????最近聽不少人說，硅谷已經成為美國最歧視老年人的地方之一，這片創業熱土完全是二十來歲年輕人的天下。雖然這種說法或許沒錯，但它并不一定適用于美國其他地區。

????根據巴布森學院(Babson College)2012年發布的《全球創業觀察美國報告》(Global Entrepreneurship Monitor U.S. Report )，就美國總體而言，35到44歲這個年齡段的人創業參與度其實是最高的。雖然這個年齡段并不算老，但這份報告的確表明，在年長創業者的領導下，數量驚人的小企業正如雨后春筍般不斷涌現，而這群人并不屬于我們時常聽說的那些二十出頭、富有遠見的硅谷青年才俊的范疇。

????有幾個因素或許可以解釋這個極其復雜的趨勢：上世紀90年代，美國經濟從制造型轉向服務型，許多年齡較大的員工紛紛離職。隨后幾年爆發的“大蕭條”引發了一波大規模裁員潮，年長的員工——無論是生活所迫，還是自身愿望——開始在傳統的工作環境之外尋找機會。就業資源集團(Employment Resource Group)總裁兼CEO莎朗?休斯克說：“處于45歲到55歲這一年齡段的人幾乎毫無例外地陷入職場中年危機。他們知道，要是年齡再大些，他們就會變得更加沒有‘銷路’。于是，他們采取了行動。”

????年長的創業者往往具有豐富的經驗，深厚的人脈網絡和成熟的視角。他們是塑造美國商業版圖的重要資源。在年輕人攻城拔寨的技術領域，吉姆?克拉克55歲時創辦了快門網(Shutterfly)，凱文?萊恩40多歲時創辦了吉爾特集團(Gilt Groupe)，邁克?拉姆齊與他人合伙創建替您錄科技公司(TiVo)時已經47歲。此外，Lot 18公司的菲利普?詹姆斯，商務社交網站LinkedIn的雷德?霍夫曼和星佳公司(Zynga)的馬克?平卡斯同樣不畏活力四射的青春創業風暴，在各自人生的后半段創建了全新的商業模式。

????這樣的案例不僅僅局限于高科技領域。比如，羅賓?凱斯40歲時創建了吉普卡租車公司(Zipcar)，63歲的伊利?卡拉威創辦了拉威高爾夫公司(Callaway Golf Company)。

????巴布森學院發布的這份報告還凸顯了另一個現象：所謂的機遇型創業者越來越多。比如，有不少美國人完全是憑借著自己對未來機遇的感知而走上創業之路的。這個趨勢跟肇始于2008年的經濟衰退期形成了鮮明的對比。那段時期，創業精神背后的主要動機是損失而不是收益，也就是所謂的“生存型創業”。鑒于經濟形勢瞬息萬變的特性，創業已不僅僅是一種明智的人生選擇，它還很有希望消除正在侵蝕許多傳統工作環境的年齡歧視現象。

????科技正在助長美國人的創業熱情。無論年齡高低，任何人都可以非常輕松地在網上開辦一家企業，無需支付太多的經營開銷。不一定非得先開辦一家實體店面，哪怕你出售的是實物商品。在初出茅廬的創業者需要承受更大開支（比如租賃辦公空間和廣告預算等等）之前，他或她可以很容易地對產品或服務進行測試、評估或實驗。

????總之，我們必須認識到，成功的關鍵并不是擁有“恰當的”個性或“恰當的”年齡；成功的關鍵是把一個人的技能組合與恰當的機遇聯系起來。

????本文作者萊亞?伊萊恩?格林是一位高級內容專家，供職于德克薩斯州奧斯汀市的電子商務平臺提供商Volusion公司。（財富中文網）

????譯者：葉寒

????Recently, there's been much conversation about how Silicon Valley has become one of the most ageist places in America, where twentysomethings rule the startup scene. While that might be true, that's not necessarily the case across the rest of America.

????In fact, 35-to-44-year-olds hold the highest level of participation in entrepreneurship in the U.S. as a whole, according to a 2012 Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) U.S. Report by Babson College. Though that's not exactly old, the report does suggest that there are a surprising number of small companies springing up under the leadership of older entrepreneurs who fall outside the twentysomething visionary we often hear about in Silicon Valley.

????A few factors may explain the underlying complexities of this trend: The nation's transition from a manufacturing-based to a service-based economy in the 1990s saw the exit of many older employees from the workplace. And in the years following the Great Recession and subsequent massive layoffs, older employees -- out of either necessity or desire -- began seeking opportunities outside traditional office environments. "Almost without fail, people in the 45-55 age range get to a place where they go through a professional midlife crisis. They know that once they get to older they are less marketable so they make a move," according to Sharon Hulce, president and CEO of Employment Resource Group.

????Older entrepreneurs with their vast experience and networks and mature perspectives represent a vital resource for shaping America's commerce. In the technology sector where youth is so often valorized, Jim Clark formed Shutterfly at the age of 55, Kevin Ryan of Gilt Groupe was in his 40s and Mike Ramsay was 47 when he co-founded TiVo. In addition, Phillip James of Lot 18, Reid Hoffman of LinkedIn (LKND), and Mark Pincus of Zynga (ZNGA) defied the model of the youthful startup by establishing new business models later in life.

????Beyond tech, there's Zipcar founder Robin Case, who was 40 when she launched the company and Ely Callaway, who formed Callaway Golf Company at the age of 63.

????The Babson College report also highlights a growing number of so-called opportunity entrepreneurs, including Americans who are leaping into entrepreneurship based on their perception of promising opportunities ahead. This trend also marks a direct contrast to the 2008 economic recession, a time when the primary motivation behind entrepreneurialism was loss rather than gain -- a reaction referred to as "necessity entrepreneurship."Given our ever-changing economy, entrepreneurial ventures have become not only a sensible life choice, but constitute viable solutions to the ageism that can undermine many traditional workplace environments.

????Technology fuels Americans' appetite for entrepreneurship. Budding business owners of any age can easily start an online business without much overhead at all. There's no need to begin with a physical, brick-and-mortar location right away -- even if selling physical items. Products or services can easily be tested, evaluated, and experimented with before the budding entrepreneur commits to larger expenses, such as an office lease or an advertising budget.

????Above all, it's essential to realize that the key to success is not having the "right" personality or being the "right" age; it's aligning one's skill set with the right opportunity.

????Lea Elaine Green is a senior content specialist at Volusion, an Austin, Texas-based e-commerce platform provider.