Eternal Youth?

Trading Jabs and Wisdom with Young Seb & Tech Sage Sebastien Taveau grounded in some reality and hard truths.

This week, I wanted to have something a bit lighter to talk about. I have been mentoring some young entrepreneurs at Berkeley as well as one of my nephews who is trying to start his own company. It got me thinking. How would I react if I met my younger self today. What would be the conversation. Well, here it is. All of it is of course fictional :)

[Interview Setting: A Hip Café in Downtown San Francisco with “un air de je ne sais quoi”. ”Seb Jr. (SJ)” is leaning back comfortably, exuding youthful energy and confidence. Across from him, “Older Seb (OS)” sits with a relaxed demeanor, a twinkle of experience in his eyes.]

SJ: Hey there, old-timer! Did you find this place with the help of a paper map or what?

OS: (laughs) Well, you caught me! No GPS back in my day, just good old intuition.

SJ: (grinning) I gotta say, I'm surprised you're not holding a flip phone and a pager. But seriously, does your ancient wisdom still hold up in today's tech whirlwind?

OS: (smirking) Ancient wisdom, huh? Let me tell you, my friend, those years brought more than just nostalgia. Experience taught me how to navigate storms and ride waves, so I'd say it's a bit more than ancient.

SJ: (raising an eyebrow) Okay, I'll give you that. But what about staying ahead of the curve? Tech's moving at warp speed, and I'm betting you're on dial-up.

OS: (laughs) Dial-up, really? Look, kid, I might not be coding with emojis, but my experience helps me spot the real gold nuggets amidst all the glitter.

SJ: (nodding) Fair enough, but agility's everything now. You can't deny that the young guns like me thrive on quick decisions and adaptability.

OS: (leaning in) You're right, agility is vital, but so is knowing when to zig and when to zag. My experience helps me predict where the next twist is coming from. It's not about speed; (using a slow voice voluntarily) it's about making every move count.

SJ: (smirking) So you're like the Jedi of the tech world, relying on instincts?

OS: (grinning) Hey, I won't object to a Star Wars comparison. But let's be real, data is our lightsaber. I've seen trends, fads, and industry cycles. That helps me interpret data in ways you can't just Google.

SJ: (raising an eyebrow) True, true. But don't you ever feel like you're lost in a sea of Snapchats and TikToks?

OS: (chuckles) Nah, I'm not trying to keep up with every app out there. I've got my core skills and the ability to learn new tricks. And those skills, my friend, are like the foundation of a skyscraper.

SJ: (smiling) Okay, that's a metaphor I can appreciate. But let's be real, the tech world's ageist, and gray hair (mumbling ) (or whatever is left of them) isn't exactly trendy.

OS: (leaning back) Ageist, you say? Well, kid, you're right to a degree. But here's the thing – soft skills, the ability to lead and collaborate, they're like the secret sauce of success. And those skills come from years of interactions and learning.

SJ: (softening) I've seen that too, actually. The guys who've been around, they know how to read and work the room and close deals.

OS: (nodding) Exactly. See, it's not just about knowing code; it's about knowing people and knowing the game. Combine that with your tech-savvy, and you're unstoppable.

SJ: (respectfully) Alright, Seb Sr., you've made your point. Let's cut the ageism crap and start learning from each other.

OS: (smiling) Now you're talking, Seb Jr. Together, we're not just bridging a gap, we're building a bridge that others can walk on too.

[The playful banter transforms into a mutual respect between the two Sebastiens, symbolizing the power of bridging the generational gap in the tech industry.]

Disclaimer: The above interview is a fictional representation created in collaboration with a PR professional and AI language. The viewpoints and experiences of the characters do not reflect completely the real experiences of Sebastien Taveau or anyone else. But it is darn close.