Does your age have an impact!

[sheffieldhitman]

Not to be rude or intrusive but has any one found that your age can have an effect on your business when dealing with suppliers or customers

I am 22 and to be honest i tend to keep my age quiet as i have see many a time people lift their eye brows when they realize i actually own a company.

Also at what age did you start your business?

Adz

 

[Patocean]

Could you be detecting a slight touch of jealousy. Lots of people would love to take the gamble but it takes a lot of bottle to actually set up and run a company irrespective of your age.

 

[CKG]

I was 20 when I started out.

On one hand people will warm to you as they see it as a chance to give you a break and dish out some good advice in the process. On the other hand I had a few b2b customers try to rob me blind in the early years - It tought me some very good lessons though.

Also being young is good mud for your competitors to sling around when you take work from them or make a mistake.

Though generally age wasn't really an issue to 99% of customers.

 

[Sue F]

Being female has similar pros and cons.

To start with I needed hubby's help to sort out a couple of sticky situations when I wasn't being taken seriously but gradually I've learnt to be able handle myself and some times it actually helps being female.

I'm just about to celebrate the first anniversary of the business and so I suppose experience makes the difference what ever age or sex you are. I'm learning as I go really and I've made a few hum dingers that have enhanced the learning curve some what!

As for how old I was when I started the business I'm keeping that under my hat ... but I did work for HMRC for eighteen years first so I'm no spring chicken

 

[ecommerce84]

I was 19 when started out and now I'm 22.

I personlly don't see why age should matter if you can do something, but not everyone agrees. I tend to keep my age quiet. I think customers may think 'young lad = dodgy'. Just as we are apparently all reckless drivers.

 

[Scott-Copywriter]

Age does matter but it can also be used as an advantage.

 

[asonda]

I sometimes get the raised eyebrow look that the OP spoke about.

However, people down here tend to be quite nice and tend to want to help.

I've only had one experience that's left me feeling completely used and upset. Suppose that just adds to my growing bank of experience.

 

[Write My Site]

I set up my business at 24 and never really found my age was an issue.

 

[Rhyl Lightworks]

I must say, being an old codger, I have probably been prejudiced against young people, who seem to be in charge, in the past, because I have thought they probably lacked experience. But this thread has made me re-think this bias, which is probably unjustified. I will try in the future not to be influenced by age. After all, one of my favourite quotes is: 'Thirty year's experience really often means one year's experience thirty times'.
Barrie

 

[sheffieldhitman]

you should put that quote on the thread "Business Quotes" Really good.

I am glad im not the only one who has had this experience!

 

[Scott-Copywriter]

I never take notice of the amount of experience and I think it's a poor measure of capability. The quality of experience is absolutely vital for me as I'd rather have someone who has had 5 years of success (with the lessons of up's and down's) instead of someone with 10 years of trodding along or lack of success. This is usually reflected through their own knowledge, portfolios, testimonials etc.

 

[Samantha]

It's been reassuring reading this thread, as I'm 22 and female and at the moment I am starting up my business and am concerned as to how people are going to respond to me. It's nice to hear that on the whole the majority of people don't react negatively to young people in business.