Plot twist: the best entrepreneurs don’t fit your age assumptions
Two entrepreneurs, separated by decades, united by one truth: multi-generational teams build stronger businesses.
Every generation brings something different to entrepreneurship. While headlines focus on young founders or seasoned executives, the most interesting stories happen when different generations work together.
Meet two entrepreneurs separated by decades but united by one truth: the best businesses blend wisdom across age groups.
The youth: Mya Beaudry
Name: Mya Beaudry
Age: Started at 9, now 14
Business: Kokom Scrunchies
Products: Handmade scrunchies from thrifted scarves
Team: Multi-generational (mom Marcie as president, older brother handling logistics)
Growth story: Scaling from local sales to dozens of Canadian retail stores
The story: “I wanted to make scrunchies to give back to the youth in my community,” Mya says. What started as a fundraising project quickly exploded when her mom posted about it on social media. Now the family business includes vending machines, retail partnerships, and plans for law school. “Whatever Maya does, it’s going to be big,” her mom Marcie says.
The generational advantage: Mya handles creativity and vision while her older brother manages logistics and her mom brings 20 years of government experience to operations. “We look inside our team first—instead of hiring someone, we work with the skills we have within our house,” says Marcie.
The experience: Angel Cornelius
Name: Angel Cornelius
Age: Started at 57, now 65
Business: Maison 276
Products: Natural hair care for middle-aged women embracing gray
Team: Multi-generational (her millennial son Keith is her COO)
Background: 20+ years managing healthcare operations
The story: “I was perfectly happy” Angel says of her DIY hair products, until friends “harassed” her to make enough for them too. What began as a kitchen experiment has grown into a movement. “This paralleled the very early stages of a social movement—women deciding they wanted to be comfortable in their skin.” When the hobby became a viable business, Angel left her career and poached her son from his full-time job, too.
The generational advantage: While targeting middle-aged women, Angel intentionally builds with younger team members. “Just because our target demo is a middle-aged woman, that doesn’t mean millennials or Gen Z can’t be part of building this company.”
The takeaway
Age isn’t a barrier—it’s an asset. Whether you’re 9 or 90, the strongest businesses happen when different generations bring their unique perspectives together. Mya’s creativity plus her mom’s experience. Angel’s wisdom plus her younger team’s fresh thinking. The magic isn’t in the age—it’s in the mix.