Have you ever written a book, planted a tree or flown on a hot air balloon? Well, you still have to set up a startup. I had to set up mine at the age of 42. Too late? Honestly, I have never had better ideas than now and I have never felt as energetic as I feel now. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
If you are between 40 and 50 years old, I recommend reading Marc Vidal\u2019s magnificent article \u201cTremble, twentysomethings!\u201d We forty-year-olds will screw it\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The idea of my first startup emerged the best way a project can start (and I do not mean at a bar, which could also be the case): it started during an MBA programme at a Business School. One class, one good project, one emerging market, one professor with enthusiasm and some students with more enthusiasm, if that is even possible. In the end, 12 brave students, the professor and myself as programme director started the Xkuty adventure. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It seems easy, but I would be lying if I told you it was. It never is.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n The important thing is to start. You have probably heard the phrase \u201canyone can have an idea, but only a few are capable of putting it into action\u201d. Everybody has an idea to set up a project and also a thousand excuses not to carry it out. So, if there is something constant on your mind, set it in motion, and if you make a mistake, you learn. <\/p>\n\n\n\n We started my first project,<\/a> with 500 \u20ac each. Five hundred euros I knew I didn\u2019t need at that time, so, if things didn\u2019t go well, it wouldn\u2019t ruin my life. We started investing only as the project became more and more viable. So, you know, even if you have extra money: austerity and prudence. Especially at the beginning. In the United States projects start in garages, here they start with a lot of effort and whatever you have at hand, as a friend of mine would say.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n A piece of advice: jump with a net below. Training is always important. Steve Jobs never completed his studies. This doesn\u2019t mean he was not trained. A recent study by Kauffman called \u201cThe Anatomy of an Entrepreneur\u201d, based on a survey to 549 business founders, revealed, among other things, that 95.1% of respondents had an undergraduate degree and 47% had a graduate degree. <\/strong>So take your time and prepare yourself. You will avoid many mistakes and, above all, save money that you will probably need in the future. Every year I try to take at least one training programme to help me grow. It has been and will continue to be my best investment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n You may also be interested in <\/strong>7 keys for a better adaptation to a future that is already here<\/strong><\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n