Aging and Relevance

Another trip around the sun and thoughts on relevance

I was writing a post on product design for this week, but this weekend was my birthday. That made me reflect on aging and relevance, so I changed my beat to write on this topic instead.

Image: Alex Shuper

The paradox

The relationship between age and relevance is paradoxical.

In 2025, with AI threatening creative jobs and "experience" becoming both asset and liability, this paradox is more pronounced. While our industry fetishizes youth and disruption, true relevance comes from something deeper than age or tech prowess.

I first felt this paradox in my mid-20s at R/GA, when the digital agency was invited to pitch for Nike's first-ever Digital Agency of Record account.

At 26, R/GA's legendary founder Bob Greenberg asked me to present work to Nike at their headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. The team traveling from New York included Bob (then in his early fifties and twice my age), several senior leaders in their 30s and 40s, and me - the youngest by far. (Today, I'm closer to Bob's age then.)

---

---

In my 20s, I was often the youngest in boardroom meetings and presentations. When people asked my age and I told them, most thought I was in my 30s. I guess my Asian look worked.

I stopped sharing my age. It was counterproductive.

When I joined AKQA, a growing digital agency, at 30, I found myself in the opposite situation.

My new boss, Ajaz Ahmed, was barely older than me but had built AKQA from a college dorm project into a global agency network with hundreds of employees. My creative partner, PJ Pereira, was just a year my senior but had earned international acclaim and numerous awards. Next to them, I felt underqualified.

Around this time, I found a quote and book by Paul Arden, a British art director:

“It’s not how good you are. It’s how good you want to be.”

I wish I’d discovered it a decade earlier, but better late than never. With this quote in mind, I spent my 30s trying to catch up with my contemporaries.

I felt starting my own thing would give me more control over my relevance. So, as I turned 40, I started a company (it’s still going, thankfully).

I didn’t realize being in your 40s was a different ballgame.

In your 40s, you hit the halftime of your career, except that you don’t get to sit down and rest. For one, you have more responsibilities and burdens—mainly financial—than you did in your 30s. Life becomes more complicated and stressful. By 50, you suddenly notice people a decade younger than you getting all the limelight.

Most of us didn’t expect AI to emerge in our lifetime. Current developments are making the future both bright and grim.

Here we are. This makes the question of relevance more urgent.

How to stay relevant

The short answer to “How do I stay relevant?” is that you just have to show up, learn new skills, create stuff, and keep going.

There is no long answer to this question.

One thing I stopped is comparing myself to my generation. It can get depressing fast.

I’ve found it useful to draw inspiration from people 20 years older AND younger than me.

I see Sir John Hegarty, the legend in the creative industry who needs no introduction, active on LinkedIn, publishing a weekly newsletter, and teaching the Business of Creativity course. He may have a team helping him but he’s got passion, he’s not cynical, and he’s doing new things. And he’s 80 years old (ok, he’s over 20 years older than me).

Or Angela Onuoha, whom I met in Europe in 2024. She went from being a college dropout to a trichology-certified haircare influencer. She’s nearly 20 years younger than me, but hearing about her journey as a full-time content creator was invaluable.

---

Listen to my conversation with Angela on how to make content creation your full-time job.

Apple Podcast:

Spotify:

---

Staying relevant isn't just about showing up and learning new skills. It's about understanding that relevance comes from the unique point of view each life stage provides.

Sir John Hegarty isn't relevant at 80 because he forces himself to stay current—he's relevant because he brings decades of wisdom. Angela Onuoha isn't relevant because she's young and cool (she is), but because she combines scientific knowledge with fresh perspectives on haircare.

And then there is my father, who turned 80 just a few weeks ago. He started a YouTube channel.

This is the paradox of relevance: it's not about chasing trends or fighting against time. It's about leveraging your unique position in life - whether you're the youngest or most experienced - to see things others do not.

Staying relevant isn't about age.

It's about maintaining curiosity while building wisdom and understanding that each life stage offers its own relevance if we're open enough to embrace it.

It’s never too late to learn, start, and create something new.

---