In this motivational video, entrepreneur Evan Carmichael answers a question from 16‑year‑old Rafael, who feels his age prevents him from starting a software company. Carmichael argues that viewing age as a limitation is a self‑fulfilling belief and encourages a mindset shift: turn perceived weaknesses into strengths. He suggests two concrete ways to leverage youth: (1) seek mentorship by positioning oneself as a young, ambitious entrepreneur eager to learn, and (2) market the up‑to‑date technical knowledge that comes with being part of the next generation, positioning it as a competitive advantage for clients. He emphasizes that delivering genuine value and passion to customers is the core of success, regardless of age, education, or experience. The video concludes with a broader reminder that any personal limiting belief—age, education, experience—can be reframed into a growth tool, and invites viewers to engage via likes and comments.
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As long as you allow your personal weaknesses to hold you back, they're going to. As an entrepreneur, I want to see you turn those weaknesses, those weaknesses, into strengths and help you move your business forward. Hi, I'm Evan Carmichael, your friend in all things entrepreneurship, and today I'm answering a question from a young entrepreneur named Rafael who's from New Jersey. He wants to start a software company And he says people don't want to help him because he's only 16. He's too young. Rafael, congrats on wanting to start this business. As long as you feel that 16 is too young, that's going to hold you back. It's going to limit your success. I had my first software company when I was 19, so I kind of know what you're going through. I was selling to guys 2, 3 times my age, and it scared me. I didn't want to do it at first because I thought these guys have a lot more experience, they have a lot more knowledge. They know things that I don't know, and I'm gonna look like an idiot calling on these guys. But I did it, and I realized that those are just assumptions in my head, that they weren't true. People wanna help people. You can use the fact that you're 16 to your advantage. Two ways: one, mentorship. People love helping young entrepreneurs. It's a lot easier to get help as an entrepreneur than as somebody who's older. So use that to your advantage. Call on entrepreneurs you respect, ask them for their help. Say, "You're a young, ambitious entrepreneur, you're trying to get this business started, I'd love to pick your brain for some ideas." If you show that you are really passionate about it, they're gonna say yes, they're gonna meet with you. The other way to use it is not to feel that 16 is holding you back, but 16 is your strength because you know what's coming up. You're up to date with the technology. You're the next wave. People should be hiring you because you're 16. Companies who are out of date with technology, looking for the next thing, they should be looking at you. And that's how you should be presenting yourself. Use the fact that you're young to your advantage and don't let it hold you back. You want to start a software company. I don't know how much you know about software, but as long as you are providing a lot of value to your customers and you're pouring your heart into it, you're going to make a lot of money. For those of you who are watching, Rafael's problem is the limiting personal belief around age, but it applies to everything. We let our limiting personal beliefs hold us back. Some people's age— I'm too young or I'm too old. Some people's education. "I never went to university." Some people's experience. Whatever it is, it's just in your head, and you can use it to your advantage to get customers. And that's part of being a successful entrepreneur. You gotta turn your weaknesses into your strengths as a way to grow your business. It's just shifting a mindset. I hope you'll apply it to your business. Thank you to everybody for watching. If you like this video, please give it a thumbs up below. Makes me wanna do more for you. And if you have a comment, I'd love to hear from you in the comment section below. Thank you, and I'll see you soon.
