Just because you have not made billions of dollars before hitting 30 years old (ehem, Zuckerberg), it does not necessarily mean that you have lost all hope in becoming a successful entrepreneur. Just look at Ray Kroc or Harland Sanders, the people behind McDonalds and KFC, respectively. Kroc was 52 and Sanders was 62 before they got a taste of success. Despite the age differences, these are qualities that Zuckerberg, Kroc, and every other successful entrepreneur have in common:
 

  1. Persistence

 
You cannot earn success overnight. Consequently, success is not earned through mediocre efforts and half-hearted work. If you have calculated the risks and benefits of your ideal business, and if you believe that this concept will work, then by all means, fight for it. Push your business into the world for others to see, and don’t give up on it so easily. With this quality comes passion and grit, for that entails sacrifice and the willpower to see their plans turn into a reality.
 

  1. Ingenuity

 
Entrepreneurs, by definition, are people who are capable of developing and managing ideas and businesses. According to Business News Daily, entrepreneurship means “a way of thinking and acting. It is about imagining new ways to solve problems and create value.” Successful people and businesses offer something new to the table, something worth giving a second look and eventually investing in. To succeed means to be out of the ordinary, and that does not require young age.
 

  1. Integrity

 
Being honest and fair in your work is more important than any amount of success you could possibly attain. Your success is determined by how you treat people, how much respect you show for the business, and the paths you take to get what you want. Don’t fall for all the knock offs or easy way outs in the world, for it is also your character which defines your business and how people will react towards it.
 
As the overused maxim goes, “age is just a number”. You may not have had the big break you wished for when you were younger, but that does not mean that all hope is lost. Because of this, you should also be on the lookout for any opportunity – after you have assessed the risks and feasibility of the project. So to all the entrepreneurs out there, keep fighting, keep innovating, and keep on believing!