WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO START A BUSINESS?

CONSIDERMark Zuckerberg

Co-founded Facebook at 20

Photo Credit:

Frederic Legrand / Shutterstock

Photo Credit:

JD Lasica / Flickr

Photo Credit:

Scott Beale / Laughing Squid

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Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

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JStone / Shutterstock.com

Photo Credit:

@hayleybay / Twitter

Kevin Systrom

Co-founded Instagram at 26

Naveen Selvadurai

Co-founded Foursquare at 27

Steve Jobs

Co-founded Apple Inc. at 21

Bill Gates

Co-founded Microsoft at 20

Hayley Barna

Co-founded Birchbox at 27

SO

I HAVE TO BE YOUNG?

NOT SO FASTJohn Pemberton

Invented Coca-Cola at 55

Ray Kroc

Started McDonalds at 52

Colonel Harland Sanders

Founded KFC at 65

Henry Kaiser

Founded Kaiser Permanente at 63

Mary Kay Ash

Founded Mary Kay, Inc. at 45

GREAT,

ILL WAIT UNTIL IM OLDER.

ACTUALLYTHE POINT IS:

THERE IS NO RIGHT AGE

TO START A BUSINESS.

THATS NOT WHAT MATTERS

WHAT DO ENTREPRENEURS

HAVE IN COMMON,

REGARDLESS OF AGE?

THEY NEVER STOP TRYING

BUT, IM NOT GOING TO INVENT THE NEXT FACEBOOK.

IF I WAS GOING TO INVENT FACEBOOK, I WOULDVE INVENTED FACEBOOK!

Photo: The Social Network / Columbia (2010)

IF YOURE UNDER THE ILLUSION THAT YOU

NEED AN INNOVATIVE IDEA IN ORDER TO

SUCCEED, YOU COULDNT BE MORE

WRONG.

WHILE YOU MAY NOT HAVE INVENTED

FACEBOOK, YOUR SUCCESSWHETHER OR

NOT THE IDEA IS ORIGINALWILL

LARGELY DEPEND ON YOUR

ABILITY TO EXECUTE IT.

BUT, DONT TAKE MY WORD FOR IT

Photo: Reading Rainbow / Public Broadcasting Service (1983-2006)

WHAT OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM HAS TO SAY:

Dont worry about being behind. Dont worry about the prodigy kids who started their first business in middle school. Dont worry about the folks who went straight from their MBA to their first business.

Just start your thing, and work, and learn, and in no time youll be an old hand.

Josh Cochrane VP of Product Development

WHAT OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM HAS TO SAY:

I started my first tech company when I was 38 and my second business when I was 42. It was actually in my favor to start at those ages because I had years of experience behind me in management, marketing, sales, networking, and partnerships.

Caroline Cummings VP of Business Development

WHAT OUR EXECUTIVE TEAM HAS TO SAY:

Age also brings wisdom, experience, and patienceall qualities that investors look for. Having the experience of managing people, learning from mistakes, and learning from data are all things that will make your startup run smoother, rather than slower.

Noah Parsons Chief Operating Officer

I started my own business at 45go for it. - Ann, HR Specialist

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:

There are always circumstances that determine when you should/shouldn't start. Sometimes the perfect time comes up, but sometimes, your passion has to override

that. And as long as you have a solid plan and determination, your age is irrelevant.

- Kevin, Company Founder & Business Strategy Manager

Source: http://bit.ly/LI-RightAge

WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:

You can start a business at any age young or old, each has advantages and disadvantages and all have challenges. But then what business old or new doesn't have challenges?

- Marion, Business Success Strategist

I believe it's never too late! Follow your passion. - Bonnie, Mobile and Local Marketing Expert

It is never too early or too late :) So go ahead, follow your passion and learn as much as possible from your network.

- Antoine, Finance Manager

Source: http://bit.ly/LI-RightAge

SO WHAT YOURE TRYING TO SAY IS,

IF I HAVE AN IDEA, PASSION, AND NEVER STOP TRYING,

MY AGE WONT MATTER?

YOU GOT IT, DUDE!

Photo: Full House / Warner Bros. Television (1987-1995)

GO GET EM!

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