Is it too late to become an entrepreneur?
The fresh-faced entrepreneur, straight out of school and already running their own business, is an iconic figure in pop culture. If you’re edging closer to 25, you might be thinking that you’ve left it too late. Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s never too late to start your own business, and the internet has made it easier than ever and accessible to all.
Rather than being a hindrance, your years outside of education may actually be an advantage for the budding entrepreneur. If you’ve been thinking about a brand new business idea, but you’re worried about lacking education and experience, then here are the advantages that your age actually gives you.
Experiences Matter
Your advanced years give you an edge. Experience matters, and if you’ve spent a gap year traveling, ‘enjoyed’ some time working 9-5, or simply used your time since school to continue your education, the experiences that you’ve had will be of benefit.
Coming straight out of school and launching a business is, of course, highly impressive. However, those fresh-faced entrepreneurs will have experienced very little outside of the classroom, and they bring that lack of experience with them like baggage. Every hour you’ve spent working with the public, learning about your interests, or traveling the world, will all provide you with valuable skills that will help when it comes to running your first company, no matter how beyond 25 you may be.
Money Sense
If you stepped straight from the classroom and into the working world, then you’re already more financially prepared than someone straight out of school. No matter how many hours you worked a week, you have proven that you can a) commit to the timekeeping of the 9-5, and b) that you can manage your money. If you have little in the way of debt, that extra experience of how the real world works will pay off when it comes to sourcing some money for your business idea.
As well as the wisdom of your years, there’s also the fact that you will be eligible for a wide variety of loans from a huge number of sources. Look for the best personal loans on Crediful.com and consider how much more you could do for your new business idea with a cash boost. Before you do that, consider whether your entrepreneurial venture is going to need a massive influx of cash. Not every business does, and there are alternative ways of raising seed money.
The people you know
The thing about those younger entrepreneurs is that they only tend to know the people in their classes. Every year, you meet hundreds of people, and every single person you meet is a potential friend or business collaborator. Networking has always been an essential business skill, and that’s never been truer.
The entrepreneur straight out of school may be blessed with the energy of youth, but even your weary 25-year-old bones are going to be one step ahead already, simply by knowing people.
Whether your business idea is something that you have been mulling over for a while, or it’s sprung up from one of those lightbulb-moments, knowing other people that you can get help from will be enormously beneficial. If you have a friend who’s great at art, see if they’ll sort out a logo for you. You know someone who was always good in English class? Great, get them to have a look at your business plan before you start trying to find funding. Your biggest networking awareness should be focused on doing the following:
1: Always offer your advice to anyone who needs it.
2: Build relationships and friendships, not just a growing list of anonymous names.
3: Keep in contact with the people you meet. The occasional email highlighting a relevant news article is always a good way to stay in contact.
4: Go to different places. The more diverse your life, the more diverse the people you’ll meet will be. Having as wide a range of contacts in your address is going to be very useful for the future.
Know the people around you, and offer your skills as well. Networking is all about give and take, and your business will be stronger if you focus on having strong elements at every level.
If you have a business idea that you think will change the world, or you’ve spotted a gap in the local industry, then it might be time to start investing in your advanced age. Being over 25 gives you a number of advantages, and you can use your experiences and wisdom to help you drive your business idea into the future.