Allison MaslanCEO & Business Scaling Expert | WSJ Bestselling Author

The Biggest Lie About Success and Age

22 Jun 2026 · 1 min

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1:19

Allison Maslan argues that the biggest, most scalable companies are built by CEOs in their 40s, 50s, and 60s, not the 20-somethings business media obsesses over. Older founders have survived recessions and pandemics, learned to spot bad hires, and built real experience. Gurus target young entrepreneurs because they're easier to sell hope to, not because they build bigger firms.

Chapters

Every business guru on your feed is selling to someone half your age, and they are missing the biggest scaling advantage that there is right now. If you walk into any business conference or listen to any business podcast right now, they're talking to 20-something founders, 30-something disruptors, and I want to name what nobody is saying out loud right now because the CEOs that I have watched build the most infinitely scalable, impactful companies are not in their 20s. They're in their 40s, they're in their 50s, they're in their 60s because they've built before. They have failed before. They've led teams before. They know a bad hire from a mile away. Look, they have been through the 2008 recession and the pandemic. They do not flinch. I started my first business when I was 19 years old, and I am telling you, the version of me that's building today is more dangerous, more clear, more powerful than the version that I was at 30. And not because I work harder, it's because I see further. And the reason every business guru on your is selling to 25-year-olds is not because they're building the biggest companies. It's because they're the easiest market to sell hope to. But you don't need hope. You've got history. So use it. Save this to remind yourself how awesome you are and follow me for more CEO scaling strategies.