As someone in his 30's that's been mixing for over 10 years, I really feel like the medium doesn't mean shit. With that said, it'll make you a better dj by starting without software. Software has too many tools that can easily become crutches. Start with the basics and learn the fundamentals, then move on. I do a lot of things people think are blasphemy. I use a ton of cue points, cue drops and effects. I still beatmatch because it's a lot more fun. I use the phase meter because I play a lot of tunes with beatless intros. I don't play like Teebee or Mefjus and act all spastic spamming drops because the music I play isn't made for that, but I still use a lot of the same tools they do.
Basically, after you've picked up the fundamentals, you're free to break it down, but you must be competent playing on all mediums. That means starting with vinyl or CDJ's.