Silicon Valley: The rise of the adolescent CEOs(reuters.com)
reuters.com
Silicon Valley: The rise of the adolescent CEOs
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/21/us-venture-young-idUSTRE81K06P20120221
7 comments
Agreed. What a strange, and frankly embarrassing, way to present yourself when the chief complaint against you will invariably be your maturity. That funny anecdote aside, this line turned me off:
>While little data on the phenomenon exists, venture capitalists say they are funding more chief executives under age 21 than ever before.
It seems a bit disingenuous to jump from "We're funding a lot of really young people these days" to "Rise of the Adolescent CEOs" but I guess that's how you get readers.
With that annoyance also out of the way, I was encouraged to hear that these guys were doing fairly well, no bullying or anything, and that they were primarily interested in building cool new stuff rather than just making some cheap iPhone games for a quick buck.
It seems a bit disingenuous to jump from "We're funding a lot of really young people these days" to "Rise of the Adolescent CEOs" but I guess that's how you get readers.
With that annoyance also out of the way, I was encouraged to hear that these guys were doing fairly well, no bullying or anything, and that they were primarily interested in building cool new stuff rather than just making some cheap iPhone games for a quick buck.
While I'm often the first to complain about article title baiting, this quote -- "'At a certain point, they can't get much younger or we're going to be invested in preschool,' quipped Marc Andreessen" would lead me to avoid blaming Reuters for this one.
I don't think it is such a bad thing to brag about, unless you mean that he might get into trouble with customs.
He is a CEO of a company and is building it (in part) with other peoples money. He shouldn't have to put up with stupid rules that are meant to fence in kids.
He is a CEO of a company and is building it (in part) with other peoples money. He shouldn't have to put up with stupid rules that are meant to fence in kids.
"I don't think it is such a bad thing to brag about"
Except for the fact that it is completely, 100% illegal. A guy at my sister's college went to federal prison for creating fake id's. Also, a friend of mine got caught with a fake by police, she got off with community service and no marks on the record, but only because of a very expensive lawyer paid for by her parents.
Except for the fact that it is completely, 100% illegal. A guy at my sister's college went to federal prison for creating fake id's. Also, a friend of mine got caught with a fake by police, she got off with community service and no marks on the record, but only because of a very expensive lawyer paid for by her parents.
Certainly. But at the same time men like him cannot be bound by rules designed to constrain normal teenagers -- for the simple reason that they are not normal teenagers.
I agree that the laws may not be fair, especially regarding drinking age.
Regardless, A CEO should not openly admit to illegal activity to a journalist (or anybody really). That seems very unwise and immature.
Regardless, A CEO should not openly admit to illegal activity to a journalist (or anybody really). That seems very unwise and immature.
It is a fundamental principle of justice that everyone is equal before the law.
It doesn't always turn out that way, because people implicitly or explicitly undermine it by handing out exceptions to Special People.
It's better for everyone if that doesn't happen. It's a stupid law, but it's the law. Let's not give him a free ticket because he's Not A Normal Teenager.
It doesn't always turn out that way, because people implicitly or explicitly undermine it by handing out exceptions to Special People.
It's better for everyone if that doesn't happen. It's a stupid law, but it's the law. Let's not give him a free ticket because he's Not A Normal Teenager.
To your friends, maybe.
To a national press organization? What good can come of it?
I do think it odd that the legal drinking age is well past the age of majority. I think it would do much to smooth out this sort of odd situation if we dropped it to 18, like most of the rest of the world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_age
I also think it odd that we don't seem to have an option for emancipation based on financial independence (which some countries do). If you're 16 and running a company, you really ought to be able to sign your own contracts.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcohol_age
I also think it odd that we don't seem to have an option for emancipation based on financial independence (which some countries do). If you're 16 and running a company, you really ought to be able to sign your own contracts.
While it's inspirational to hear of people succeeding despite their relative youth and/or inexperience, I'm a little concerned that it's becoming a perverse point of pride.
I've seen multiple startups pitch to VCs and emphasise the fact that they skipped college. Is that such a good thing?
I've seen multiple startups pitch to VCs and emphasise the fact that they skipped college. Is that such a good thing?
It's not a good thing. We're reluctant to fund people who haven't done enough of college to know what they'd be missing if they skipped it.
I've always viewed you/YC as a bit disingenuous in the way you evangelize startups over college.
Even though I've read many of your essays and hangout on HN quite often, that was my overwhelming impression. I'm very glad to find out I've been wrong this whole time and that this is in fact your stance - much respect FWIW.
Even though I've read many of your essays and hangout on HN quite often, that was my overwhelming impression. I'm very glad to find out I've been wrong this whole time and that this is in fact your stance - much respect FWIW.
When I first saw Josh Buckley present Mino Monsters at YC Alumni Demo Day last year, I thought "That kid at 18 is a better public speaker than I am at 28." Their company is killing it right now (congrats to Josh / TJ!)
Josh is very far at one end of the bell curve. The majority of aspiring founders are better off not trying to emulate doing things at a certain age, but rather trying to develop their own skills until they feel comfortable jumping off and starting something.
Josh is very far at one end of the bell curve. The majority of aspiring founders are better off not trying to emulate doing things at a certain age, but rather trying to develop their own skills until they feel comfortable jumping off and starting something.
This is troublesome for me because I'm around that age and obviously not an entrepreneur or CEO, but rather committed to focusing and deepening my software development skills when I enter the job market in the coming year.
I'm really not sure how much I can learn from people who are the same age or just barely older than me, given that I've been coding since I was 13 and focused exclusively on it, while they may have started coding later and transitioned to splitting their focus between coding and the other aspects of starting a company sooner. I'd much rather work for (and learn from) someone who has been in the software industry for a long time, but wonder if that preference will keep me out of the youngest and most exciting companies.
I'm really not sure how much I can learn from people who are the same age or just barely older than me, given that I've been coding since I was 13 and focused exclusively on it, while they may have started coding later and transitioned to splitting their focus between coding and the other aspects of starting a company sooner. I'd much rather work for (and learn from) someone who has been in the software industry for a long time, but wonder if that preference will keep me out of the youngest and most exciting companies.
It does come to something when, as a 28 year old who has yet to form their first startup, I feel old and behind the times. I'm not sure how healthy this perception is, but I suppose it at least motivates me.
It's not a problem. I was 30 when we started Viaweb.
Empirically the worst danger of being older may be that it's harder to recruit your friends as cofounders.
Empirically the worst danger of being older may be that it's harder to recruit your friends as cofounders.
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You were the creator of viaweb? What was it like working at yahoo instead of running your own company. Did you retire early(?) or your job is flexible enough that you're still working? I haven't finished your book yet, only half way through, great discussion on the culture though.
You're probably getting downvoted because all the answers you seek are readily available.
http://paulgraham.com/articles.html
http://paulgraham.com/articles.html
Good to hear. Certainly, I have no doubt that I'll be more successful at 28 than I would have been at 22, but a little more prior experience wouldn't have hurt.
But I suppose hindsight is always 20/20, and endless second guessing never got anyone anywhere.
But I suppose hindsight is always 20/20, and endless second guessing never got anyone anywhere.
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I saw David Rubenstien, the founder of the Carlyle group speak about founding that company. He said he read the average age of successful entrepreneurs is 29 to 37ish. At 37ish he thought to himself I better get it done now.
He founded the Carlyle group, one of the most prestigious private equity firms out there. He made it sound like it was his previous experience which helped him succeed.
At 29 I feel very young and have learned that I still have a ridiculous amount to learn. It doesn't hurt having a little self control, getting some experience then going for it.
For ever Facebook there are tons of companies that never went anywhere.
He founded the Carlyle group, one of the most prestigious private equity firms out there. He made it sound like it was his previous experience which helped him succeed.
At 29 I feel very young and have learned that I still have a ridiculous amount to learn. It doesn't hurt having a little self control, getting some experience then going for it.
For ever Facebook there are tons of companies that never went anywhere.
I just turned 28 and I was about to post the same thing as the parent comment. It does make you question your life choices a little bit, though I do feel much better prepared now than I would have been at 25. And I don't think I could have run a company at 20.
I'm 31 and I'm working on my first startup, so to speak, at the moment. If you've been working since your early twenties then you have the advantage on me -- I lost most of the decade due to depression and some consequently poor choices.
As the cliche goes -- the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now.
As the cliche goes -- the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is now.
I totally related with this article. I started my company when I was 18 in Australia and now, at 20, I've come to silicon valley and I can't even legally go to a bar for a drink. I once got halfway to a super-relevant networking event full of potential customers, only to find out that it was in a bar and I was too young to legally get in. And I sympathize with the lack-of-car issue - thank goodness my co-founders are both in their mid thirties so they can rent a car. Otherwise I'd be pretty stuck for transport around here.
This just in: some people have family money (or connections, which is the same thing). This is newsworthy, how?
That being said, it was kinda shocking to see the first paragraph mention that Josh Buckley has fake ids enroute from China. Having a fake id, especially having one confiscated seemed to be some sort of badge of honor to some people I knew in undergrad. I didn't get it. I would hear both friends and random people around campus hold a conversation that went as follows:
A: Where were you last night? I thought you were going to meet us at bar XYZ?
B: I was there but I had my id taken away and the bouncer wouldn't sell it back to me for $50 like they usually do.
A: Oh bummer, I hate it when they do that, you actually had a good id.
B: ya, I know, now I will have to go buy another, but I am going to go to the same guy because it was so good. What state should I be from this time?
A: blah blah blah
I guess the ultimate badge of honor is being stupid enough to discuss illegal forms of identification that are in the mail to you. Josh, good luck with your business, but you sir were wearing your idiot hat when you took this interview.