It seems like today's startups and small businesses are being led by 20-something wunderkinds. So, if you're over 30, does it mean that it's too late to start your own business? We asked our Bplans.com executive team, as well as friends on LinkedIn, and they had some interesting answers. "What is the right age to start a business?"Maybe that's the wrong question...

1. WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE
TO START A BUSINESS?

2. CONSIDER…
Mark Zuckerberg
Co-founded Facebook at 20
Photo Credit:
Frederic Legrand / Shutterstock
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JD Lasica / Flickr
Photo Credit:
Scott Beale / Laughing Squid
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Featureflash / Shutterstock.com
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JStone / Shutterstock.com
Photo Credit:
@hayleybay /Twitter
Kevin Systrom
Co-founded Instagram at 26
Naveen Selvadurai
Co-founded Foursquare at 27
Steve Jobs
Co-founded Apple Inc. at 21
Bill Gates
Co-founded Microsoft at 20
Hayley Barna
Co-founded Birchbox at 27

3. “SO…
I HAVE TO BE YOUNG?”

4. NOT SO FAST…
John Pemberton
Invented Coca-Cola at 55
Ray Kroc
Started McDonalds at 52
Colonel Harland Sanders
Founded KFC at 65
Henry Kaiser
Founded Kaiser Permanente at 63
Mary Kay Ash
Founded Mary Kay, Inc. at 45

5. “GREAT,
I’LL WAIT
UNTIL I’M OLDER.”

6. ACTUALLY…THE POINT IS:
THERE IS NO “RIGHT” AGE
TO START A BUSINESS.
THAT’S NOT WHAT MATTERS…

7. WHAT DO ENTREPRENEURS
HAVE IN COMMON,
REGARDLESS OF AGE?

8. THEY NEVER STOP TRYING

9. “BUT, I’M NOT GOING
TO INVENT THE NEXT FACEBOOK.
IF I WAS GOING TO INVENT FACEBOOK,
I WOULD’VE INVENTED FACEBOOK!”

10. Photo: The Social Network / Columbia (2010)

11. IF YOU’RE UNDER THE ILLUSION THAT YOU
NEED AN INNOVATIVE IDEA IN ORDER TO
SUCCEED, YOU COULDN’T BE MORE
WRONG.

12. WHILE YOU MAY NOT HAVE INVENTED
FACEBOOK, YOUR SUCCESS—WHETHER OR
NOT THE IDEA IS ORIGINAL—WILL
LARGELY DEPEND ON YOUR
ABILITY TO EXECUTE IT.

13. BUT, DON’T TAKE
MY WORD FOR IT…
Photo: Reading Rainbow / Public Broadcasting Service (1983-2006)

14. WHAT OUR EXECUTIVE
TEAM HAS TO SAY:
“Don’t worry about being behind.
Don’t worry about the prodigy kids
who started their first business in
middle school. Don’t worry about the
folks who went straight from their
MBA to their first business.
Just start your thing, and work, and
learn, and in no time you’ll be an old
hand.”
Josh Cochrane
VP of Product
Development

15. WHAT OUR EXECUTIVE
TEAM HAS TO SAY:
“I started my first tech company
when I was 38 and my second
business when I was 42. It was actually
in my favor to start at those ages
because I had years of experience
behind me in management, marketing,
sales, networking, and partnerships.”
Caroline Cummings
VP of Business
Development

16. WHAT OUR EXECUTIVE
TEAM HAS TO SAY:
“Age also brings wisdom,
experience, and patience—all
qualities that investors look for.
Having the experience of managing
people, learning from mistakes, and
learning from data are all things that
will make your startup run
smoother, rather than slower.”
Noah Parsons
Chief Operating
Officer

17. “I started my own business at 45—go for it.”
- Ann, HR Specialist
WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:
“There are always circumstances that determine when
you should/shouldn't start. Sometimes the ‘perfect’ time
comes up, but sometimes, your passion has to override
that. And as long as you have a solid plan and
determination, your age is irrelevant.”
- Kevin, Company Founder & Business Strategy Manager
Source: http://bit.ly/LI-RightAge

18. WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING:
“You can start a business at any age young or old, each has
advantages and disadvantages and all have challenges. But
then what business old or new doesn't have challenges?”
- Marion, Business Success Strategist
“I believe it's never too late! Follow your passion.”
- Bonnie, Mobile and Local Marketing Expert
“It is never too early or too late :) So go
ahead, follow your passion and learn as
much as possible from your network.”
- Antoine, Finance Manager
Source: http://bit.ly/LI-RightAge

19. “SO… WHAT YOU’RE TRYING TO SAY IS,
IF I HAVE AN IDEA, PASSION,
AND NEVER STOP TRYING,
MY AGE WON’T MATTER?”

20. YOU GOT IT, DUDE!
Photo: Full House / Warner Bros. Television (1987-1995)

21. GO GET ‘EM!

22. Your complete guide to planning!
and running a business.