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How long will I be relevant?

November 21st, 2022 by Kenneth Abrahams

This is not a new topic for me. As a matter of fact, Debi, who is the Editor and Chief of all the blogs, pointed out that I had written a very similar blog almost exactly 1 year ago. There is no question that when conference season rolls around, and I see students and professionals that are so much younger than I, that I begin to question what I have left to give. It is something that  has worried me for years. At what point do I stop relating to my clients and when do they stop finding value in what I provide?

Growing up in the 60’s and 70’s, the mandatory retirement age in several professions was 62, the age I am today. Over time, it rose to 65 and then 70, many professions today don’t have a retirement age. Warren Buffett is one of the countries great business leaders and an incredible philanthropist, he is 92 and still working. Can you imagine if he stopped working 30 years ago?

Physical appearance is not the reason for this blog. That has never been particularly important to me. Many believe that age is just a number and that it really doesn’t matter. Often those espousing that sentiment have a significantly younger or older partner. Age is more than a number it is, in some respects, a ledger of life’s experiences. At FUN Enterprises, my title is VP for Client Relations but if we come right down to it, I am a salesperson. Most of my clients are Student Engagement/Involvement offices on College and University campuses.  Had I wanted to years ago, I could have taken on more corporate clients, but I enjoy the college market so much more. In college, I wanted to be a teacher and this, as a friend of mine says, fills that bucket. Part of my “job” is to help educate and train the students that I work with.   

As I said, most of my clients are college students or their advisors. Many of them range in age between 18 and 35. Of course there are exceptions to that but by in large they fall into that age demographic. When do I stop being relevant to this age group? A decade or two ago, I was the age of many of my clients’ parents, now I am the age of many of their grandparents. Generation Z, which is where a significant number of them fall into, have no recollection of 9/11. They certainly don’t remember the Challenger Disaster. Viet Nam is nothing more than a few pages in a history book and they probably haven’t met many if any Vets from World War II. My life experiences are vastly different from theirs. My Mom grew up during the depression and we never wasted a thing in our house. Not only do I know where I was on 9/11, but I vividly remember the Challenger and was alive when Neil Armstrong dropped onto the surface of the moon. John F. Kennedy’s assignation happened when I was 3, but I have memories of his brother Bobby and Dr. Martin Luther King being taken way to young.

When I grew up there were no cell phones, iPads, or streaming services. Live action role playing games were things like playing cops and robbers or a football game where you got to be your favorite player, complete with their jersey. Music was pretty much only on vinyl and you had 45’s, 78’s or LP’s. Eventually eight track and cassette tapes made music portable and more accessible for everyone. You had to wait for albums to be released and then, if you were interested, go to a record store and buy them.

Perhaps this topic is on my mind because I just went to 2 conferences where I watched a sea of young people passing by our booth. Some had no problems engaging with me, while others seemed to simply continue on, concentrating on the electronic device that seems to be ever present in their hand.  I kept asking myself if I was too old for this? Has this profession passed me by? Passion for what I do still burns but are the ideas and the delivery out of touch or out of step with my client base? Sitting on an airplane traveling 6 hours each way gave me lots of time to think, but I reached no conclusions. It took one simple phone call to answer the question for me.

There I was sitting in my office, home office to be exact, when the phone rang. Unfortunately, I was on another call so I couldn’t answer it, but I saw who it was. After I finished, I called her back. It was a client I have known since her days as a student and I’m not sure why, but we have bonded over the years. She asked if I had time to chat. Weeks before I leave on vacation are always busy, but it seemed like a good time to take a break, so I responded, “absolutely.” “Can I ask you a weird, not really business, question,” she queried. “Of course, you can,” I enthusiastically replied. She was sitting with a student and they were talking about an idea for their Winter Week. They wanted to create a path of lighting to create that holiday stroll feel and wanted to know if I have any ideas on how to do it. For the next 15 minutes we talked about what they wanted to accomplish and how best to do it. What started as a path defined by chicken wire, some strings of lights, and possibly some holiday inflatables, turned into a lot more. When the conversation ended, I felt like I had helped them out, even if just a little. At no point did we talk about whether or not FUN Enterprises had programs to enrich their event. Had I wanted to pitch them some ideas, they would have politely listened, but this was not what the conversation was about, it was about helping someone out and if I am being honest, it was a ton of fun for me.

It made me stop and think. For my clients that truly know me, they understand brainstorming and problem solving are two things that I absolutely love. Selling programs is what I need to do to keep people working and keep the lights on, both at the office and at home, but conversations like that are what keeps me engaged, enthused, and excited. Some, when they call and ask for my opinion and advice, feel as if they are intruding or bothering me, they couldn’t be further from the truth. Those conversations are what keep me coming back day after day and they keep me feeling young. Yes, I am from a very different generation, but for some strange reason I connect with my clients within this age bracket. Maybe it is because I am open to them teaching me or perhaps it is that I am willing to listen and hear them out.

There is nothing I am willing to do about the physical appearance. In my future I don’t see eye lifts, Botox, hair plugs or any other youth extending procedure. What I do see, are a lot more conversations like today. Conversations where I can put some of the knowledge and trivia that rolls around this brain to really good use. Do I have a shelf life? Probably, but I don’t feel as if my expiration date is anytime soon. If you need help, I am an email, a text, or a phone / Zoom call away. Am I still relevant? Hell yes!

About the author

Ken Abrahams had planned to spend only 5 years in the entertainment business. Right after college, he worked for a music agency and made less than $5,000.00 in his first year. Over time, he figured a few things out about the business and has held many jobs over his 40-year career. It is a career that has left him with some great stories, but even better friends.

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