Poll: how old were you at you first startup? • Hacker News Board

Re: Poll: how old were you at you first startup?

#11

Post by darrennix » Sat, Jul 02, 2011, 7:03 AM UTC

apike wrote: post #4

This is a good question. 10: First entrepreneurial effort selling lemonade. 13: First software entrepreneurism selling a game on floppy disks. 16: First founded a company, ostensibly to make games. 18: First made a living contracting for myself. 25: First founded a company that became profitable and hired people. Which one counts?

I usually consider a first company as when it trips the full time mark: either hiring a full-time employee or working in it full-time yourself.

So the web design gigs at 15 and forming an LLC for part-time consulting don't count.

I came up with this definition after reading a book where the author bragged he'd started 10 companies by age 21... by the above definition the number was actually 2 -- still impressive.

Re: Poll: how old were you at you first startup?

#12

Post by code_duck » Sat, Jul 02, 2011, 7:14 AM UTC

When I was in 3rd grade, I took a small safe to school and tried to convince my fellow students to deposit their lunch money with me. I was completely serious. so while the venture sadly was not a success I believe it counts.

Re: Poll: how old were you at you first startup?

#13

Post by xdissent » Sat, Jul 02, 2011, 7:15 AM UTC

xdissent wrote: post #7

apike wrote: post #4

This is a good question. 10: First entrepreneurial effort selling lemonade. 13: First software entrepreneurism selling a game on floppy disks. 16: First founded a company, ostensibly to make games. 18: First made a living contracting for myself. 25: First founded a company that became profitable and hired people. Which one counts?

Obviously the lemonade stand @ 10, dumbass.

Ok, sorry. Just couldn't see how anyone would seriously think a lemonade venture would be relevant.

Re: Poll: how old were you at you first startup?

#14

Post by dylanpyle » Sat, Jul 02, 2011, 7:22 AM UTC

18, and i just joined two well-funded startup founders (both also 18) and moved to silicon valley to work for the summer. PS: I think this poll should be 'how old were you at your first funded startup.

Re: Poll: how old were you at you first startup?

#15

Post by mikeyur » Sat, Jul 02, 2011, 7:22 AM UTC

12: Started selling pirated software and DVDs to classmates.

13: Illegal firecrackers to friends in high school (they're illegal where I live in Canada)

14: First internet venture - started a hosting company with a good friend of mine

15: Sold my first blog (Mac-software blog) and was hired to start another by a blog network

16: Started affiliate marketing with the SEO knowledge I gained at the blog

17: Hired by a local startup as their marketing manager

18: Started working fulltime as an internet marketing consultant

Turn 20 in a week. Not really sure if any of them would count as a startup.

Re: Poll: how old were you at you first startup?

#16

Post by ptm » Sat, Jul 02, 2011, 7:35 AM UTC

Poll results in pie chart form http://hackernewspoll.appspot.com/2721141

Re: Poll: how old were you at you first startup?

#17

Post by illumen » Sat, Jul 02, 2011, 7:38 AM UTC

I can't remember the first thing I did. It was one of two things. Either outsourcing paper routes to my mates. Or another one with a friend.

A friend and I sold soft drinks to fishing people, then sold them fish at the end of the day when they couldn't catch anything.

Raised the investment from my Dad, but went bankrupt weekly by spending it all on video games and lollies.

Around the same time I also had little businesses fixing bike tire punctures, and mowing lawns.

Re: Poll: how old were you at you first startup?

#18

Post by gcielo » Sat, Jul 02, 2011, 7:38 AM UTC

7: I made a business shaving pencils for .10 each. We made $20 before I sold the company at $5.

Re: Poll: how old were you at you first startup?

#19

Post by mindotus » Sat, Jul 02, 2011, 7:54 AM UTC

9, started a pokemon community site on Geocities, wouldn't count it as my first startup, but definitely my first project :)

Re: Poll: how old were you at you first startup?

#20

Post by ahmetalpbalkan » Sat, Jul 02, 2011, 8:11 AM UTC

17. http://myschoolog.com still alive, no development since 2007.