I've been hacking since childhood but my formal education took longer than normal (becoming a teen parent meant I had to work full-time and go to school part-ti

I've been hacking since childhood but my formal education took longer than normal (becoming a teen parent meant I had to work full-time and go to school part-time). I had 2 technology jobs before starting my own companies. I've had my own startups/businesses since 2000 and I'm now in my late 30s. My biggest fear career-wise is that, should my company go under or sell for non-FU money, I am basically un-hireable. I feel like I am a founder until death or retirement now. Most of me is fine with that because I love it, but part of me would like having the other option. I even wonder if being an older founder makes it hard to hire young talent or raise money. Dave McClure even said on TWiS that they don't even want founders over 40 in their accelerator. Fortunately, I've got plenty of skills, experience and I look younger than I am (I pluck the gray hairs out of my beard). We shall see ...