Overcoming the Age Gap in Business

AS a guy that was in financial advisory work as young as 22 years old, I know all about having to deal with being a baby face in a world of big money decisions. Looking like a kid fresh out of college was definitely NOT a positive attribute to have in that sort of business when dealing with 50-60 year-old doctors, lawyers, or any other well to do clients, and this is something I could completely understand. Still...I had to make money, and I had to overcome it. It became a confidence issue, and simply just being way more prepared and knowledgeable than I needed to be to gain their trust. Results were also a part, but that wasn't getting me in the door.

How Young Entrepreneurs Can Bridge the Generation Gap goes into some strategies for overcoming this gap. Matthew Toren started young, so he knows all about this kind of "discrimination. The article is how he suggests to overcome it. Doesn't matter if it is a tangible good like Cherokee uniforms, or a service industry.

Having co-owned a series of businesses with my brother since I was 7 years old -- we sold stunt airplanes at a festival with my grandfather -- I've seen my share of that kind of discrimination. full story