Long Work Gap for Entrepreneurship?

Currently 27 and a PE Associate (title is wrong). Have managed to build a bit of a nest egg and considering taking some time off to work on a small online business (not a startup). 

Wondering how difficult it would be to jump back into finance if I get the itch, say 3-5 years down the line. Doesn't necessarily need to be PE again, but even a corp dev type role, or maybe a family office or something along those lines. Does it get harder each year you are out of the game?

2 Comments
 

I’m just a 2nd year associate but my sense is that taking a 5yr gap when you’re 27 could hurt you, or even if it is 3yr gap.

That’s like a pivotal transition from senior associate to senior VP timeframe and then get director next when you’re like 32-34.

But, I think it depends on how well your company does. Taking time off to bet on yourself and genuinely run at an idea is not necessarily time off, and there are people at my MF who have some entrepreneurship in their past (mainly funds they tried to stand up, even at more junior levels).

A limiter on that would be to make sure you don’t age yourself out of the roles you’re still qualified for if / when you come back to PE. I.e. a 29-30 year old senior associate before getting VP in a year or two works but does a 34 year old?

But who knows man. Do what you want to do, I think that’s the most important thing.

 
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