Ask YC: "Can a 40 year old, married with 3 children, start a start-up?"

Probably. Don't know your situation, and I'm not 40 anyway, so take everything I say with a grain of salt.<p>One thing I've noticed, having worked for startups with older founders: when you're over 35, it's to your advantage to start a different kind of company. When you're in your early 20s, it makes sense to swing for the fences with a new consumer idea that's wildly innovative and nobody really understands. That way, your lack of experience isn't really a drawback (<i>nobody</i> knows what they're doing, so the fact that you don't know either isn't a significant problem) and your youthful energy lets you discover and explore the market faster than all your older competitors. Plus, much of your peer group consists of people who are open to new ideas and will be "growing into" your market. You can understand them better than older folks. And you can live on less money, which is important, because new markets usually don't involve much cash.<p>When you're over 35, it makes more sense to leverage your existing experience and network and go into a field close to your existing job - often, your first customer will be your last employer. Start small with something you can sell for cash, quickly, and then leverage your network to expand to other customers. You're protected from all the young tykes because you know the market and technology better than they do, and you fend off the big companies by concentrating on a niche that's unprofitable for them to devote much attention to.<p>This, of course, depends upon having experience and contacts to leverage. If you spent your whole career working as a janitor, it may be pretty difficult to start a company, unless you've discovered a new more efficient way to mop floors. But if you've spent your whole career as a sysadmin, it makes a lot of sense to build server administration software that does your job, only better.

Whiten,<p>You can definitely do it. My story might help encourage you a bit.<p>Being a bit older when you start your business <i>can</i> work to your advantage. The reason? You've probably had time to work in another field and see real-world needs in some particular niche. These would be unmet needs that recent graduates <i>might</i> not be able to see. The younger guys do amazing things that blow my mind, but there are tons of opportunities that are overlooked because they are smaller (but still HIGHLY profitable) demographics that don't entice those who want to "change the world."<p>(I started writing this and then notice that nostrademons made virtually the same point, so I just want to "second" what nostrademons said.)<p>In my particular case, I worked at an art gallery and over the course of a decade learned the art business inside and out. I now have connections throughout the art industry. About seven years ago, I got the idea to build a little web application helps painters build websites and market their artwork online.<p>(BTW - I have been astounded at the similarities I, as an aspiring hacker, have with my painter customers, and just within the past few months I've learned of PG's book "Hackers and Painters.")<p>At first, I only had 5-6 hours ONE DAY A WEEK to devote to developing the application. I had to learn everything. I hadn't programmed seriously in over a decade, so progress was very slow at first. Still, within two months I had my first customer.<p>I continued to build the application following my one-day-a-week schedule for years. I wasn't willing to give up my job income, so I just kept my little web application going on the side and spent roughly 5 hours a week improving it on my days off.<p>At the end of year one I had 30 customers. At the end of year 2 I had 60. Year 3? 120 customers (see a pattern?). At the end of year 4 I had 240 customers and finally had the courage to go full-time.<p>That was three years ago and today I have 2,000 customers - enough to provide a good income for me and my employees . . . and still growing. And I finally get do do what all hackers want to do...code! I now code at least five hours a day (although when my wife is out of town, that number balloons to 36 hour marathons, BTW - thank God you have a wife.....it forces you to have a life too).<p>I highly respect the 37 Signals crew and I agree with them: Don't focus on building a STARTUP, focus on building a BUSINESS.<p>If there is a niche or industry that you have deep knowledge of....that will help you as nostrademons said above. You will have knowledge and hopefully, connections. It generally puts you in a situation where you have much less competition. And even the competition you do have isn't likely to be as knowledgeable about your customers' needs as you are. In my situation, I generally know how artists need to market their artwork better than they do (and providing that help to them is part of our service).<p>Is this route slower? Yes. Is it safer? Of course. But, it my case, I couldn't afford to simply quit my job, so it was the only route possible.<p>When I started I wasn't really even planning on it to become a full time venture, so chances are, you could start on the side and get profitable in a fraction of the time it took me. I knew nothing about building an online company. The fact that you are following and posting on "Hacker News" shows that you light-years ahead of where I was when I started out.

Yes, of course you can.<p>Sure, being younger allows for more time, but I'd imagine being that age has given you some maturity in handling finances, emotions, etc. I'm sure you'll have to make some sacrifices seeing that you have many commitments and responsibilities, but if it's something you truly want to do, go for it.<p>At the very least, you'll enjoy the ride, and when things get tough, you'll have your wife and children to find happiness in. And if you're successful, great. Either way, it'll be a journey that I'm sure you wouldn't want to regret never taking down the line.

My dad did. I was the third of three and one year old when my dad started a business to manufacture a high-quality version of a (then) novel electric motor which he designed and patented. He and his partner built the company to about 50 employees and then sold the business to a large industrial conglomerate a few years later.<p>I'm now 36, happily married with three kids of my own. I'm bgeinning something along the 37 Signals route - 10 hours a week until I have critical mass.<p>Overall, I must grudgingly admit that youth has the advantage, so I think us oldsters have to leverage the advantages we <i>do</i> have - experience, money and connections.

Would highly recommend you read Barry Moltz's: "You Need to be a Little Crazy":<p><a href="http://www.amazon.com/You-Need-Be-Little-Crazy/dp/079318018X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&#38;s=books&#38;qid=1210888013&#38;sr=8-1" rel="nofollow">http://www.amazon.com/You-Need-Be-Little-Crazy/dp/079318018X...</a><p>I'm 39.5 with 3 kids and working at my 3rd startup. You make sacrifices and I'd be lying if I said my marriage hasn't been strained at times mostly due to financial worries.<p>It really comes down to this:<p>“If you bring forth what is within you, what is within you will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what is within you will destroy you.”<p>You have to bring it forth!<p>Cheers

As a start-upper with wife and kids I have some perspective to add. Our startup essentially began on the day my first child was born. I was running back and forth between the hospital and a pair of sales offices arranging a demo for our first large corporate client. We did land the contract, I was there for the birth of my son. It was the most stressful day I've ever had.<p>Here's the advice: <i>Its not just you starting the startup.</i><p>If I had a different kind of wife, someone timid, fearful or unwilling to adjust from a standard of living to which she had become accustomed, my startup would have been impossible.<p>Your wife has to have the bug as well even if shes not directly involved. If instead you get a "whatever you want dear as long as we still have enough money for X (soccer, preschool, shoe-shopping, cabletv... whatever), <i>you are already done.</i><p>The two of you can do it together. You can't do it alone. The bright side? You've already got your co-founder. That might also be the downside.

You can ask yourself this, "Do you regret more the things you have wanted to do and have not done or regret more the things you have done and wished you didn't?"<p>If you want more motivation, look on the web for older people who started businesses.

I hope so. I'm in the same boat (plus a couple years) and have my sights set on doing a startup as well.<p>That said, I wish I had pursued this 20 years ago when I had more time, energy, and freedom -- but I guess I wasn't ready then.

A good friend of mine did a successful startup (acquired by AOL for about $50MM a couple of years back) when he was 40, with a wife and two kids. Go for it.<p>Here's a video of him giving us some startup advice at justin.tv: <a href="http://www.justin.tv/hackertv/58652/Tech_Talk__3_Adam_Beguelin_Truveocom" rel="nofollow">http://www.justin.tv/hackertv/58652/Tech_Talk__3_Adam_Beguel...</a>

Sure you can. Here is a write up that shows that most of the startups are done by older educated people.<p><a href="http://randomthougts101.blogspot.com/2008/05/education-and-tech-entreprenuer.html" rel="nofollow">http://randomthougts101.blogspot.com/2008/05/education-and-t...</a><p>The young college drop outs starting extremely successful companies is an exception not a rule.

Go for it!!! Don't let anyone tell you that you are too old to do it.<p>I'm 36 - over-the-hill by startup standards ;-) - am married and have 2 kids.<p>The biggest issue to overcome is fear and losing the corporate financial/benefits lifeline (significant obstacles when you have kids).<p>But honestly, if you can handle kids you can handle a startup. I work all day while my kids are in school and then after they're asleep, I work more. The startup is kinda like another kid. It ain't easy and I won't deny the younger startup founder will have more energy and time. But don't forget that quality of time is a big, big factor! And if you LOVE what you're doing, tinkering on your product/business/whatever won't feel like work (even when it's consuming every waking hour that you're not dealing with the spouse or with the kids).<p>Feel free to ping me if you ever want to chat about it!

I'm 42 with a 4 year old daughter and doing it. It was very painful until we got our app functional as using the app itself helped me get a lot more done in less time. The most important thing is to have sufficient money to take the plunge - I ended up selling all my art and my yacht to keep going through the hard period.

Can your kids hack?

I think age really is an important factor in starting business and it works to ones advantage depending on the kind of business as well. For starters, I don't think there is any substitute for experience and like kyro said, it also gives one a certain level of maturity in dealing with issues like finances and emotions. Especially family, which tends to get ignored (to say the least) if you are a twenty something hacker working 28X6 in your mum's garage.<p>I have personally felt a little off balance seeing people lose color when they see me in person. Since my business requires a lot of off line interaction with people, they generally become a little wary on seeing someone in tees and jeans. If you are going for such a business, your age, and more importantly your maturity will be your biggest asset.

er.. I am 47 with three little ones and started a new business last year. It has started fantastically, and there is no way it will fall over, recession or no recession, with all the general business experience I have picked up over the years. Not to mention confidence. Have some of mine.

Money and time are huge things here that we have no data on. 1) Do you have enough money saved up to support your family for two years <i>and</i> to support the launch + operation of your idea? If not, then no problem - just do it part-time for 2-3 years until you can go full-time.<p>2) Are you willing to commit 20 hours a week part-time or 60 hours a week full time? If "No" to whichever is appropriate then I'd say that you would find it difficult to succeed regardless of other circumstances.<p>Best of luck to you!

Sure - this guy did: <a href="http://www.stevenberlinjohnson.com/2006/10/introducing_out.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.stevenberlinjohnson.com/2006/10/introducing_out.h...</a>

The average age for a company founder in the United States is ... 39. That means there are plenty both above and below that age.

Does your wife work? If yes, may be. If no, forget it.<p>I am 52 with two kids and I have been doing startups for the last 15 years. You need support from your family and you need good health. It is hard for the family to support you emotionally unless they are financially secured.

I respond with a simple question: Are you alive?<p>I am not trying to be rude, overly simple, or anything else that may be viewed as a negative response. I am simply trying to clear away all of the clutter.

Age, marital status, and personal situation have much less to do with it than you may think.<p>Removing the word "fail" from you vocabulary have much <i>more</i> to do with it than you think.<p>Go for it!

You're married with 3 children? Is that LEGAL?<p>Sorry, I couldn't resist.<p>People start up businesses at all ages in other sectors, I don't see why one couldn't for our tech industry.

Be sure your wife is on board all the way. Starting a startup is more difficult than you think and will take longer than you expect. It will be her journey as well.

Yes, if you want to spend no time on the wife the the three children.<p>It's never too late, but you need to lift anchor and set sail!

Can a dog with 3 legs walk? Yeah, but its more difficult than if it had 4 legs.

It's called starting a company. People do it all the time.

you set your limits on your own mind, just be equally idealistic as realistic.

If you are waiting for other people to give you an answer, you're probably not ready, yet, despite on your age and life experience.

NO! You have already failed by the fact that you need to ask the question.<p>If you need someone else to convince you to do a startup you are in the wrong game.