Is the <18 hustler culture real? And healthy?

On Twitter, I’ve come across founders whose business was acquired at 18, which means they had to start even earlier. In some cases, it was at 16.

I’ve also read about 14-year-olds building their first startup, and in some instances, even 10-year-olds. (At that point, I started to wonder whether it was truly the child’s initiative or if the parent was creating the image of a “successful founder” at the child’s expense.)

I admire the drive in young people, and I’m genuinely happy when they start so early, especially when it’s on their own initiative.

But is that young person losing their childhood? Or have they already managed to live it fully and become that self-aware at such a young age?

I’d love to hear your thoughts, especially from younger readers and parents.