Experienced vs Young Founders

There is a arguable topic: we often compare who are better between young founders and experienced founders.

Typically, experienced founders come from significant roles within large corporations, often holding managerial or director-level positions. They bring with them extensive networks and deep domain knowledge. Certainly, they have their own advantages.

However, this experience can be a double-edged sword. In traditional hiring, we look for candidates with proven success in their past roles, using resumes as a key indicator of future performance. But founding a startup is different. The qualities that make someone a good employee do not necessarily translate to entrepreneurial success.

When experienced people leave their jobs to start their own ventures,They often assume their former status and connections will stay the same. But once you resign, your previous identity and the power it held will be gone slowly yet quicker than we think. Investors and customers are more interested in your vision and what you’re building now than in your past titles.

It’s true that a strong background can attract initial attention from the market, media, and investors, making it easier to secure the first round of funding. However, this is only a small part of the journey. The ultimate goal of a startup is not just to raise funds but to create a sustainable business that generates revenue.

If you open a cafe, customers won’t visit because you once worked for a well-known company. They’ll come for the quality of your coffee. This underscores the importance of focusing on the product or service you offer rather than relying on your past achievements.

Whether a founder is young or experienced doesn’t really matter. A startup’s success depends on how well the founders develop and execute their ideas.

#startups #founders