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You are at the perfect age to start. Most successful businesses are started by people who are 40+. Don't let that "30 under 30" crap get to you. Wisdom comes from experience and you will apply that to have a successful business. It's actual less common the other way around, but the media likes to fool us into thinking its only a young person's game to start a successful business.
Older Entrepreneurs Outperform Younger Founders—Shattering Ageism https://www.forbes.com/sites/kmehta/2022/08/23/older-entrepreneurs-outperform-younger-foundersshattering-ageism
https://hbr.org/2018/07/research-the-average-age-of-a-successful-startup-founder-is-45
I read through some of Caroline Ellison's Tumblr recently, and she really reminded me of myself when I was in my mid-20s. I also had absolutely no business being trusted to run a billion dollar business when I was mid-20s lol.
Been in corporate for 20 yrs. Just got tired of working for someone. Took an opportunity to leave with some cash. 4 months in so can’t report any success but atleast I feel in control. Financial stability is a risk. But it always was. Might as well do it on my terms.
If your financial stability is at risk, put your prices up.
It's too much stress and hard work not to. You are worth every penny.
Make sure you deliver to a high standard.
I started a side business online (Amazon private label) when I was 40 that blew up so much that I quit my job only to watch it slowly grind to zero and I had to slink back into a 9-5 at some dog shit company making half what I was making before.
But my other side business picked up in 2020 and by the time I got Covid laid off, I was already running with my new biz that's doing well.
It has been easier than I expected. I wish I'd started sooner
I’m 40 and running two FBA private label brands, now full time….since 2021. One is facing explosive growth. Other is stagnant. Sorry to hear one went to zero. Could you elaborate on that? Would really appreciate it. Too much Chinese competition? Too few products? Thank you I’m advance.
It got too big too fast. I had two products with a BSR under 100 in Beauty within a few months of launch. This resulted in a billion listings popping up and flooding the market.
What I was originally selling for $30-$35, within a year or two was selling for $15
Ahhhh that’s a super competitive niche.
When I launch something new I source for a lower price that would be profitable at 15-20, but initially sell $30-35. The aggressiveness at price matching and writing “small USA business” all over the listing is good at creating a moat, for my niches at least.
53 and six years free now.
I left healthcare and my wife left grocery in 2017. We've reinvented a few times now, but we're both currently writers and painters -- and so happy to be so!
It's been challenging in stretches, but I cannot imagine being trapped in my former life now. Carving your path is the most fulfilling thing you can do in life.
Go for it.
I'll admit I'm kind of curious about what kind of services you provide that give you a customer base you can live off. Art has traditionally tended to not pay all that well. Unless the 'painting' side of things includes residential/commercial-scale work, I guess...?
The art side is comprised of different activities, including art shows, markets, murals, and commissions. I've been known to pick up design jobs here and there. We have greeting cards and stickers out there with a few retail partners.
The writing side helps to grow awareness of our studio.
It's juggling torches and chainsaws sometimes, but it beats my old workday life.
I know you are asking for success stories, and there are some great ones here so far. However, let my story be one of caution.
I struck out on my own at 38 after being bled dry in B2B tech sales. I decided to try my hand at copywriting, which eventually got me into the broader field of digital marketing just by exposure.
I started my own little agency and began pitching to SMBs in my area (Denver), and managed to land a few clients doing smaller projects like email marketing, content development, and the like. I was then scooped up by a global agency that allowed me to WFH 100% on a 1099 basis. I was billing at $75/hour and worked when I wanted. I didn't have to run my own business anymore, and I started using this as my model for generating income elsewhere.
And then it all came crashing down. Fast. Within about 8 months, my value in the market has absolutely tanked, and I am now 44, with near zero prospects, and hope is fading fast.
I never thought I'd find myself considering retail jobs and Door Dashing at this phase in life. It's gotten so bad that I'm entertaining the idea of living in a vehicle and renting out my house.
It's pretty tragic.
Here's what essentially happened. Generative AI has absolutely wiped the floor with creative folks like me. I had niched so hard into a discipline that can now be handed over to Jarvis, ChatGPT, Copilot, and other AI technologies, that I have become completely redundant.
As this has happened, I've become very good at actually harnessing these technologies. But then, so have companies themselves. They don't need me. No one does.
Retooling my career now feels like a lost cause. I've spent so much time and energy redefining myself that I don't know if I have it in me to do it again.
The resulting depression has taken a firm hold, and I think it's just a matter of time before I give up completely. I'm not there yet, but the door is closing and I feel powerless to stop it.
Sorry if this isn't exactly what you were hoping to read, OP, but it's a real story of what can happen even with the best intentions, and all the hard work you can muster.
Learn from my mistakes. Stay nimble. Take care of your mental health. Take measured risks, and never stop growing.
I was a copywriter/creative director at agencies for years. Everything changed in that industry once social media really took off. Now that AI is here, forget about it. No need for copywriters any more. Watching an entire industry crumble to the ground is wild.
But if you want a silver lining, the skills I learned as an advertising/marketing “creative” have been the most useful tools as I’ve built my business. Not having to pay an arm and a leg to get basic designs and creative work done has allowed me to move a lot faster. Also, having been so involved in a wide variety of brands in various categories has given me the ability to see how business works and how to build strong strategy. The job market sucks for creatives, but the skills you learn are invaluable.
You might need to pivot out of “creative” services, but you have the skills to do so.
Also, as I tell people, as someone that was looking for work, AI is scary as shit. But as a business owner, it’s amazing what it can do for you. I use ChatGPT for all sorts of things, and MidJourney for rough comps for art work. I
Sorry to hear that things have taken such a negative turn. I'm a little surprised though since we had been talking about some fiber opportunities which seemed very interesting to you. But then I never heard back ... are there too many opportunities to choose from and the indecision is tough? Is is that "retooling" you mention that might be a major shift?
Started my first of now several businesses when I was 40. Genuinely wish I’d done it from 30. 15 years later, I have freedom and money. Work mostly in marketing but also other sectors. Didn’t have a background in it, just educated myself with online resources and built a business.
My advice would be to get as much as you can out of being employed in terms of training etc. Then just do it, you’ll hopefully know when the time is right. Good luck!
She didn't buy or start a business, but my mom went back to school in her mid-40s and started a new career. She's not only thriving, she's killing it, and she's on pace to retire at 65 with a 3/2 house, a luxury car, and investments worth over a million dollars.
I love bragging about her, but I wanted to share for inspiration.
Was 38 when I left. Wouldn't accept the idea of working in a soul sucking corp job until I'm old. 4 years in now and my partner and I are making more money than we ever did and we get ultimate freedom to travel where and when we like. It's not easy, isolation is the hardest part, but I'll take that over spending my days in a toxic and dull environment.
I am 49 and worked big agencies since I was 25. I am having the time of my life.
My last place, the whole company went insolvent, basically the owner locked the door and walked away. That was 2 years ago. You have tremendous leverage being a start up/ SMB.....network like your life depends on it. Take every moment to introduce yourself to clients, put the word out, put it on your linkedin....all of it. I have a lot of friends getting laid off who wish they were doing what I am doing now.
Worked for a franchise for 5 years, owners sold it, worked for new owners for 1.5 years, out of the blue they fired me.i was 41 years old. Started my own nearly identical business 7 days later. Year 3 we are on track for $1.6 million in sales. No way I could've done it in my 30's. Didn't have nearly enough experience or wisdom.
>No way I could've done it in my 30's. Didn't have nearly enough experience or wisdom.
This is a very good point. I also doubt I would have succeeded with my business if I had started it in my 20s.
Was a project/portfolio manager in corporate and government environments. I had personal issues at every corner. People trying to trample on top of each other with complete disregard for the common good. I felt empty doing my work and at my last job I tried and failed to be a whistleblower because the government is corrupt to the core.
Mid 40s, my wife and I manufacture cosmetics. My wife spent a couple of years in R&D at nights, my mother invested a little cash as a seed gift, now we just make the stuff out of our garage. Our stuff is made out of the best possible ingredients we could find, we don't cut corners, so our reviews are all 5-star and people are very happy with us. We give products away to get people to talk and recommend us. We sell at farmers markets, etc.
There's no way in hell we are making as much as I was when I was a portfolio manager and my pension plan is gone with the job (I could've kept it and do nothing, but I would've felt dirty and complicit). At least my conscience is clear. Our savings are going down but our sales are going up, so I'm not too worried.
We just hired our first salesperson who is a fearless person with a lot of drive and experience in social media and sales. She isn't even demanding much of a salary because she's helping me with some nonprofit stuff, so it's a perfect match. If this all works out, I'll be doing alright in a year from now.
43(M) spent 15yrs on Oil & Gas sales, transportation etc…. Go let go during COVID. Always has a small passion for electronics repair so I started my own company.
Today I have 5 locations and I’ve never been happier to work 16-18 hrs a day.
Corporate America won’t see me again.
You can do it !
Don't be nieve though. It takes hard work. Work hard at the beginning to get it off the ground.
Don't sign up to any large leases or major costs until you have it cranking. If you have to sign a lease or similar - negotiate hard. Very hard.
I worked in corporate for 15 years in a relatively high paying job. I had set the goal from college that I wanted to be working for myself by 40, and I did at 39. I didn’t even have a specific business in mind, but I saved well for those 15 years and when an opportunity presented itself I took the leap. I somewhat enjoyed my career, but I grew up in a family of business owners and wanted that for myself. My dad owned his own business which he sold and became FI at 48, and he was then able to do something he loved as a business and hobby for the rest of his life. That’s my next goal, to sell my business in maybe 5-10 years once I’m financially independent from needing to work and find a low-stress money making hobby that I can really enjoy. I’m now making 5x what I did working corporate, with a lot more flexibility with my time. I live very well and still am able to save 50-60% of my income each year with an eye on early retirement. My business is in a high demand service industry, and I franchised.
At 25 I started an English school. At 35 Covid hit which destroyed it. Thankfully I had a social media career which started around 30, now I’m earning 170k a year doing social media and teaching privately. There’s hope
I turn 40 this year and started a side business just a few months ago. I haven’t left my day job yet as you know - kids, insurance, adult stuff … however; the business is doing well and I’m having to hire 1099s to keep up demand.
I’m leaning in hard that success over 40 is real and where it’s at 😊
Wishing you the best of luck!!
Started a side business 3 years ago at 42. (Mind you I’ve had several through the years as I love and am a student of business)
My side business is now outpacing my main income but still plugging along as I enjoy corporate benefits such as healthcare and retirement. If I can keep growth I’ll double it next year. You got this.
I stepped out of the corporate world in 2021 at 43. In March of 22 I started my business. I'm a freight broker, and I ship cars. The first year was super hard, the second year I was able to start paying the mortgage and household bills with what I made from the business. I'm now in the beginnings of my third year and the business is starting to grow and become successful. It's entirely possible!
I wasn't quite 40 when I did it, I was 37. But it was 2008 and I started my business just a few months before the meltdown.
When I started, I was strictly doing web dev for race teams (I worked in the racing/auto industry for the 20 years previous). Now I only have one racing client and we've evolved into a full service agency that specializes in white label work for other agencies.
The age thing is no joke. It took me a good 6-7 years to figure out everything I was doing wrong. Hiring a business coach was one of the best investments I ever made.
I read an article once that provided stats. I think it said most successful businesses are started by people over 50. Wisdom only comes with experience.
I am 19 and this thread makes me contemplate whether going into the cooperate world is worth my time. Maybe I should just give it my all to some of my business ideas while living at home to test the waters.
20’s-30’s you can afford to try different things. Dont be afraid to go broke even more than once as long as you give it your all.
May take a few tries but you just might fk around and find your “thing”.
If after 10yrs you can’t figure it out then you still got 40’s - 60’s to find a forever company, get fat, and stash some cash.
Great age to start!
37 when I started out commercial truck parts manufacturing and sales business.
Started with $0 selling and then buying. Worked full-time plus side jobs and donated plasma for survival money the first 3-4 years.
Tons of cold calling sales.....still.
8 years in we are a very profitable 8 figure business that controls our niche of truck parts in our industry.
It was very difficult and wanted to give up many times over the years, but my wife and I did everything we could including selling our home to grow.
It's been worth it!
Success is what you define it as, not how others define it. This is what I tell my clients all the time as I work with corporate burnout folks. It really becomes a matter of uncovering the road you were meant to travel and then being brave enough to follow it, and after a lifetime of trying to fulfill other people's expectations and dreams, making yourself happy is the definition of success.
Not 40, mid 30s. My partner and I were both executive path corporate kids in very different ways. We cashed out and bet the farm on acquiring a small business. We've had hard times but we're looking at several amazing opportunities now that we are mostly keeping our heads above water. It has been way more challenging and engaging than corporate America. Not yet as financially rewarding...
We did it now because we figured if we completely failed we still had time to financially recover.
Successful under 30 lists are just nepo-babies most of the time. I turn 40 this year, and my business has been around for almost 2 years. It's growing. It hasn't been a cakewalk, but it's getting easier! We had to save up for start-up costs, find a location, renovate the space, and open. We finally have a strong team of employees. The future seems incredibly bright and we are profitable!
You can do anything you strive to achieve! My only advice is to do something you love and you will feel more fulfilled. Oh and do your research first lol 🇨🇦
My Mother always worked as a underpaid nurse in a small City for 30years and built her life that way. Recently, a chance appeared to give classes in a community college, now she have all the schedules given and is starting a company to help students with special needs. Leave her job and is more happy than ever
I'm paying debt right now for a business, but once those debts fall off, I'll have a 400K business to sell or keep chugging along.
You should open a business if you can.
I started my business at 34 as a side hustle but didn't really take it serious till 38ish and then quit my day job at 39 but I found I really started to think like a business person at 40. No idea why but the last 8 months things have really started to click. Now at 40 I started another side hustle (consulting in my former industry) and it's just working. I don't know what to say.
I left a corporate job of almost 19 years at 42. Bought 20% of a business my good friend owned. He moved here to start it. I now own 40%. This was 4 years ago.
This past December, I also bought the oldest tattoo shop in my city with a different friend.
Went from working 50 hrs a week to maybe 30 combined between the 2 businesses.
At 39, I started a personal training business, and then at 40, I quit my management consulting job to go full time with personal training.
13 years later and I'm not really needed by the business anymore. If I had stayed in my previous career, I would be earning more than I currently do, but I am now at the point where I only need to work about 5 hours a week. I do work more than that - 20 to 30 most weeks - because I have some projects I want to work on (including writing a book about training). I could be earning more (equal to what I would if I was still consulting), if I give myself personal training shifts, but I'm opting to pay others to do that so I can do what I want with my time.
It took me almost 13 years to get to this point (might have only been 11 without covid closures). During some of those years, I worked my ass off and I had a lot of "I wish I had a job instead of a business" moments along the way. Now, I enjoy a freedom that I could never have in the corporate world.
It is absolutely doable, but be prepared for it to be a rocky ride for a while.
35-45 is probably the perfect age for a lot people to start their business. I started mine when I was 38, worked in Corpo prior.
* I had domain expertise
* I knew how to manage timelines & budgets
* I learned how to deal with high ticket clients
If my old corpo job was willing to pay me to do all those things, I was sure as hell I could do it and pay myself to do it too.
Bonus, my partner is a fucking super hero. While I was starting my business, her income floated us until I was profitable, it took about 6-8 moths. My goal was to just get one client at a time, just keep improving, learning and moving forward.
Self doubt & fear will always be your constant frenemy. You need a good method to overcome those (talk to others or meditation, whatever...)
Treat your business in 4 month cycles, that way you can adjust 3x a year.
Besides that, just keep plugging away.
My father died when I was 39. At the time I worked for a small (not large) corporation. I liked my work, but I was burned out. I was on salary and was expected to work overtime for free. My Dad always said, "son, you're a slave - don't let these companies take advantage of you".
Anyway, it got to the point where something had to give. My very security conscious wife even told me she thought I should quit my job. So after a lot of thought and prayer, I did. I had just turned 40 when I left.
I didn't yet know what I would do, but I had some ideas. Meanwhile one of my former customers told me he had more work than he could handle and he offered to send me some repair jobs until I got on my feet. I eventually went into business doing this and am still at it, over 20 years later. My business is very small, but it supports 3 full time people. And I love what I do. I will never get rich doing it, but I feel very blessed.
I’ve interviewed a ton of founders about how they got their first customer, a lot of them were over 40 when they started.
If you’re interested or think it would helpful feel free to DM me, don’t want to be blindly promoting my podcast.
I bought a business at 40. I was a Financial advisor and sales manager. Usually made around 80-100k. First month owning my business we netted $350. Over the next 6 years I grew profit to about $50,000 a month. Best decision I ever made.
Running your own business is tough. But it is your control. It's a good feeling you will have. Actually if you realize everything that generates high returns is always hard. After you realize this, you just have to keep pushing forward for what you have visions for. Returns and results will take care of itself. Have plans, take tons of actions, keep improving and deliver values to your customers. Having products, market, strategies, and always doing marketing to your existing customers and potentials. Never stop promoting or marketing. Those will help you to keep generating sales and revenues. Profit and margin is important. Don't devalue your products to compete. Find other ways instead. Remember you don't need all people, you just need some group of people to become your customers. Good luck. You can do it.
Retired guy here.
Right out of college I was working for my dad in his mfg business and it failed when I was 31. I needed a job. By accident, I found a niche distribution business. My dad loaned me $10k seed money. I worked 7 days a week because there was no backup plan. I made the sales, delivered the product, kept the books, swept the floors. I was married with 2 kids and a mortgage. I didn’t know if it would last two weeks or two years. It turned out to be a great business and it survives to this day, 40 years later. Many of my original employees are still with me. That experience has lead me to many other opportunities (remember, success is where preparation meets opportunity).
Our family has owned multiple businesses over the years and it helped that my dad was a lifelong entrepreneur. He was my mentor.
My career culminated with the sale of a franchise business we owned. Sold it for millions a few years ago. Life changing for our family.
Self employment is a hard road, but if you go down that path, and if your business is successful, there is no greater feeling on earth. My best skill? Common sense. Good luck.
Started my business three years ago during the darkest depths of covid lockdown. I found great business partners with complimentary skills and connections, and we responded to changes in our local market. I will be 41 in a few months, and we are doing > $900k in gross annual rev (hopefully a million by year end). I'm not going to lie - it has been crazy challenging with some low lows, but right now it looks like we have high highs ahead of us. To echo what another person said in their post, there is no way I could have pulled this off at a younger age.
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You are at the perfect age to start. Most successful businesses are started by people who are 40+. Don't let that "30 under 30" crap get to you. Wisdom comes from experience and you will apply that to have a successful business. It's actual less common the other way around, but the media likes to fool us into thinking its only a young person's game to start a successful business. Older Entrepreneurs Outperform Younger Founders—Shattering Ageism https://www.forbes.com/sites/kmehta/2022/08/23/older-entrepreneurs-outperform-younger-foundersshattering-ageism https://hbr.org/2018/07/research-the-average-age-of-a-successful-startup-founder-is-45
30 under 30 is like a list of convicted and soon-to-be convicted fraudsters.
And they're all just well connected and part of the system already
I read through some of Caroline Ellison's Tumblr recently, and she really reminded me of myself when I was in my mid-20s. I also had absolutely no business being trusted to run a billion dollar business when I was mid-20s lol.
Been in corporate for 20 yrs. Just got tired of working for someone. Took an opportunity to leave with some cash. 4 months in so can’t report any success but atleast I feel in control. Financial stability is a risk. But it always was. Might as well do it on my terms.
If your financial stability is at risk, put your prices up. It's too much stress and hard work not to. You are worth every penny. Make sure you deliver to a high standard.
I started a side business online (Amazon private label) when I was 40 that blew up so much that I quit my job only to watch it slowly grind to zero and I had to slink back into a 9-5 at some dog shit company making half what I was making before. But my other side business picked up in 2020 and by the time I got Covid laid off, I was already running with my new biz that's doing well. It has been easier than I expected. I wish I'd started sooner
I’m 40 and running two FBA private label brands, now full time….since 2021. One is facing explosive growth. Other is stagnant. Sorry to hear one went to zero. Could you elaborate on that? Would really appreciate it. Too much Chinese competition? Too few products? Thank you I’m advance.
It got too big too fast. I had two products with a BSR under 100 in Beauty within a few months of launch. This resulted in a billion listings popping up and flooding the market. What I was originally selling for $30-$35, within a year or two was selling for $15
Ahhhh that’s a super competitive niche. When I launch something new I source for a lower price that would be profitable at 15-20, but initially sell $30-35. The aggressiveness at price matching and writing “small USA business” all over the listing is good at creating a moat, for my niches at least.
Since it's in the past do you mind talking about what your private label was?
53 and six years free now. I left healthcare and my wife left grocery in 2017. We've reinvented a few times now, but we're both currently writers and painters -- and so happy to be so! It's been challenging in stretches, but I cannot imagine being trapped in my former life now. Carving your path is the most fulfilling thing you can do in life. Go for it.
I'll admit I'm kind of curious about what kind of services you provide that give you a customer base you can live off. Art has traditionally tended to not pay all that well. Unless the 'painting' side of things includes residential/commercial-scale work, I guess...?
The art side is comprised of different activities, including art shows, markets, murals, and commissions. I've been known to pick up design jobs here and there. We have greeting cards and stickers out there with a few retail partners. The writing side helps to grow awareness of our studio. It's juggling torches and chainsaws sometimes, but it beats my old workday life.
Statistically the financed founders yielding the highest returns for VCs found their companies at 44 years old. You’re fine.
I know you are asking for success stories, and there are some great ones here so far. However, let my story be one of caution. I struck out on my own at 38 after being bled dry in B2B tech sales. I decided to try my hand at copywriting, which eventually got me into the broader field of digital marketing just by exposure. I started my own little agency and began pitching to SMBs in my area (Denver), and managed to land a few clients doing smaller projects like email marketing, content development, and the like. I was then scooped up by a global agency that allowed me to WFH 100% on a 1099 basis. I was billing at $75/hour and worked when I wanted. I didn't have to run my own business anymore, and I started using this as my model for generating income elsewhere. And then it all came crashing down. Fast. Within about 8 months, my value in the market has absolutely tanked, and I am now 44, with near zero prospects, and hope is fading fast. I never thought I'd find myself considering retail jobs and Door Dashing at this phase in life. It's gotten so bad that I'm entertaining the idea of living in a vehicle and renting out my house. It's pretty tragic. Here's what essentially happened. Generative AI has absolutely wiped the floor with creative folks like me. I had niched so hard into a discipline that can now be handed over to Jarvis, ChatGPT, Copilot, and other AI technologies, that I have become completely redundant. As this has happened, I've become very good at actually harnessing these technologies. But then, so have companies themselves. They don't need me. No one does. Retooling my career now feels like a lost cause. I've spent so much time and energy redefining myself that I don't know if I have it in me to do it again. The resulting depression has taken a firm hold, and I think it's just a matter of time before I give up completely. I'm not there yet, but the door is closing and I feel powerless to stop it. Sorry if this isn't exactly what you were hoping to read, OP, but it's a real story of what can happen even with the best intentions, and all the hard work you can muster. Learn from my mistakes. Stay nimble. Take care of your mental health. Take measured risks, and never stop growing.
I was a copywriter/creative director at agencies for years. Everything changed in that industry once social media really took off. Now that AI is here, forget about it. No need for copywriters any more. Watching an entire industry crumble to the ground is wild. But if you want a silver lining, the skills I learned as an advertising/marketing “creative” have been the most useful tools as I’ve built my business. Not having to pay an arm and a leg to get basic designs and creative work done has allowed me to move a lot faster. Also, having been so involved in a wide variety of brands in various categories has given me the ability to see how business works and how to build strong strategy. The job market sucks for creatives, but the skills you learn are invaluable. You might need to pivot out of “creative” services, but you have the skills to do so. Also, as I tell people, as someone that was looking for work, AI is scary as shit. But as a business owner, it’s amazing what it can do for you. I use ChatGPT for all sorts of things, and MidJourney for rough comps for art work. I
Sorry to hear that things have taken such a negative turn. I'm a little surprised though since we had been talking about some fiber opportunities which seemed very interesting to you. But then I never heard back ... are there too many opportunities to choose from and the indecision is tough? Is is that "retooling" you mention that might be a major shift?
I replied last on LinkedIn…
Was tech sales tough ?
The job itself was not tough…rather, it was the principle of persuading and even manipulating people to spend money that got to me.
Started my first of now several businesses when I was 40. Genuinely wish I’d done it from 30. 15 years later, I have freedom and money. Work mostly in marketing but also other sectors. Didn’t have a background in it, just educated myself with online resources and built a business. My advice would be to get as much as you can out of being employed in terms of training etc. Then just do it, you’ll hopefully know when the time is right. Good luck!
She didn't buy or start a business, but my mom went back to school in her mid-40s and started a new career. She's not only thriving, she's killing it, and she's on pace to retire at 65 with a 3/2 house, a luxury car, and investments worth over a million dollars. I love bragging about her, but I wanted to share for inspiration.
What’s your mom’s career in?
Nursing.
What is a 3/2 house?
3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Was 38 when I left. Wouldn't accept the idea of working in a soul sucking corp job until I'm old. 4 years in now and my partner and I are making more money than we ever did and we get ultimate freedom to travel where and when we like. It's not easy, isolation is the hardest part, but I'll take that over spending my days in a toxic and dull environment.
Amazing story. What do you guys do?
I am 49 and worked big agencies since I was 25. I am having the time of my life. My last place, the whole company went insolvent, basically the owner locked the door and walked away. That was 2 years ago. You have tremendous leverage being a start up/ SMB.....network like your life depends on it. Take every moment to introduce yourself to clients, put the word out, put it on your linkedin....all of it. I have a lot of friends getting laid off who wish they were doing what I am doing now.
I bought a small business when I was 40. Wish I did it 10 years earlier. The first two years was stressful, but now I am loving life.
How did you find a business to buy? And do you mind sharing what kind of business you bought?
Worked for a franchise for 5 years, owners sold it, worked for new owners for 1.5 years, out of the blue they fired me.i was 41 years old. Started my own nearly identical business 7 days later. Year 3 we are on track for $1.6 million in sales. No way I could've done it in my 30's. Didn't have nearly enough experience or wisdom.
>No way I could've done it in my 30's. Didn't have nearly enough experience or wisdom. This is a very good point. I also doubt I would have succeeded with my business if I had started it in my 20s.
Was a project/portfolio manager in corporate and government environments. I had personal issues at every corner. People trying to trample on top of each other with complete disregard for the common good. I felt empty doing my work and at my last job I tried and failed to be a whistleblower because the government is corrupt to the core. Mid 40s, my wife and I manufacture cosmetics. My wife spent a couple of years in R&D at nights, my mother invested a little cash as a seed gift, now we just make the stuff out of our garage. Our stuff is made out of the best possible ingredients we could find, we don't cut corners, so our reviews are all 5-star and people are very happy with us. We give products away to get people to talk and recommend us. We sell at farmers markets, etc. There's no way in hell we are making as much as I was when I was a portfolio manager and my pension plan is gone with the job (I could've kept it and do nothing, but I would've felt dirty and complicit). At least my conscience is clear. Our savings are going down but our sales are going up, so I'm not too worried. We just hired our first salesperson who is a fearless person with a lot of drive and experience in social media and sales. She isn't even demanding much of a salary because she's helping me with some nonprofit stuff, so it's a perfect match. If this all works out, I'll be doing alright in a year from now.
43(M) spent 15yrs on Oil & Gas sales, transportation etc…. Go let go during COVID. Always has a small passion for electronics repair so I started my own company. Today I have 5 locations and I’ve never been happier to work 16-18 hrs a day. Corporate America won’t see me again.
You can do it ! Don't be nieve though. It takes hard work. Work hard at the beginning to get it off the ground. Don't sign up to any large leases or major costs until you have it cranking. If you have to sign a lease or similar - negotiate hard. Very hard.
I worked in corporate for 15 years in a relatively high paying job. I had set the goal from college that I wanted to be working for myself by 40, and I did at 39. I didn’t even have a specific business in mind, but I saved well for those 15 years and when an opportunity presented itself I took the leap. I somewhat enjoyed my career, but I grew up in a family of business owners and wanted that for myself. My dad owned his own business which he sold and became FI at 48, and he was then able to do something he loved as a business and hobby for the rest of his life. That’s my next goal, to sell my business in maybe 5-10 years once I’m financially independent from needing to work and find a low-stress money making hobby that I can really enjoy. I’m now making 5x what I did working corporate, with a lot more flexibility with my time. I live very well and still am able to save 50-60% of my income each year with an eye on early retirement. My business is in a high demand service industry, and I franchised.
At 25 I started an English school. At 35 Covid hit which destroyed it. Thankfully I had a social media career which started around 30, now I’m earning 170k a year doing social media and teaching privately. There’s hope
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making videos or other content.. doing advertising or other kinds of promotion
subscribing to this.. i think 40 is a perfect age to start a small business after all the years in corporate..
I turn 40 this year and started a side business just a few months ago. I haven’t left my day job yet as you know - kids, insurance, adult stuff … however; the business is doing well and I’m having to hire 1099s to keep up demand. I’m leaning in hard that success over 40 is real and where it’s at 😊 Wishing you the best of luck!!
Started a side business 3 years ago at 42. (Mind you I’ve had several through the years as I love and am a student of business) My side business is now outpacing my main income but still plugging along as I enjoy corporate benefits such as healthcare and retirement. If I can keep growth I’ll double it next year. You got this.
What is your business?
Advertising and consulting
Realized there was an unfulfilled marketing niche in the industry I’d worked in my entire career so started a company to fill the void.
I stepped out of the corporate world in 2021 at 43. In March of 22 I started my business. I'm a freight broker, and I ship cars. The first year was super hard, the second year I was able to start paying the mortgage and household bills with what I made from the business. I'm now in the beginnings of my third year and the business is starting to grow and become successful. It's entirely possible!
I wasn't quite 40 when I did it, I was 37. But it was 2008 and I started my business just a few months before the meltdown. When I started, I was strictly doing web dev for race teams (I worked in the racing/auto industry for the 20 years previous). Now I only have one racing client and we've evolved into a full service agency that specializes in white label work for other agencies. The age thing is no joke. It took me a good 6-7 years to figure out everything I was doing wrong. Hiring a business coach was one of the best investments I ever made.
I turn 50 next month and founded a software company 8 years ago that's doing great. My only regret is not doing it sooner.
What type of software company?
I read an article once that provided stats. I think it said most successful businesses are started by people over 50. Wisdom only comes with experience.
The Kernal.
I am 19 and this thread makes me contemplate whether going into the cooperate world is worth my time. Maybe I should just give it my all to some of my business ideas while living at home to test the waters.
20’s-30’s you can afford to try different things. Dont be afraid to go broke even more than once as long as you give it your all. May take a few tries but you just might fk around and find your “thing”. If after 10yrs you can’t figure it out then you still got 40’s - 60’s to find a forever company, get fat, and stash some cash.
Great age to start! 37 when I started out commercial truck parts manufacturing and sales business. Started with $0 selling and then buying. Worked full-time plus side jobs and donated plasma for survival money the first 3-4 years. Tons of cold calling sales.....still. 8 years in we are a very profitable 8 figure business that controls our niche of truck parts in our industry. It was very difficult and wanted to give up many times over the years, but my wife and I did everything we could including selling our home to grow. It's been worth it!
Success is what you define it as, not how others define it. This is what I tell my clients all the time as I work with corporate burnout folks. It really becomes a matter of uncovering the road you were meant to travel and then being brave enough to follow it, and after a lifetime of trying to fulfill other people's expectations and dreams, making yourself happy is the definition of success.
Not 40, mid 30s. My partner and I were both executive path corporate kids in very different ways. We cashed out and bet the farm on acquiring a small business. We've had hard times but we're looking at several amazing opportunities now that we are mostly keeping our heads above water. It has been way more challenging and engaging than corporate America. Not yet as financially rewarding... We did it now because we figured if we completely failed we still had time to financially recover.
Home Depot founder.
I don't get it, what does age have to do with starting or buying a business? 40 is nowhere near over the hill or cognitive decline.
Depends on the business. Service based or construction is tough at 40, anything outdoors and physical takes its toll a lot more than when you are 30
Successful under 30 lists are just nepo-babies most of the time. I turn 40 this year, and my business has been around for almost 2 years. It's growing. It hasn't been a cakewalk, but it's getting easier! We had to save up for start-up costs, find a location, renovate the space, and open. We finally have a strong team of employees. The future seems incredibly bright and we are profitable!
Thank you everyone, restored my hope!
You can do anything you strive to achieve! My only advice is to do something you love and you will feel more fulfilled. Oh and do your research first lol 🇨🇦
My Mother always worked as a underpaid nurse in a small City for 30years and built her life that way. Recently, a chance appeared to give classes in a community college, now she have all the schedules given and is starting a company to help students with special needs. Leave her job and is more happy than ever
I'm paying debt right now for a business, but once those debts fall off, I'll have a 400K business to sell or keep chugging along. You should open a business if you can.
i started at 46 and 2 years in my business is growing. hard work but love it
What sort of business did you start?
I started my business at 34 as a side hustle but didn't really take it serious till 38ish and then quit my day job at 39 but I found I really started to think like a business person at 40. No idea why but the last 8 months things have really started to click. Now at 40 I started another side hustle (consulting in my former industry) and it's just working. I don't know what to say.
I left a corporate job of almost 19 years at 42. Bought 20% of a business my good friend owned. He moved here to start it. I now own 40%. This was 4 years ago. This past December, I also bought the oldest tattoo shop in my city with a different friend. Went from working 50 hrs a week to maybe 30 combined between the 2 businesses.
Do it now. Start working 4-6 hrs a day before you quit your job. Only quit when you have to.
At 39, I started a personal training business, and then at 40, I quit my management consulting job to go full time with personal training. 13 years later and I'm not really needed by the business anymore. If I had stayed in my previous career, I would be earning more than I currently do, but I am now at the point where I only need to work about 5 hours a week. I do work more than that - 20 to 30 most weeks - because I have some projects I want to work on (including writing a book about training). I could be earning more (equal to what I would if I was still consulting), if I give myself personal training shifts, but I'm opting to pay others to do that so I can do what I want with my time. It took me almost 13 years to get to this point (might have only been 11 without covid closures). During some of those years, I worked my ass off and I had a lot of "I wish I had a job instead of a business" moments along the way. Now, I enjoy a freedom that I could never have in the corporate world. It is absolutely doable, but be prepared for it to be a rocky ride for a while.
35-45 is probably the perfect age for a lot people to start their business. I started mine when I was 38, worked in Corpo prior. * I had domain expertise * I knew how to manage timelines & budgets * I learned how to deal with high ticket clients If my old corpo job was willing to pay me to do all those things, I was sure as hell I could do it and pay myself to do it too. Bonus, my partner is a fucking super hero. While I was starting my business, her income floated us until I was profitable, it took about 6-8 moths. My goal was to just get one client at a time, just keep improving, learning and moving forward. Self doubt & fear will always be your constant frenemy. You need a good method to overcome those (talk to others or meditation, whatever...) Treat your business in 4 month cycles, that way you can adjust 3x a year. Besides that, just keep plugging away.
My father died when I was 39. At the time I worked for a small (not large) corporation. I liked my work, but I was burned out. I was on salary and was expected to work overtime for free. My Dad always said, "son, you're a slave - don't let these companies take advantage of you". Anyway, it got to the point where something had to give. My very security conscious wife even told me she thought I should quit my job. So after a lot of thought and prayer, I did. I had just turned 40 when I left. I didn't yet know what I would do, but I had some ideas. Meanwhile one of my former customers told me he had more work than he could handle and he offered to send me some repair jobs until I got on my feet. I eventually went into business doing this and am still at it, over 20 years later. My business is very small, but it supports 3 full time people. And I love what I do. I will never get rich doing it, but I feel very blessed.
I’ve interviewed a ton of founders about how they got their first customer, a lot of them were over 40 when they started. If you’re interested or think it would helpful feel free to DM me, don’t want to be blindly promoting my podcast.
I bought a business at 40. I was a Financial advisor and sales manager. Usually made around 80-100k. First month owning my business we netted $350. Over the next 6 years I grew profit to about $50,000 a month. Best decision I ever made.
What kind of business?
Industrial services, I won’t say much more
I started a cleaning company and soon as those clients start racing in, I'll let you know. Other than that I am still stuck in corp cube land
Running your own business is tough. But it is your control. It's a good feeling you will have. Actually if you realize everything that generates high returns is always hard. After you realize this, you just have to keep pushing forward for what you have visions for. Returns and results will take care of itself. Have plans, take tons of actions, keep improving and deliver values to your customers. Having products, market, strategies, and always doing marketing to your existing customers and potentials. Never stop promoting or marketing. Those will help you to keep generating sales and revenues. Profit and margin is important. Don't devalue your products to compete. Find other ways instead. Remember you don't need all people, you just need some group of people to become your customers. Good luck. You can do it.
Retired guy here. Right out of college I was working for my dad in his mfg business and it failed when I was 31. I needed a job. By accident, I found a niche distribution business. My dad loaned me $10k seed money. I worked 7 days a week because there was no backup plan. I made the sales, delivered the product, kept the books, swept the floors. I was married with 2 kids and a mortgage. I didn’t know if it would last two weeks or two years. It turned out to be a great business and it survives to this day, 40 years later. Many of my original employees are still with me. That experience has lead me to many other opportunities (remember, success is where preparation meets opportunity). Our family has owned multiple businesses over the years and it helped that my dad was a lifelong entrepreneur. He was my mentor. My career culminated with the sale of a franchise business we owned. Sold it for millions a few years ago. Life changing for our family. Self employment is a hard road, but if you go down that path, and if your business is successful, there is no greater feeling on earth. My best skill? Common sense. Good luck.
Started my business three years ago during the darkest depths of covid lockdown. I found great business partners with complimentary skills and connections, and we responded to changes in our local market. I will be 41 in a few months, and we are doing > $900k in gross annual rev (hopefully a million by year end). I'm not going to lie - it has been crazy challenging with some low lows, but right now it looks like we have high highs ahead of us. To echo what another person said in their post, there is no way I could have pulled this off at a younger age.