Hi Reader,

At first, it felt a little strange being the oldest students in the room.

Rachel and I were at the MD Venture Student Showcase, where we and 9 other student startups were awarded $50,000 for student-led entrepreneurship ventures. We were recognized for WholeSite, our AI-assisted website creation platform (in case you missed it, here’s a link to the press release.)

The youngest recipients were an 11th grader and a 12th grader, which means Rachel and I were literally old enough to be their mothers. 😂

So yeah, being the old ones felt funny at first. (Usually, at events, we’re in the middle age-wise.)

But as I thought about it some more, it felt empowering to be the oldest ones in the room, not embarrassing.

There’s no doubt that being the younger one has its perks. You’re extra hungry to learn and prove yourself. Even your naivety gives you an edge. You might be more likely to go after scary opportunities because you’ve experienced fewer “nos.”

Not to mention, entrepreneurship is on the rise with young people. When Rachel and I were in college, no one was pushing us in that direction. Now, there’s a whole college major for it, which is pretty cool.

But when you’re the oldest person in the room, you’re the one others look to.

You’re a little stronger-willed and more stable in your direction.

You’ve walked a longer path and survived plenty of challenges, which means the simple act of sharing your story can motivate others who are younger than you.

That’s huge in entrepreneurship.

We learn so much from listening to others’ business journeys because no two are alike. It helps normalize all the ups and downs that come with the territory.

One thing I hope the younger entrepreneurs learned from us is if you stick with it, you’ll never stop evolving.

The fact that we’re still learning, changing, and adapting to the times is proof of that.

By talking about our (continued) journey, we were able to show them that the entrepreneurial path isn’t linear - and that’s one of the best parts.

You don’t board the entrepreneur train knowing what the stops are going to be for the rest of your career. You get on the ride and go with it.

The track changes. You swap cars. You hit bumps and start again.

If entrepreneurship were a clear, pre-determined route, way more people would be doing it and succeeding at it. There’s a reason only certain people stick around.

So if you’re ever the oldest in the room, embrace it. Learn from those who are younger than you while also being proud and honest about how far you’ve come.

If you’re the youngest, buckle up, try your best, and ask lots of questions. You got this.

I hope the youngsters we met enjoy the ride just as much as I do.

Rooting for you,

Hazel Geary the right brain 1014 W. 36TH ST BALTIMORE, MD 410.635.0229 Read our Customer Reviews