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  • Is it too late to startup? - Can you ever be too old?

    Ankita Katdare

    Administrator

    Updated: Oct 23, 2024
    Views: 1.1K
    If you see the current sea of startup owners and new born entrepreneurs, you will see that most of them are in their mid-20s, some even younger. It has become a new cool to start your own small company very early in life. Sailing in the trend, we see that in India a lot of great companies are emerging from cities such as Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata.

    If any of our young readers are going through our series of interviews #-Link-Snipped-#, you might also feel the urge to start up something of your own.
    Quit often than not, this feeling dies up or drowns when you think of the hefty education loan, the need of the fixed salary to support your family, the "settle down" fast syndrome or just because you are too scared of failure at this point in your life.

    The madness of the race, the frenzy to keep pace with peers, friends, colleagues, relatives and whatnot can really bog you down at times.
    But if there's that little something in you that makes you want to start your own company at some point in your life, I believe nobody can be too old, to start a startup.

    To support my point, here's an image I came across the other day while reading something -

    too-late-to-startup

    The picture says it all.

    I think there are certain advantages associated with starting up young as well starting up at a later point in life. But the good part is - it's never too late.

    What do you think about that? Do shoot in replies.
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Replies

  • Sarathkumar Chandrasekaran

    Member • Apr 10, 2014

    Great discussion #-Link-Snipped-#
    All age groups have thier pros and cons.If you are young you will have high energy and enthusiasm with urge to grow and braveness to face problems.
    If you belong to old age( >30 yrs)
    the person would be starting a startup with good yrs of experience and depth in knowledge in marketing strategies.

    Morale: No barrier for age
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  • Kaustubh Katdare

    Administrator • Apr 10, 2014

    #-Link-Snipped-# : OLD AGE is 30+? ☕

    There are no advantages or disadvantages associated with age; apart from the obvious (health) ones. Also, let me tell you that the corporate experience doesn't really help in a startup company. What you'll learn in marketing, while working for a big company will be totally useless while working for a startup company. Because in a big company - you'll have access to all the resources and have a backup.

    In a startup company, however - you'll be on your own. No one to hold you if you make mistakes. That's pretty much the fun part of it.
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  • zaveri

    Member • Apr 10, 2014

    As i believe it is never too late to startup as long as you are introducing something completely new to the world, in other words, you don't have any existing competitors in the market

    Let me state a personal experience of mine:

    A couple of years, i was shopping for provisions in super market. I went to the section where they keep soaps, toothpastes etc.

    There a sales-girl, offered me a pack of toothpaste, which was branded as "K.K.NAMBOODHRIS". And she spoke like a robot : "would you try this brand sir, it is herbal, and.............".

    but before she could complete, i reached for a pack of pepsodent and went on my way. i also noticed that another lady in the same aisle, whom the sales girl approached give a similar response.

    i was left to ponder about this brand new toothpaste manufacturer who just entered the market. and the big question that went in my mind was "will this new startup even survive against the existing giants such as colgate, pepsodent, and close-up?"

    today two years have passed by and i don't think that brand survived, at least not in my locality.
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  • Ankita Katdare

    Administrator • Apr 10, 2014

    #-Link-Snipped-# Even thought I get your point, the company you mentioned was started in 1925 by its founder K.P. Namboodiri in Thrissur. The company has a research & development department. So, it is not exactly a startup.
    I believe this one calls for a new topic of discussion. How difficult is it for new companies to compete with big competitors? 😀 Will start it some other day.

    For now, let us focus on this topic - How old is too old to start a venture of your own?
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  • zaveri

    Member • Apr 11, 2014

    Ankita Katdare
    #-Link-Snipped-# Even thought I get your point, the company you mentioned was started in 1925 by its founder K.P. Namboodiri in Thrissur. The company has a research & development department. So, it is not exactly a startup.
    I believe this one calls for a new topic of discussion. How difficult is it for new companies to compete with big competitors? 😀 Will start it some other day.

    For now, let us focus on this topic - How old is too old to start a venture of your own?

    Oh so i see. i never knew that K.K.N was so old. it appeared to be a start-up to me when i came across that brand for the first time.
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  • Ankita Katdare

    Administrator • Apr 17, 2014

    Inviting opinions on this from #-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-# #-Link-Snipped-# #-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-#, #-Link-Snipped-#
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  • Manish Goyal

    Member • Apr 17, 2014

    I don't think age has anything to do with start up, instead I believe there are number of other factors that contribute, whether an individual can go for start up or not i.e ability to take risk, daring, ability to cope with hard time
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  • Chirayu Samarth

    Member • Apr 17, 2014

    In my opinion, age can never be a factor to start anything new. In fact, it should just be the 'belief' that you can achieve your goal come what may. Difficulties and problems are part and parcel of life, they are bound to come your way. It is on you how you deal with them.
    Moreover, with age comes experience.
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  • Vikram S Bargah

    Member • Apr 17, 2014

    Well the image says it all.
    That's true nobody can be too old, to start a startup. you just need to be BOLD to turn your dreams into action. Once you made up your mind , nothing can stop you from achieving you goal.

    For the age concern : One of my friend's grandfather did his PhD. at the age of 75 yrs.

    P.S.: "Jahaan Chah Wahan Raah" ( My Dad use say..)
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  • ISHAN TOPRE

    Member • Apr 17, 2014

    Ending my answer for a start-up in 2 lines:
    1. Age is no barrier.
    2.Expand and create only as much as you can handle.
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  • lal

    Member • Apr 18, 2014

    I think it this way.

    Some people are made for it. Some people are not. For people in the first group, age is not a barrier but resources and will power are. The second group, they might not be able to ignite something like that no matter how old they are or how much resources they have.
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  • Ankita Katdare

    Administrator • Apr 18, 2014

    Thank you all, for your wonderful contribution of thoughts. I believe this discussion can serve as a great motivator for people now in their later 20s and thinking if they made a wrong decision hopping companies and doing a job they don't love.

    There's still hope. You can make it happen in any stage of your life if you just believe in yourself (and have a great family to support you ~optional).

    👍
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  • Rajni Jain

    Member • Apr 18, 2014

    Entrepreneurship - "entrepreneurship is the process of identifying and starting a business venture, sourcing and organizing the required resources and taking both the risks and rewards associated with the venture"

    This happens with a firm belief in self that one can achieve the goals.

    #-Link-Snipped-# had put a point that
    It has become a new cool to start your own small company very early in life
    The reason may be at that point of time one do not have much of the liabilities, so he or she can afford to take risk with own career. At elder age chance are less that one have that courage to play with herself and near and dear's life (career).

    Now the point is If it's not too late.. then what about the past stories...
    Ankita Katdare
    too-late-to-startup
    Jan Koum - X-Yahoo employee for 10 years before he started What's app; I am sure he must have earned good in yahoo for 10 years
    Michale Arrington - A guy with strong financial roots; always remained in million dollars
    Jimmy wales, Mark Pincus, Robert Noyce, Ray Kroc, Harland Sanders.. every one of them had a fairly good financial status and they could afford to take risk with their career.

    Per me, Entrepreneurship has nothing to do with age. This is the self belief and a calculated risk taking capacity that can happen at any point of time in your life.
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