Five Under-30 Founders Reveal Advice They Ignored and Followed

Five founders under 30 from the Maverick NEXT community say inexperience can be a business advantage, according to an Entrepreneur report published October 20, 2026.

Maverick NEXT, a network of young entrepreneurs, investors and exited founders, spends a week each year on Necker Island with Sir Richard Branson. Its Impact Award sends five founders to the British Virgin Islands, all expenses paid. Applications close November 30.

Bailey Farren, 28, co-founder of emergency platform Perimeter, ignored an investor who warned she would ruin her reputation by 25. Her software is now used across 17 US states. Jade Sprake, 22, shared every step of building her handyman business online and received a buyout offer within five months.

Turning Age Into an Advantage

Age brought obstacles. Tim Highnam, 26, who runs AI studio Seven Sigma, has hired 25 people older than himself, and says he leads with what he has built before turning the conversation to the candidate. Sprake admits losing deals because owners doubted a 22-year-old could look after their company, but says action, not words, wins trust.

Doing Good Drives Revenue

Several founders linked purpose to profit. Sean Meer, 27, employs all his cleaners directly in an industry built on contractors, and more than 80% have stayed. Perimeter reports a 100% renewal rate over the past two years.

Branson’s influence also featured. Highnam adopted his approach of capping downside before committing to a new idea, while Meer said Branson confirmed that looking after staff means they look after customers.