Any entrepreneur will tell you that startup life is not for the easily daunted.
Rejection, product failures, and isolation are just a few of the tests that many entrepreneurs are put through on a daily basis.
Add youth and inexperience to the list of things working against you—and you can see how a startup can seem like nothing but a harsh, uphill endeavor.
Luckily, entrepreneurs tend to be more optimistic than other workers, a factor that keeps them pitching to prospects and looking for ways to prove their value.
I’ve been reflecting on what has helped my partners and clients say “Yes” to the diversity consulting and training pitches I’ve put in front of them over the last five years.
Mind you, even if it’s not your age that presents a credibility issue, some other factor (industry experience, knowledge of a certain product type, geographic reach) may put you or your business in an ‘underdog’ position.
Here are my top strategies for proving your worth, regardless of your age, experience level or other factors you’re being judged on: