Starting a SaaS business in disruptive times and late in life.

I’m in my late 50s. I am starting my own business in this paradigm-shifting SaaS/AI era. Wise? Not according to my dear mom. Not according to my logical and parental brain either.

I want to do it

But the strong and courageous boy in my heart is having a blast. I’m not dead yet! Whatever comes at me I will grab it by the horns and push like there’s no tomorrow.I refuse to become a lazy fat cat!

I have a one year runway. I have to get this plane off the ground before that. It’s not going to be easy, I am very well aware of that. But that pressure is giving me insane amounts of energy. It gets me up in the morning and keeps me going into the evenings and I’m loving it! I love the feeling of the pulse going through the roof of excitement. I love the feeling of not knowing what to do in every situation.

And I have the greatest support from my sweetheart. THAT is very important because there are times when doubt whispers in my ears… I also have a lot of experience working since I was 18. With that experience, and some skillful AI agents (which I will micromanage), I believe I can create a strong portfolio of great products. But I don’t know, I BELIEVE.

Guiding light

One of the best speeches I’ve heard is Steve Jobs commencement speech at Stanford University 2005. A couple of things stayed with me through the years in that speech.

“Keep looking, don’t settle”.
I refuse to become a lazy fat cat and slowly fade away into passiveness.

“You can only connect the dots looking backwards”.
This is a paraphrasing of Sören Kierkegaard ( a Danish philosopher):
“Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards”.
I really don’t know anything looking forward, I have to let go and believe and let the past guide me.

“Stay hungry, stay foolish”. I got to have the mindset of an explorer. I want to discover new things, a new world (for me).

Like Mallory and Irvine 1924 trying to be the first humans to reach the summit of Mount Everest but ultimately dying on the mountain. Lost for 100 years and we’re still talking about it and speculating what happened. Trying means something!

That’s what my company’s logo (the rocket) represent. Exploration, trying, going somewhere.

Changes

So to all the girls and boys out there, especially at my age, who’s looking for a new job or something new to do. Change is more often good than bad. With the right mindset you can make a change for the good - for you. There are no guarantees but that makes it a lot more exciting!

“Stay hungry, stay foolish”

Love Glenn

Watch Steve Jobs speech on YouTube