping to talk. My barista didn’t just know my order; when my sister visited, they learned her order within four days. That sense of connection healed me, especially after losing my mom to breast cancer when I was just 24. It was the Italy my family had always talked about, and being in that village brought back a sense of closeness to them I had long missed.
I knew that the transition back to the United States would be difficult. In the U.S., my sleeping Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) raged in the winter months, and I often felt isolated. I started losing a part of myself without that sense of community, but the trade-off was being part of my 5-year-old granddaughter’s life. I struggled to figure out my direction and how to make sense of it all, so I scheduled a consultation with a super expert coach. She assigned me an exercise using an ancient Japanese practice called ikigai, which consists of finding the intersection of your passions, skills, and what the world needs.
That exercise brought clarity. I realized that if I was going to design cultural experiences, they had to reflect what I truly loved, Italy and community. I remembered a billboard I saw in Switzerland at 30 that read, “I want, I want, I want a life less ordinary.” That phrase stuck with me and shaped my vision for the future. My goal became showing women the Italy that healed me and creating meaningful, authentic connections with people through cultural experiences.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began this career?
The City of Spoleto approached me because I’m bilingual, communicative, and good on radio and TV. They asked me to do a full TV episode with Italy’s longest-running travel TV show. The host was Osvaldo Bevilacqua, and the show was called Sereno Variabile. It started in 1978 and airs on RAI 2. The show is almost 50 years old and a great example of how Italy values senior people, with Osvaldo himself being 84 years old! Doing that episode was the most surprising thing that’s happened to me, and it brought me a lot of respect and recognition.
But how that opportunity came about was a journey in itself. Every year, Spoleto hosts the Festival of Two Worlds, where international performers, musicians, dancers, and singers come together to create this vibrant, artistic atmosphere. During the festival, local media constantly interviewed these performers, but many of the lead reporters couldn’t speak English fluently. I’d often find myself at the theater, dolled up in my best Italian outfits, standing nearby as these interviews unfolded. Inevitably, I’d hear an Italian reporter struggling in broken English to communicate with a German or French musician who barely spoke it.
I couldn’t help but step in. I started assisting with translations between the performers and the TV interviewers, and before I knew it, word spread. Local businesses and media outlets began asking me to collaborate with their hosts for private interviews, and we’d team up for appearances on local news stations. I loved it! It was fun, spontaneous, and rewarding. Over time, I became known for this, and that’s when the City of Spoleto approached me to appear on Sereno Variabile.
That show catapulted my notoriety in Italy. It was the culmination of years of building trust and showing up for the community, and it all started from me simply stepping in to help during a festival interview. It’s a story I cherish because it reminds me how small moments, like helping with a translation, can lead to unexpected and life-changing opportunities.
It has been said that our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
One of the funniest things about adjusting to life in Italy was learning how formal language works. In Italian, when they’re being formal, they refer to you in the third person, saying things like, “What does she need?” At first, I’d look around, completely disoriented, thinking, “Who are they talking about?” Eventually, they’d say, “Can I speak to you in the informal form?” and I’d realize, “Oh, they’re talking to me!” It took me a while to figure that out, and I laughed at myself a lot in the process.
Another memorable mistake comes from my unconventional attempt to learn Italian during the five years leading up to my heart surgery in 2006. At the time, I was experiencing cognitive decline due to regurgitation in my heart valve, which restricted blood and oxygen flow to my brain. Frustrated by the challenge of learning a new language, I bought a massive Italian-English dictionary and began highlighting any Italian word that reminded me of an English word. By the time I finished, I’d built a huge vocabulary, but most of the words I learned were outdated or rarely used.
I’ll never forget the time I used one of these words while talking to my hairdresser. He paused, smiled, and said, “Wow, Francesca, that’s an interesting word. Nobody uses that anymore!” When I explained how I’d learned it, we both had a good laugh. Although my grammar still isn’t perfect, this method gave me a uniquely broad and quirky vocabulary that even surprises native speakers.
The lessons I learned from these experiences? First, with enough creativity and persistence, you can learn a second language, even if the process isn’t traditional. Second, mistakes often lead to laughter and connection, which makes the journey more enjoyable. And finally, sometimes the unconventional path, however messy, can lead to unexpected success. So, whether it’s navigating formal language or unintentionally sounding like an old Italian poet, I’ve learned to laugh at myself, appreciate the effort, and enjoy the process.
You have been blessed with success in a career path that can be challenging. Do you have any words of advice for others who may want to embark on this career path, but seem daunted by the prospect of failure?
This work isn’t for everyone, it’s both exhausting and incredibly rewarding. To succeed, you need to start by being true to yourself. Understand what you’re good at, what excites you, and what challenges you. It’s equally important to figure out what the world needs and how you can uniquely meet that need. Passion alone isn’t enough; you have to align your skills and enthusiasm with what people genuinely want. That’s the essence of ikigai: the intersection of what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what you can be rewarded for.
When you’re envisioning your ideal client, you need to attract people who resonate with your energy. For me, authenticity is everything. I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve, and while that helps me connect with others, it can also be overwhelming. Setting boundaries and staying grounded is essential to thrive in this work. If you’re naturally a people person, this career can be deeply fulfilling, but it also has its draining moments, so finding balance is key.
My mantra has always been: If today were your last day, what would you do, see, or feel? That question drives me, especially after living through some heavy experiences. I spent four years as an outpatient at the Spoleto hospital, receiving intravenous immunoglobulin treatments every three weeks. Those long sessions gave me hours to reflect and connect with the locals around me. Seeing people at their best and worst taught me to stay real and empathetic, and I carry that into everything I do now.
The truth is, I’m not sure the average person could do what I’m doing, because there’s a tremendous amount of history, trial, and error behind where I am today. It’s taken 30 years of lessons, setbacks, and growth to build a life and career I’m proud of. But I’ve also been incredibly fortunate to find something that I’m both fabulously good at and that brings me joy, especially in this third and final phase of my life. My advice? Be patient with yourself, seek out your unique path, and don’t be afraid to fail. It’s in those moments of failure that you’ll find your greatest teachers. If you do the work, align your passion with a purpose, and stay authentic, you’ll create something meaningful for yourself and those you serve.
Ok super. Let’s now jump to the core focus of our interview. Can you describe to our readers how you are using your platform to make a significant social impact?
I use my platform to empower mature women to create meaningful connections through culturally immersive and sustainable experiences. My mission is deeply rooted in the idea that travel isn’t just about seeing new places, it’s about creating lasting connections, fostering community, and bringing those lessons home to enrich lives through art, nutrition, and mindful gardening.
My private Facebook group is at the heart of this work. It’s more than just a place to share content; it’s a safe, exclusive community for senior women aged 60–85 to feel empowered, connected, and inspired. These women aren’t just looking for another trip or activity, rather they’re seeking personal growth, lifelong learning, and the opportunity to embrace sustainable practices that transcend generations.
To support this vision, I utilize a variety of tools. My private Facebook group builds connections and inspires engagement, while YouTube allows me to share both listed and unlisted videos tailored to this audience. For email campaigns, I use MailerLite, and I organize all my work through Google Workspace. The personal touch is essential to my approach, which is why I also rely on phone calls and Facebook Messenger for direct communication.
Instagram, though not the primary platform for my audience, helps establish a polished public image that resonates with vendors and collaborators. I use tools like Canva Pro and CapCut to create reels and visuals that reflect the professionalism and care I put into every aspect of my work. My home office setup, designed with thoughtful decor and professional lighting, allows me to create videos that inspire and connect.
The objective isn’t just to plan trips, it’s to cultivate a global sisterhood. Through private coaching groups for clients, I create spaces for women to connect before their experiences, build confidence, and embrace meaningful change. These groups reflect my vision of bringing the world home, through sustainable practices, lifelong learning, and connections that transcend generations.
Ultimately, my platform serves as a catalyst for creating social impact by encouraging these women to see the world and themselves in new ways. Whether through authentic cultural experiences, community building, or personal growth, the ripple effects extends far beyond the trips themselves, creating a lasting impact in their lives and the lives they touch.
Can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted by this cause?
Tracey came to one of my cultural experiences while battling depression. Over ten days, she found joy again, in the connections she made, in the beauty of Italy, in just being herself. Before the trip, she’d been avoiding surgeries she needed, partly because a family member discouraged her out of fear. But by the end of the experience, she decided to move forward. Those surgeries weren’t just necessary. They saved her from becoming fully disabled.
There was also Susan who was turning 70 and had never been to Italy, even though her late partner was Italian. She was nervous about giving up control, but she took the leap. Two years later, she’s gone on two more experiences with me, and now she’s even thinking about renting or buying a place there.
Kathleen, when she came to Italy, she felt the weight of the world on her shoulders, serving her children, her grandchildren, and everyone around her. But during her time here, she focused on herself for the first time in years. She allowed herself to get centered, take a deep breath, and step back from the constant pressure she had been carrying.
At the time, her grandson was in the womb, facing severe kidney issues. Thankfully, he has since been born and is doing well, though he still faces challenges. Cathleen came home from Italy with a rejuvenated spirit, ready to serve her loved ones from a place of renewed energy and peace.
This is what I strive to create through my platform. It’s not just about travel or seeing new places, it’s about empowering mature women to step out of their daily lives, reconnect with themselves, and return home transformed.
Was there a tipping point that made you decide to focus on this particular area? Can you share a story about that?
The tipping point came when I started asking my audience why they wanted to travel with me instead of a big tour company. Their answers were eye-opening. They wanted something intimate, something personal. They wanted to feel seen and not invisible. They wanted to know that even with a few health challenges, they could still have incredible experiences.
But the true shift happened with Vera. At 83, she came to me with a dream: to visit her grandmother’s homeland one last time and reconnect with her roots. She told me exactly what she needed, and from that conversation, the prototype for everything I do now was created. I designed the experience entirely around her vision, balancing her physical needs with meaningful opportunities to connect with her past. It was a deeply personal journey for her, and seeing how much it meant to her inspired me to expand and refine these experiences for others.
From that point, I began creating group test pilots, tailoring them to meet the overall needs of the women who reached out to me. Each program evolved through feedback, growing into the meaningful, personal experiences they are today. These trips aren’t just designed to serve my audience, they also reflect my own journey. As a two-time heart patient, I know the importance of slowing down, focusing on what truly matters, and reconnecting with joy.
It’s been incredible to see the transformations these women go through, not just during the trips, but afterward. They return home with renewed energy, clarity, and a sense of empowerment. For me, it’s just as rewarding. It’s given me thousands of girlfriends across the U.S. I just wish more of them lived here in Colorado!
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
That’s a really good question. Yes, I think there are absolutely things these three groups can do. First, I believe politicians could play a huge role by creating programs that provide funding for local communities to win grants for nonprofits focused on making meaningful connections. These grants could help organizations like mine reach more people and create real change. For example, cities and towns could use that funding to develop programs specifically designed to bring seniors together, whether through travel, shared experiences, or local community-building initiatives. With the right support, these types of programs could truly thrive.
But I think the root of the problem is much deeper: as a society, we don’t value older people the way we should. They’ve lived 40 to 50 years longer than the average 20- or 30-year-old, and in that time, they’ve gained a lifetime of knowledge and experience. They’ve worked in unusual and difficult conditions, survived crises, wars, and hardships, and have seen it all, from births to deaths, joy to tragedy. They hold a wealth of generational knowledge, including wisdom passed down from their grandparents, and yet their contributions and perspectives are often overlooked or dismissed.
Older adults are one of the most generous, wise, and resourceful age groups in our society. They’ve learned lessons from hardships that younger generations haven’t yet experienced. They have time on their hands, financial resources, and a wealth of life experience to share. And yet, they’re rarely tapped into as a resource. Imagine what our communities could gain if we made space for their voices, their talents, and their stories. They are a bottomless well of knowledge, wisdom, and generosity that could make a huge impact if properly recognized and utilized.
What we need is a cultural shift. Communities could start by creating spaces where older adults feel valued, where they can share their knowledge and contribute in meaningful ways. This might mean offering local programs, mentoring opportunities, or even intergenerational projects that allow seniors to engage with younger generations. Businesses could also step in to offer discounts or rewards for seniors who actively engage in community programs, showing that their participation matters.
Finally, society as a whole needs to stop looking at aging as a limitation and start viewing it as an asset. We need to celebrate the value that comes with age, the lessons learned, the stories told, the resilience built over decades of living. By reframing the way we think about aging, we can empower older adults to share their wisdom and experiences in ways that benefit everyone.
With the right collaboration between politicians, communities, and society, we could unlock an incredible resource that has been sitting quietly in the background for too long. Older adults have so much to offer, and it’s time we create the opportunities and spaces for them to shine.
Why do you think social media in particular has the power to create social change and create a positive impact on humanity?
Social media has the power to create social change and positively impact humanity because it gives people the opportunity to connect across distances, share their stories, and offer advice. For me, from 2007 to 2014, when I was in the most severe stage of my disability, I was often housebound and isolated. During this time, I created a Facebook group and a YouTube channel for people who were also disabled, like me. People from all over the world joined my groups, and for lack of a better term, we kind of had virtual “pajama parties.” They weren’t real parties, but maybe “pajama pity parties” is what some might call them. We shared ideas, offered support, and helped one another.
I was fortunate enough to have an international leading immune system specialist, Dr. Nancy Klimas, as my doctor for myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) and other conditions. For years, I dedicated myself to this community, and I found that by being authentic and open, others who could relate to my struggles also felt comfortable sharing their experiences.
When I reached a stable recovery, I knew it was time to re-enter the real world. So, I handed over my group and channel to another leading expert who also had the illness. That’s when I was able to focus on creating the group I have now. I’m honest with the women in my group about my struggles, I’ve had two heart surgeries, multiple strokes, and live with various autoimmune disorders. If that scares someone and they don’t want to travel with me because of it, then they don’t have to. But what I’ve learned is that by being true to myself and showing that despite these obstacles, I’ve managed to live a full life, there are so many other women who can identify with me. They aren’t scared of my chronic illnesses, and that’s a beautiful thing.
Through social media, I’ve seen how powerful it is for people to share their stories. It creates a community where people are able to support each other, and it breaks down barriers of isolation and fear. By being authentic and transparent, I’ve created connections with others who might have felt alone otherwise. Social media has given me the chance to impact others positively, and it continues to do so every day.
What specific strategies have you been using to promote and advance this cause? Can you recommend any good tips for people who want to follow your lead and use their social platform for a social good?
My approach has been pretty basic. My target market, senior women aged 60 to 85, are mostly anchored in Facebook. They’re not big on Instagram, they don’t use LinkedIn, and they surely don’t like TikTok. Creating private groups on Facebook has been a great way to bring them together. YouTube is also very effective because it lets you upload longer videos, which you can then share within your Facebook group. I’ve found that Facebook pages don’t have the same power or success as Facebook groups. So, focusing on those groups has been key.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why? Please share a story or example for each.
This one’s a little bit difficult because everything I did was organic growth. It was unexpected and unsolicited. Still, I think someone could’ve tried to explain to me, as a 63-year-old, what social media means, what a campaigns means, and what becoming an influencer means, even though none of that was my intent.
So the five things I wish someone had told me or done to help me when I first started are specific to people in my age group:
1. You need to grow a tougher skin. When you’re dealing with an anonymous audience, you’ll come across trolls, bitter people, or even mentally unstable individuals. If you’re a sincere, giving person, you have to be careful. Sometimes backlash can hurt your feelings deeply, and it’s easy to take things personally. I wish someone had told me to prepare for this and to remind myself that these people don’t define my work.
2. Explain it visually. I wish someone had explained with a graphic chart what this whole process looks like. When I started, I didn’t even know what programs or tools were needed to make everything come together. Visuals would’ve helped me connect the dots much faster.
3. I wish someone had created a system to teach me the basics of social media. A simpler, turnkey way to guide a senior like me through managing social media campaigns step by step would have been incredibly helpful. This kind of support could have saved me a lot of trial and error.
4. Understand it’s going to be unexpected. No one told me what this could turn into. I didn’t plan to become an influencer, and the growth happened naturally. It caught me off guard. Knowing that social media can lead to unexpected opportunities would’ve helped me approach it with a different mindset.
5. You’re your own avatar. I learned over time that I’m my own audience. I’m creating for people like me, but I didn’t realize that at first. If someone had told me that sooner, I might’ve been able to connect better with my audience earlier on.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂
I think an entire program to value senior people and use their talent, knowledge, lifelong experiences, and available time to influence the younger generation. I see a lot of lost souls in Generation Z and even a couple of the generations above them. Whether it’s because their parents aren’t there, are irresponsible, or they’re addicted to social media and technology, I can’t say. But if you could take the strength, wisdom, and resources of the elderly and channel that into great mentorship programs, I think it could make a real difference.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a power lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
Martha Stewart has always stood out to me, not just for her astute businesswoman acumen, but for the personal experiences I can relate to. She was raised in a Polish-American family, and I connect with that because I was raised in an Italian-American household. There’s something uniquely powerful about being the child of first-generation immigrants, our parents and grandparents fought to make a life here, and their traditions of cooking, gardening, and homemaking were their way of creating something lasting. That’s exactly what Martha did, too. She brought these skills to the forefront and made them mainstream, which resonates deeply with me.
Martha is also an author of multiple books, and I admire her perfectionism. I’d love to ask her how she handles that side of herself because I can relate to the constant drive for perfection. But she’s also been through a lot, including personal struggles with her marriage, and that’s not always seen on the outside. One thing I’ve always felt is that she was unfairly scapegoated, especially during her time in jail. There were plenty of men doing much worse, but she was the one targeted. Yet, she came out stronger on the other side, which is something I admire.
There’s also that moment when Martha went to a roast and it wasn’t even meant to be about her, but they ended up targeting her. Instead of backing down, she stood tall, roasted them back, and flipped the situation on its head. That level of resilience is inspiring.
Martha’s journey can give so many lessons for the future, for the next generation, and for anyone who’s looking to navigate life with grace despite the challenges. I think there’s so much she can teach about bouncing back, keeping your integrity intact, and not letting anyone define you.
Reflecting on her philosophy, she once said, “If you want to be happy for a year, get married; if you want to be happy for a decade, get a dog; if you want to be happy for the rest of your life, make a garden.” This quote encapsulates her belief in the enduring joy that comes from nurturing and creating a sentiment that resonates deeply with me.
This was very meaningful. Thank you so much!
Social Media Stars Making a Social Impact: Why & How Francesca Elisabetta Owens Is Helping To… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.