Is There A Peak Age for Entrepreneurship?(techcrunch.com)
techcrunch.com
Is There A Peak Age for Entrepreneurship?
http://techcrunch.com/2011/05/28/peak-age-entrepreneurship/
4 comments
Side note: those pie charts are a rather poor choice for visualizing the data.
hear hear! if there is a tried and true formula for successful entrepreneurship, then VC returns would not be as miserable as they are. it is not youth per se, it is not even naivete that is required for successful entrepreneurs, but unremitting and relentless optimism. people with optimistic outlooks can be found at every age cohort, but will not be found in every Stanford engineering grad. as winston churchill said, success is measured by our ability to maintain enthusiasm between failures. some young people haven't learned that yet because they haven't really failed enough times. some old people have that in spades. thanks for posting.
It does become more difficult to risk it all when you have a family/are married, so this probably plays into it.
I read a different article than you possibly. I read it as 61% were over 30 years old.
but if you have a family (which most people do after 30), you do need to take a much higher risk, which many people aren't willing to take.
Instead of peak age, ask about peak condition.
Manageable distractions / rest of life.
No kids yet.
Kids out of nest.
No debt.
Debt (e.g. school) deferred.
Etc.
Health
In good shape, endurance.
Youth means good blood flow to, plasticity of brain.
Exercise, training means good blood flow to, plasticity of brain.
Etc.
Experience
Academic environment places you at "leading edge", seeing and undeveloped opportunity.
Cultural currency... [ditto]
Extensive experience gives you insight into an undeveloped market, niche, opportunity.
Motivation
Whatever it is, whenever it is, you *really* want to do it.
Toolset(s)
School/training has you current.
Work experience has you current.
Network
School buddies (and staff)
Colleagues and business contacts