DAY 13 - Sarah Haselkorn
How To Be a Young Entrepreneur
When you’re young and ambitious, most
people around you will try to convince you
that you’re too inexperienced to run your own
company or to manage other people. It’s easy
to believe them because they’re right about the
first part: you are young. However, in today’s
world, age is just a number. It takes all types of
leaders to make the business world go ’round,
and your fresh perspective has every chance at
they certainly take more effort to maintain
success as a more seasoned businessperson.
over time. If being an entrepreneur is your
Youth may be more susceptible to other
dream, do it, and do it now. You only live once
disadvantages – lack of access to capital, weak
(#YOLO!).
credit history, lack of credibility – but despite
these, young entrepreneurs should persevere
When you become a young entrepreneur, be
and take risks at this unique time in their lives.
proud, not embarrassed, of your age.
Starting a business is never easy, no matter
For every negative onlooker who doesn’t
how much experience you have or how old you
believe a 19-year-old could possibly be the
are. Despite being young, entrepreneurs should
founder or owner of a company, there are a
seize the opportunity to start a business.
dozen others who are impressed by what
you have been able to accomplish at such
Ask yourself this: would you rather be pulling
a young age. Be proud of yourself for what
all-nighters working on your startup when
you have accomplished. Recognize that you
you have a newborn baby or when you’re free
have created an opportunity for yourself – an
of major responsibilities? Would you rather
experience in which you can learn firsthand
take a financial risk when the only mouth to
how to succeed in business. Write down your
feed is your own or when you have a family
experiences, network with friends of all ages,
to support? Right now you’re energetic,
and enjoy every minute of being a young
enthusiastic, passionate, and lively. I’m not
entrepreneur.
saying these qualities disappear with age, but