Something to Think About for the Coming New Year: You're Not Too Old to Be an Entrepreneur

The myth that entrepreneurship is only for the young is upside down.

The majority of startups are launched by people over 45.  We have the knowledge, the networks, and the wisdom to put our skills to work on our own terms.

Do you need a New Year's resolution to help make your life more independent and resilient?  You can take early, thoughtful steps in 2019 to make this transition for yourself.

Don't just wish for a happy new year.  Put yourself on a entrepreneurship path to make it a productive new year.

Here's a bit of inspiration just published in Entrepreneur Magazine.  I especially like the idea of older entrepreneurs choosing younger mentors.  I'm doing this with my newest launch and it's paying off wonderfully - in many great directions.

Something to Think About for the Coming New Year: You're Not Too Old to Be an Entrepreneur

Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau and IRS, researchers from MIT and Northwestern University found that 2.7 million entrepreneurs started businesses between 2007 and 2014.  And their average age?  42.  If that’s not surprising enough, the researchers also learned that the entrepreneurs with the highest-growth businesses were even older: 45 on average.

Connect with Younger Mentors and Mentees

Mentors don’t have to be graying old folks who start every story with “Back when I was your age …”

There are plenty of young people, too, who have a lot to offer, including valuable social connections with up-and-coming members of the workforce. After all, networking has likely contributed to your career success thus far. So, keep networking with members of the new generations entering the workforce, and they’ll be a huge help when it comes time to hire top talent. In addition, having a younger mentor or mentee could inspire you to keep an innovative mindset.

Networking that works...

If the word “networking” makes you cringe, relax. You don’t have to attend stuffy functions and scatter business cards to strengthen your network. Instead, help out the people around you as best you can. If you have experience hiring, and a fellow entrepreneur is looking for his or her first employee, offer to take that entrepreneur to lunch and explain the hiring mistakes you’ve made in the past.

###

Ageless Entrepreneurs have the skills, knowledge, and networks to set sail on their own carefully planned venture.  Make 2019 the year you launch your own vision of that journey.