Young Entrepreneurs and High School, Myths & FAQs Answered

Young Entrepreneurs and High School, Myths & FAQs Answered

If you were to look at the answers to “Who are famous college dropouts and why are they famous?”, you will see most of them are entrepreneurs, be it Mark Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs, or Bill Gates. So, Why do so many entrepreneurs hate school?

Well, we have just mentioned the names of two of the four richest people in America. But at the same time, the myth is false as among the list of entrepreneurs across the world, most of them have acquired some kind of academic studies and only 11.2% of them, according to a study, are college dropouts including Mark Zuckerberg and Bill Gates.

Today, “Should I skip high school to become an entrepreneur?” Or “I want to start a business. Should I drop out of high school?” are two of the most common questions in the ‘dropout entrepreneur’ culture. This myth is indeed enticing for people because even though there are not many of them but some of the successful names in the world are dropout entrepreneurs.

How much does high school matter for an entrepreneur?

High school marks do not matter to be an entrepreneur. To be an entrepreneur, you do not need any higher education or a graduation degree. You can successfully start your entrepreneurship journey.

Do grades in high school matter for an entrepreneur at all?

Well, the above names are living testimony to the fact that grades in high school do not matter for an entrepreneur at all. Some entrepreneurs at the top, like Elon Musk, didn’t like schools as a child and even believes the current education system could be vastly improved. He has, even, found his school with no grading system in which 3 of his sons study currently.

Well, changing the entire education system across the world, may take time, but until then, in the current system, what are the subjects that can choose to enhance their skills.

What high school subjects are important for entrepreneurs?

While entrepreneurship requires one to learn and adapt several skills including business management, time management, communication, leadership, etc, which schools’ curriculum lacks but many courses offer. One can choose to take the commerce field and study the fundamentals of business like accounting, management, and basic marketing.

Having said that, most of the CEOs capitalise on the skills they have and passion to learn every day on the job.

FAQs about Young Entrepreneurs

Are 16 years old too young to start a business?

There is no rulebook to entrepreneurship that says a certain age or education is compulsory for entrepreneurship. So, no, 16 is not too young to start a business. Young entrepreneurs can easily adapt to the environment, age, and culture and be relevant.

There can be some challenges on the path as a young entrepreneur. Especially, acceptance. There is a chance that people would raise eyebrows at first. But, indeed, if you aim to become an entrepreneur at 16, you can plan out your way.

What are some tips for aspiring high school entrepreneurs?

Get started, talk to your friends, teachers, parents, and get their feedback. Next, you can focus on getting your first mentors who can pass the knowledge, lessons, and insights they have accumulated over the years. Next, an uncommon concept in India, but get a job. In foreign developed countries, high school students often get independent and start working.

Everyone fails and it is fine. Especially entrepreneurs carve their space after facing failures. Take calculated risks and learn your lessons early. Leverage the advantage of the time you have. Be yourself on the way and discover more about you as you are growing up on personal and professional fronts.