I think most of it is good advice focusing on creativity, independence, crafting and tinkering – which traditional schooling is bad at. What’s toxic is the extreme rush of it all. You don't need to be successful business owner at 22. In fact, sounds like a good way to distort your perspective on life, and business. Incubators seem to like young people because they are gullible and investors can offer them less and get more control. If it was so important to be young in business, then how come they should listen to advice from those old farts? That’s the part that bugs me, it seems exploitative.
Another reason to play it slower is you can work and save for financial security beforehand, and you can build your network without going to MIT or Stanford. You’ll meet plenty of people working from all kinds of backgrounds. You’ll get to practice financial decision making. You’ll be a more well-rounded person who can empathize with different walks of life, (isn’t understanding people gospel in VC land?).
The advice boils down to “work on projects that interest you” and “do well and school” and maybe “if you don’t know what you’re interested in, try programming”.
Even if they don’t make a startup, at least following the advice would make them more employable.
