For decades, Silicon Valley has lionized youthful entrepreneurship, spotlighting college dropouts like Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook and Bill Gates of Microsoft as emblematic of the innovation economy’s breakneck, rule-defying spirit. However, in a recent conversation at Italian Tech Week 2025, Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon and one of the world’s most influential business leaders, offered a more measured prescription: Before diving headlong into launching a business, aspiring Gen Z founders should first build a foundation of real-world experience with established, best-practice companies.

The Myth—and Reality—of the College Dropout CEO

Stories of young, bold founders making it big by dropping out of top universities capture the imagination. Yet Bezos cautioned that Zuckerberg and Gates, who both founded their iconic companies at 19, represent “the exception, not the rule.” Speaking before a packed auditorium, he explained, “It’s possible to be an 18-, 19-, or 20-year-old and drop out of college to become a great entrepreneur, but this path is very rare.”

Bezos himself graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University in 1986, majoring in electrical engineering and computer science. Far from launching Amazon straight out of college, he accumulated nearly a decade of professional experience in finance at firms such as Fitel, Bankers Trust, and D.E. Shaw & Co. He credits this time learning about management, hiring, and business operations as critical to Amazon’s ultimate success.

“Go Learn Best Practices”: Bezos’ Advice for Gen Z

“I always advise young people: Go work at a best-practices company somewhere you can learn a lot of basic fundamental things,” Bezos told his audience. “How to hire really well, how to interview, how to build teams—there’s a lot you would learn in a great company that will help you, and then there’s still lots of time to start a company after you have absorbed it.”

He acknowledged that the drive and creativity fueling many youthful entrepreneurs are invaluable, but underscored that practical business knowledge—often acquired through real job experience—can dramatically improve entrepreneurial odds. “Getting those extra years of experience actually increased the chances Amazon succeeded,” Bezos asserted.

Why Work Experience Matters More Than Ever

The data appears to support Bezos’ stance. A 2020 MIT research paper examining high-growth startups found the average age of founders for the fastest-growing firms is about 45, far older than prevailing tech myths suggest. The same study highlighted that professional and industry experience, not just technical brilliance, is a key differentiator in navigating the challenges of scaling and sustaining a business.

Moreover, in today’s rapidly shifting landscape—marked by AI disruption, global competition, and economic volatility—entrepreneurs who understand how to build resilient teams, manage through uncertainty, and execute business fundamentals are best positioned for long-term success.

The College Debate: ROI Under Scrutiny

Bezos’ testimony comes at a time when the value of a college degree is under greater scrutiny. Rising tuition costs and questions about job readiness have spurred Gen Z to reevaluate the return on investment of a traditional four-year degree. According to the Education Data Initiative, the average cost of college in the U.S. has far outpaced inflation, becoming a leading source of household debt for young adults.

Other prominent CEOs, such as Ford’s Jim Farley, have echoed similar sentiments, suggesting college “should be a debate” and that career paths rooted in trades or early professional experience are becoming increasingly viable. Longtime vocational advocates like Mike Rowe have noted that “nothing in the history of Western civilization has gotten more expensive, more quickly [than college],” as students and parents alike weigh practical alternatives.

Real-World Lessons from Amazon’s Founding

Bezos’ own story underlines the value of this more pragmatic approach. After a string of formative roles in finance and technology, he launched Amazon in 1994 at age 30, leveraging the skills and insights gained from a decade in the workforce. Today, Amazon stands as the world’s largest online retailer, with a market capitalization topping $2.3 trillion as of Q4 2025, employing more than 1.5 million people worldwide. Underlining his belief in lifelong learning and adaptability, Bezos has also invested billions in Blue Origin, his aerospace company, positioning it as what he calls the “most important work” of his career and aiming to reshape humanity’s future in space.

Gen Z’s Entrepreneurial Aspirations: Balancing Ambition and Preparation

This message resonates as Gen Z emerges as the most entrepreneurially ambitious generation yet. According to a 2024 EY survey, more than 60% of Gen Z respondents expressed a desire to launch their own business or side hustle, but cite a lack of professional experience and mentorship as the biggest barriers.

Bezos’ advice—to acquire essential experience, learn from established leaders, and make calculated moves toward entrepreneurship—offers a valuable counterweight to the instant-gratification mythos that can dominate startup culture. Investing in your own professional development early on, he suggests, can be the difference between fleeting failure and lasting impact.

The Path Forward: Education, Experience, and Entrepreneurship

In closing, Bezos recounted, “I finished college, and I enjoyed college. I think it’s been helpful to me.” He advocated strongly for young adults to consider the broader benefits of education and real-world experience as stepping stones toward future entrepreneurial success.

As today’s business landscape grows ever more complex, Bezos’ blend of ambition, patience, and practical strategy may prove as prescient for the next generation as it was for his own. For Gen Z entrepreneurs, the roadmap is clear: Leverage the fundamental lessons of industry best practices, get hands-on experience, and let ambition be guided by preparation—before building the next big thing.

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