Banking or startups? Which is a better career choice from a Lazard sales trader
This is a great question. Which should you be choosing as a graduate? This is not an easy question. Starting a business from scratch is in fact one of the most difficult things to do. A lot of people for example will start thier career working in banking and then perhaps move to a fintech as it's a similar type of role.
I am a former Lazard sales person as well as having sold an online business and so I have a little bit of experience in building something from scratch. A lot and almost none of my former colleagues left finance to try to build something. They may have known that the chances are in fact against them. Building something from scratch and raising venture capital is extremely difficult and almost impossible. I have been there and done it.
Most people will in fact choose the more secure career which would include staying in finance for the next 30 years. Trying to go and build a business is close to suicide. Its almost insane and few try it.
Even most VC's I talk to dont take the leap and will move from an employee role at one big Silicon Valley startup to the next. YC, one of the best silicon Vally VC's partners often have actually built and sold a business and there is a lot of respect from the entrepreneur community from people who have done just this.
Conclusion
Whatever you decide to do both are hard. You need to think carefully about your personal situation if you do in fact look to build a startup from scratch. Banking is definitely a good choice if your coming out of university, as i would not recommend most of you to jump into building a business. Its harder than you think.
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Vlad Kozul