Before I came to business school I had the perception that an entrepreneur meant a 22 year old kid in a garage who built a software/internet company, scaled rapidly, and made lots of money. Think of Facebook or Mint.com as the classic example. When I entered business school at age 27, part of me had the crazy idea that I was too old to be an entrepreneur. After all, Bill Gates started Microsoft at 19; Steve Jobs started Apple in his early 20s; the Google guys were in their mid 20s as well. On and on it goes.
So I can say it was a pleasant surprise to find out that most entrepreneurs are not, in fact, 22 year olds. Even in the tech field, which due to the ease of scaling and lack of upfront capital is perhaps the most accessible to young entrepreneurs–the average entrepreneur is in their mid to late 30s according to a recent report by the Kauffman foundation.
So why does this perception exist? (I don’t think I’m the only one.) In part it’s because of the media. It’s a much sexier story to talk about someone who creates a program in their college dorm room rather than an experienced, dedicated professional who after years of learning the ropes and making the right contacts decides to venture out on their own.
In part it’s because many rags-to-riches stories in the past 20 years involved tech companies: Apple, Microsoft, Dell, Google, Yahoo, etc.
And in part it’s because, as a young adult, you can’t really tell the difference between the 40 year old guy in a suit who owns a business and the 40 year old guy in a suit who works for a company. They’re basically interchangeable. But you DO remember the kid in jeans and a t-shirt who gets up in front of a room full of 40 year olds in suits and captures their attention.
Read the full article: Entrepreneurship at work