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At 38, am I too old for a startup?

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Re: At 38, am I too old for a startup?

#11
post #8
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We've funded people older than that. In some types of startups it's the ideal age. E.g. if you want to build a factory or make enterprise software, or do something else that requires lots of capital and/or industry experience.

Some domains carry a crowd that will eat the naive alive. I cannot imagine someone starting a financial tech company being younger than their 30's.

While I agree that experience can be a benefit in many industries (and I'm 33, have been working around my current industry for about 10 years, and I think that's been a big benefit to my current startup), I also think naivety can be a far more powerful defense than your comment would indicate.

Not knowing about the old boy networks and the "way things are done" can be a benefit to a small and nimble startup. The fact is that economics and the requirement to get things done will occasionally be able to trump "the way we've always done it", and by the time you've signed on two or three clients that way, you can find your way into that network and learn how things are done. And, in the meantime, you've built products that offer better value (because you had to, and your competitors didn't) and a business that is run very lean (because you had to, and your competitors didn't).

Re: At 38, am I too old for a startup?

#16
post #8
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We've funded people older than that. In some types of startups it's the ideal age. E.g. if you want to build a factory or make enterprise software, or do something else that requires lots of capital and/or industry experience.

Some domains carry a crowd that will eat the naive alive. I cannot imagine someone starting a financial tech company being younger than their 30's.

Couple of my college classmates started a financial software startup straight out of college.

They had connections though - one of the founder's mom is a hedge fund manager. Oh, and his aunt is Heidi Fleiss, the famous Hollywood madame.

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/06_27/b3991043....

Re: At 38, am I too old for a startup?

#18
If you have to ask, then you are too old...

If you feel too old, then hang out with younger people and ask them as many questions as you can. Really put yourself in a learning position where the twenty somethings are your teachers.

Re: At 38, am I too old for a startup?

#19

If you think you're too old, then you probably are. Age is a state of mind. Actually, at 41 myself (and 3 months into my own startup), I find that as the kids get older (7 and 11), I'm getting more time again to pursue my passions.

...and as the kids get older, they may even be interested in helping on the startup!

Re: At 38, am I too old for a startup?

#20
Why should it even matter?

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Do you have passion behind your idea?

2. Can you execute your idea to fruition?

3. If not now, when? When your 50? 70?

Don't live life asking yourself "What if?" Give it a try before you dig yourself into a deep hole.

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