Have you ever felt that your experience isn’t valued? Recently, I lived through a situation that made me deeply reflect on the eternal debate between experience vs youth in the world of digital business.
The Story That Changed My Perspective
It all started with a family call. My children’s cousin needed help creating his online store. As a professional with years in web development and digital marketing, I immediately got excited. I visualized a robust e-commerce portal, SEO-optimized, with strategic content and all the necessary functionalities to compete in today’s market.
But then came the surprise.
“I don’t want anything complicated,” he told me. “Just photos and videos. Something minimalist and extremely simple. No blog or extra content.”
The Clash of Perspectives
At that moment, my experience was screaming alarms everywhere. As a professional who has seen hundreds of digital projects, I knew that a solid content strategy is fundamental for online success. SEO keywords, content marketing, and building digital authority aren’t whims of veteran consultants—they’re real market necessities.
But he insisted: “I know my audience. They’re 20-year-olds immersed in urban culture, like me.”
When Youth Says “No” to Experience
The situation became more tense when I suggested he learn about content creation for his products. His response was definitive: they had found a platform that offered “exactly what they wanted” for less than half the price.
The project collapsed. All the previous work ended up in the digital trash.
The Reflection That Hurts (But Teaches)
For days, this experience haunted me. My first instinct was to think: “If you go to a doctor, do you prefer one with 30 years of experience or a recent graduate?” But then I realized I was being too rigid in my analysis.
Young entrepreneurs have something that we veterans sometimes lose along the way: the ability to take risks without fear. Their energy, passion, and yes, even their naivety, can be catalysts for innovation.
Lessons Learned
For Young Entrepreneurs:
- Experience exists for a reason: Don’t automatically dismiss it. Veteran professionals have seen patterns, failures, and successes that can save you time and money.
- Ask specific questions: Instead of rejecting advice, ask “what specific problems have you seen with this approach?”
- Consider the real cost: The cheapest option isn’t always the most profitable long-term.
For Experienced Professionals:
- Adapt your communication: Young entrepreneurs need to understand the “why” behind your recommendations, not just the “what.”
- Respect their vision: Sometimes their intuition about their audience can be more accurate than our traditional analyses.
- Find middle ground: Look for ways to integrate your experience with their fresh vision.
The Real Value of Each Generation
The truth is that both business experience and youthful innovation have incalculable value. The most successful businesses combine:
- Experience: To anticipate problems, optimize processes, and make informed decisions
- Youth: To bring fresh perspectives, energy, and connection with new audiences
- Collaboration: To create solutions that no single generation could achieve alone
Practical Advice for All Ages
If You’re a Young Entrepreneur:
- Seek mentors, but also question everything constructively
- Research the consequences of your decisions beyond the initial cost
- Maintain your vision, but be flexible in the methods to achieve it
If You’re an Experienced Professional:
- Listen actively before recommending
- Explain the context of your suggestions with concrete examples
- Accept that sometimes young people need to learn from their own mistakes
Building Generational Bridges
In today’s world of digital business, we need more intergenerational collaboration, not less. Companies that best combine experience with youthful innovation are the ones that dominate their markets.
The next time someone young rejects my experience? I’ll take a deep breath, ask better questions, and look for creative ways to combine their vision with my knowledge.
Final Reflection
This experience with my nephew taught me that business success isn’t about experience versus youth, but experience with youth. Both perspectives are necessary, and the art lies in finding the perfect formula for each project.
Have you lived through similar situations? How do you handle generational clashes in your projects? The conversation is just beginning, and we all have something valuable to contribute.
Did you like this content? Share your experiences about generational clashes in business. Your perspective, regardless of your age, enriches this conversation we all need to have.
