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I actually disagree with PG on this one. Yes, younger founders are low maintenance, but older founders usually have a large network to tap into for fundraising

I actually disagree with PG on this one. Yes, younger founders are low maintenance, but older founders usually have a large network to tap into for fundraising.

gabereiser 4y ago
it's not apples to apples. Older founders usually have a network they can tap into, yes, but also usually have a lifestyle that requires a bit more than the average college grad. One thing I've told folks who ask "how do I start a startup with little money?" "You start with what you got". Sometimes selling things off to reduce your expenses to be able to give your startup more runway. Or not take any money at all (I met with a pair that did this for almost 2 years!). In the end, it's all situational. Younger founders are lower maintenance to the balance sheets and have more potential but it's more risk. I'm not a VC so I couldn't say what goes into the decision making there other than "he's younger and smarter so I'm betting on this horse".
- wintogreen74 4y ago
  >> but also usually have a lifestyle that requires a bit more than the average college grad I've noticed that an entire generation of essentially 0% interest rates has skewed this substantially. I'm in my 40's and I've scrimped and saved and have very few "premium lifestyle tastes", while many 20-somethings have lived well beyond their means financed for free their entire lives. Their expectation for the baseline standard is much higher than 15-20 years ago
  - gabereiser 4y ago
    I'm the same demographic as you. 40s, not rich (especially compared to some other HN readers) but not hurting per se. I live well below my means. When I was younger it was a different story. I had higher tastes for things but couldn't afford them. I didn't go run up the credit card though just because I wanted it. I think that's the difference. Buy Now, Pay Later only applied to cars and houses for me.
mateo411 4y ago
I think that founders have become older since 2006. There are a lot of people work for a big company for a while, or go into an industry, then go to a start up. I don't have any data to show this is true, but I suspect that it is.

I actually disagree with PG on this one. Yes, younger founders are low maintenance, but older founders usually have a large network to tap into for fundraising.

gabereiser 4y ago

it's not apples to apples. Older founders usually have a network they can tap into, yes, but also usually have a lifestyle that requires a bit more than the average college grad. One thing I've told folks who ask "how do I start a startup with little money?" "You start with what you got". Sometimes selling things off to reduce your expenses to be able to give your startup more runway. Or not take any money at all (I met with a pair that did this for almost 2 years!). In the end, it's all situational. Younger founders are lower maintenance to the balance sheets and have more potential but it's more risk. I'm not a VC so I couldn't say what goes into the decision making there other than "he's younger and smarter so I'm betting on this horse".

wintogreen74 4y ago
>> but also usually have a lifestyle that requires a bit more than the average college grad I've noticed that an entire generation of essentially 0% interest rates has skewed this substantially. I'm in my 40's and I've scrimped and saved and have very few "premium lifestyle tastes", while many 20-somethings have lived well beyond their means financed for free their entire lives. Their expectation for the baseline standard is much higher than 15-20 years ago
- gabereiser 4y ago
  I'm the same demographic as you. 40s, not rich (especially compared to some other HN readers) but not hurting per se. I live well below my means. When I was younger it was a different story. I had higher tastes for things but couldn't afford them. I didn't go run up the credit card though just because I wanted it. I think that's the difference. Buy Now, Pay Later only applied to cars and houses for me.

mateo411 4y ago

I think that founders have become older since 2006. There are a lot of people work for a big company for a while, or go into an industry, then go to a start up. I don't have any data to show this is true, but I suspect that it is.