[hippich]

That explains why you, in particular, can't take a risk at starting a business. It does not explain why healthy/young/single/childless people do not try it.

Since we are talking about anecdotes - whenever I mention some success in my business, most friends get bored. Yet if they get to another create-a-crud-form job - this is being celebrated like some kind of achievement. I still hear talks about how small business is celebrated in the USA (i am immigrant), but I do not experience it in practice.

[dragonwriter]

> That explains why you, in particular, can't take a risk at starting a business. It does not explain why healthy/young/single/childless people do not try it.

Historically, lots of small businesses are started not by healthy, young, single childless people, but by midcareer people that have savings to invest and professional networks and experience-based insights to build a business around.

So, when those type of people lose opportunity to start businesses, then total business starts drop.

Also, young people starting non-VC backed businesses have often relied on older midcareer relatives supplying financing, networks, and supporting experience, so many of the same things that hurt older people starting businesses (including healthcare costs, which—with common insurance schemes—not only tie you to wage labor but also still require you to maintain capital reserves for co-insurance, which reduces the attractiveness of using savings for speculative, long-payoff, high-risk business investment) also have a similar, if somewhat lesser, negative effect on younger people doing so.

[tstrimple]

Because our social safety nets are garbage. People don't feel comfortable taking the risks. It's why most entrepreneurs come from families with money. It's why countries with strong social safety nets are beating us in entrepreneurship rates. Give people easy access to free education, and universal health care and you'll see a rise in entrepreneurship in this country.

[ghthor]

It really is this simple, give the poor safety nets so they don't die if they take risks.

[hokumguru]

Same situation here in Nebraska really, there's a single healthcare provider that offers exactly 1 plan that would cost me, a young, healthy, 23 y/o hundreds of dollars per month with a ridiculously high deductible. If I were to start on my own I would be bankrupt in months from health insurance alone.