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I can tie this back to my own experience as well. Humility generally comes with age, and it's important in running a successful and socially responsible busines

I can tie this back to my own experience as well. Humility generally comes with age, and it's important in running a successful and socially responsible business. It's easy to get caught up in the young successful founder myth because that's what gets the most press. But look at a guy like Bill Gates. I'm sure had he started Microsoft 20 years later (assuming all conditions were ripe for it), he would have done it quite differently and likely would have had less law suits on his hand. That being said, I do think there's much to be said about the ambitiousness of the ideas when you're younger than when you're older. Your view of the world changes tremendously.

j45 8y ago
The importance of learning humility and discipline to do what needs to be done to stay an entrepreneur overlooked far too often. Meteoric rises are difficult to keep in the air because of the lack of foundational skills. Staying a little foolish and hungry (paraphrasing Steve Jobs) seems to be very good long term advice.
bonestamp2 8y ago
In some ways, it's also easier to run a startup when you're younger. Most younger people have more energy and fewer family obligations. But, that also explains why 45 makes a lot of sense... if you have kids they're probably old enough that they're doing a lot of their own things so you've got the wisdom from age (experience) and you've shed some of the family responsibilities that you might have at, say, age 35.
- rhizome 8y ago
  Younger founders almost certainly also spend more energy on things that an older one already knows not to do, or that can be done more efficiently. Many mistakes that cost time and energy can be mooted by experience.
- kumarvvr 8y ago
  Kids who do their own things, leaves a lot of time at hand. As a father of a 3 year old, I find it very difficult to sneak in even 15 minutes of thinking time. Of course, it dosent help that im also working while planning to start a web business.
  - ataturk 8y ago
    As a parent, I can tell you that I'd rather just spend the time with my kids. I owe it to them to be there, to be a role model for them, to make sure they are getting the right start in life and have what they need. In short, it's about them which I think too many Millenial types overlook--once you have kids, it's not about you anymore. I can't see why I would do a startup. I'm 45, am already fairly well off, and just don't care about all the hassles. Money is not everything. In fact, money is nothing at all. I've been in tech long enough to realize what a scam all of it is--very little has uplifted humanity. We have a huge sense of self importance about it, but honestly, most of it will just be forgotten in another couple of decades. Like it never existed. The only thing that endures is your legacy through your children and if they are mistreated by you, well, there will be nothing at all. So yeah, work your life away, but I'm not going to.
- madcaptenor 8y ago
  It would be interesting to see this data broken out by age of children (for those founders who are parents). I'm 34 and I have a newborn. My parents were 23 and 26 when they had me. So my parents' 45 (I was already out of the house) looked different than mine will.

j45 8y ago

The importance of learning humility and discipline to do what needs to be done to stay an entrepreneur overlooked far too often. Meteoric rises are difficult to keep in the air because of the lack of foundational skills. Staying a little foolish and hungry (paraphrasing Steve Jobs) seems to be very good long term advice.

bonestamp2 8y ago

In some ways, it's also easier to run a startup when you're younger. Most younger people have more energy and fewer family obligations. But, that also explains why 45 makes a lot of sense... if you have kids they're probably old enough that they're doing a lot of their own things so you've got the wisdom from age (experience) and you've shed some of the family responsibilities that you might have at, say, age 35.

rhizome 8y ago
Younger founders almost certainly also spend more energy on things that an older one already knows not to do, or that can be done more efficiently. Many mistakes that cost time and energy can be mooted by experience.
kumarvvr 8y ago
Kids who do their own things, leaves a lot of time at hand. As a father of a 3 year old, I find it very difficult to sneak in even 15 minutes of thinking time. Of course, it dosent help that im also working while planning to start a web business.
- ataturk 8y ago
  As a parent, I can tell you that I'd rather just spend the time with my kids. I owe it to them to be there, to be a role model for them, to make sure they are getting the right start in life and have what they need. In short, it's about them which I think too many Millenial types overlook--once you have kids, it's not about you anymore. I can't see why I would do a startup. I'm 45, am already fairly well off, and just don't care about all the hassles. Money is not everything. In fact, money is nothing at all. I've been in tech long enough to realize what a scam all of it is--very little has uplifted humanity. We have a huge sense of self importance about it, but honestly, most of it will just be forgotten in another couple of decades. Like it never existed. The only thing that endures is your legacy through your children and if they are mistreated by you, well, there will be nothing at all. So yeah, work your life away, but I'm not going to.
madcaptenor 8y ago
It would be interesting to see this data broken out by age of children (for those founders who are parents). I'm 34 and I have a newborn. My parents were 23 and 26 when they had me. So my parents' 45 (I was already out of the house) looked different than mine will.