While entrepreneurs come in all shapes and sizes, one commonality binds them all together: the willingness to take a risk.

This Dun & Bradstreet Credibility infographic (below) encapsulates many of the struggles and fears that small business owners have to overcome, including the ultimate risk of closure or bankruptcy. If you hear that Mark Zuckerberg is 28 and think that your opportunity to strike out has passed you by already, think again: Most company founders are middle aged, according to the infographic.

Being an entrepreneur is less about fitting into the Silicon Valley mold than it is about having courage, perseverance and ambition.