Hey Reader,
A big insecurity of mine has been my age. In the past, I've often felt like I've had to work extra hard just to be acknowledged as an equal to those older and more experienced than me.
To my younger subscribers: you ever felt like that before?
I've been told more than once by family and colleagues not to worry about it, to not give others any reason to believe I'm not competent in my abilities with the work I do.
But what do you do when people mistake a young face for inexperience the same way they might mistake kindness for weakness?
I know on a personal level that I have nothing to be self-conscious about. In fact, I should celebrate all that I've accomplished and experienced in my short 29 years of life: I've gone abroad, worked in a national park, written a book, started a business, gotten married, changed careers, ran half marathons, learned instruments, picked up new hobbies...
But sometimes it's easy to forget you did those things.
It was Meet the Teacher Night in 2019, the day before my first day as a 22-year-old classroom teacher. I'd planned my entire academic career around it—four years of college, hundreds of practicum hours, graduating magna cum laude—and that night, one of my new student's parents said to me: “Why, you look like you’re practically in middle school! Are you sure you’re old enough to be a teacher?”
I was thrown off by her response. "Yes," I said, awkwardly chuckling, "Yes, I'm a teacher. I just graduated."
But later that night, I couldn't shake the feeling that...maybe I actually wasn't ready to be in the classroom. Had I done everything I'd needed to? Should I have gotten more experience? Did I miss a step?
Six years later, when I decided to go all-in on my marketing business at 28, I worried again that people would notice my age before my qualifications. I spent years re-building my credibility in an entirely new industry, only for my face to be compared to a middle schooler again just a few weeks ago by a prospect.
Oh no, poor you. You're accused of being young. Trust me, you'll want that when you're older.
I don't doubt that, and it's not the age thing itself that bothers me; it's the condescension and skepticism that people sometimes assign to a young face—it's ageism.
Though because I am a perennial optimist and glass-half-full kind of person, I see these kinds of interaction as an opportunity to practice a "quiet" confidence:
Why are you so expensive?
My price point is reflective of the quality of service my clients expect of me.
What authority do you have to do this kind of work?
I have a roster of award-winning clients at a 98% retention rate that I've attracted from years of developing and marketing my own brand.
Give me some specific ideas for how you could help me.
I’ve been trying to reduce the number of one-off ideas I give outside of the formal engagements I have with my clients, but I do offer paid strategy sessions if you'd like to book one with me.
What I'm saying here is, the thing you're worried about may or may not go away (depending on what it is), but your reaction to it can always improve.
- Are people happy with what they're getting?
- Could I do anything better?
- Does my pricing reflect the value and quality of service I'm providing?
If yes to all, then it's a good day.
My favorite people to work with are good at what they do, passionate about their work, and who value efficiency, proactivity, and communication. These things do not require talent or decades of experience, just consistency.
As always, please feel free to share your thoughts by responding directly to this email! I'd love to keep the conversation going. :)
Onward,
Lauren Erickson
Founder, CEO, & Chief Strategist
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