“The great companies are with young people who don’t know how hard it is – because if you knew, you wouldn’t do it.” – Guy Kawasaki

Guy Kawasaki, Silicon Valley venture capitalist and former Apple evangelist explains how experience can stand in the way of your dreams.


Richard Branson, Michael Dell, Henry Ford, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg and Warren Buffett are all founders of hugely successful (and still existing) companies that are worth billions of dollars today. Contrary to what most may believe, none of these entrepreneurs had any prior experience (or money) when they first started (survivorship bias will be discussed in a future article).

If you were to ask anyone you know why they haven’t started on their “dream” business yet, one of the most common answers would be that they lack the experience. Therein lies the paradox; how can you gain experience in starting a business if you don’t actually start a business? The only experience you’ll gain in a job is with already existing systems and business models that may or may not be replicable by your start-up. In addition, no job will teach you how to pitch your ideas to investors, how to constantly innovate, work on a tight budget and hire the right people – and these are but a few of the very skills that an entrepreneur needs to succeed!

What then should an entrepreneur do? My best advice to you would be to quit hesitating and get started on your business as soon as feasible, before someone else “steals” your idea. Innovate constantly within a small budget. Think on your feet. Respond to changes as fast as you can. If you fail, learn from your mistakes and move on.

Winners don’t quit, and neither should you. If you find yourself worrying about lack of experience, capital or time, then ask yourself: is this reason good enough for me to give up on my dream?