08/06/2026
10 years in corporate and 10 years building a business are not the same classroom.
Last month, I met a gentleman at Kempinski Hotel who wanted to transition from corporate into business.
But when he saw me, he assumed I was the PA.
In his mind, the “real consultant” was probably an older man with grey hair.
So I asked him:
“What makes you feel I’m not qualified to guide this conversation?”
That question changed everything.
By the end of the meeting, we were discussing business models, risk, growth strategy, positioning, and what it truly takes to build a sustainable business.
He apologized.
And I respected that.
But it reminded me of something important:
Sometimes, we respect age so deeply that we forget to respect evidence.
Corporate experience teaches structure.
Business experience teaches consequence.
One gives you KPIs.
The other gives you payroll, cash flow, clients, pressure, failure, and survival.
Age can carry wisdom.
But experience is not always grey hair.
Sometimes, it is a young person who has paid quietly in pressure, leadership, mistakes, and consistency.
Have you ever been underestimated because you looked “too young” to know what you were doing?
I’m Edwin Dela, your Brand Strategist and Business consultant.
