15 ms·

The number doesn't matter, but your lifestyle and risk-tolerance does. If you're 40 with a high standard of living, and mouths to feed, and a mortgage and car

The number doesn't matter, but your lifestyle and risk-tolerance does. If you're 40 with a high standard of living, and mouths to feed, and a mortgage and car payment etc, then startup life might be rough on you, and outside of your risk profile. But if you're prepared to live the lifestyle of any other startup founder (at least during the first few months), and assume the same risks as everyone else, then I don't see why age would be a disadvantage at all.

tptacek 11y ago
If you're 40 with a high standard of living and mouths to feed, you've probably learned what your tolerances are, and don't need people on message boards to tell you. Of course, that's obvious, and so perhaps people should be careful about subtly reinforcing the message that startups are for 20-somethings.
- MalcolmDiggs 11y ago
  > If you're 40 with a high standard of living and mouths to feed, you've probably learned what your tolerances are, and don't need people on message boards to tell you. Of course, that's obvious, and so perhaps people should be careful about subtly reinforcing the message that startups are for 20-somethings. Overall risk tolerance is statistically associated with age. If that's not something you believe, then we're not going to see eye to eye. But in my opinion, if the OP asks if something "is a good idea" in respect to age, and there's a relevant age-correlated reason why it might not be a good idea, then I'm perfectly on-topic for bringing it up. While someone may understand their own risk tolerance, they don't necessarily understand the riskiness of the situation they are jumping into...which might be why they asked the question in the first place. So again, there's no reason I can't mention it. And your premise that my comment is so "obvious" that it shouldn't be permitted to be spoken, is simply ridiculous. It sounds like I hit your trigger phrase, and your response is likely far more about you, then about me. And I'll reinforce any message I please, thank you very much. I don't need "people on message boards" dictating what opinions I am or am not allowed to hold.
  - nostrademons 11y ago
    The point is that you are not a statistic. You have far better information about yourself than anyone else does, so use it to make decisions that are in your best interest.

tptacek 11y ago

If you're 40 with a high standard of living and mouths to feed, you've probably learned what your tolerances are, and don't need people on message boards to tell you. Of course, that's obvious, and so perhaps people should be careful about subtly reinforcing the message that startups are for 20-somethings.

MalcolmDiggs 11y ago
> If you're 40 with a high standard of living and mouths to feed, you've probably learned what your tolerances are, and don't need people on message boards to tell you. Of course, that's obvious, and so perhaps people should be careful about subtly reinforcing the message that startups are for 20-somethings. Overall risk tolerance is statistically associated with age. If that's not something you believe, then we're not going to see eye to eye. But in my opinion, if the OP asks if something "is a good idea" in respect to age, and there's a relevant age-correlated reason why it might not be a good idea, then I'm perfectly on-topic for bringing it up. While someone may understand their own risk tolerance, they don't necessarily understand the riskiness of the situation they are jumping into...which might be why they asked the question in the first place. So again, there's no reason I can't mention it. And your premise that my comment is so "obvious" that it shouldn't be permitted to be spoken, is simply ridiculous. It sounds like I hit your trigger phrase, and your response is likely far more about you, then about me. And I'll reinforce any message I please, thank you very much. I don't need "people on message boards" dictating what opinions I am or am not allowed to hold.
- nostrademons 11y ago
  The point is that you are not a statistic. You have far better information about yourself than anyone else does, so use it to make decisions that are in your best interest.