The Hard Truth About Building for the New Age
When we started shaping the youth arm of Founders’ Battlefield, it wasn’t about launching a program—it was about striking a match. We wanted to spark something—a controlled burn that would light up a generation tired of shadows. This was never meant to be safe. It was meant to be a fire that demands truth, burns away illusion, and dares young founders to step forward, unmasked.
We knew it wouldn’t be easy. But we didn’t expect the battlefield to look quite like this.
I. The Culture Isn’t Built for Truth
One of the first things we learned? Vulnerability scares people. We asked young founders to share real stories—failures, doubts, debts, depression. And what we got was silence or surface-level hype. Because somewhere along the way, we were taught that building in public makes you weak. That being seen as figuring it out is a liability. That only finished products and polished pitches deserve applause.
But here’s the thing: truth moves people. And without it, there’s no real community—just a curated audience.
II. Work Ethic Has Been Rebranded—and Not for the Better
We’re not lazy. We’re just tired of meaningless hustle.
Still, that doesn’t mean we don’t need to show up daily, do the boring parts, or do the work when no one’s watching. The youth we engage are full of passion—but many have never had to practice consistency, or stick with something long enough to see results. We quickly realized that if we didn’t create structure, we’d burn out on vibes and ideas alone.
A battlefield without routine is just chaos.
III. Attention Is the Enemy of Focus
The biggest competition wasn’t another program. It was TikTok. Memes. Hustle Twitter.
Everywhere you turn, there’s a dopamine hit waiting. And with it, a lie: that success comes fast, and that those who don’t have it by 25 are somehow behind. We lost good people to false timelines. We lost focus to fake urgency.
And until we build new digital habits, we’ll keep having to fight culture before we can even build companies.
IV. Everyone Wants Mentorship—Few Want to Serve
When we talk about access, everyone wants to get in the room. But what happens once you’re there?
The hard truth is this: you don’t get mentorship by asking—you earn it by serving, showing up, and creating value for others. Yet most youth come in expecting handouts, not realizing that their greatest opportunity is to build something for someone else first.
We had to teach that giving—time, effort, support—isn’t a distraction. It’s the path.
V. The Cost of Half-Hearted Participation
Most of the youth we work with are stuck between curiosity and commitment. They show up, but not fully. They want to be associated, but not accountable. They participate just enough to say they were there—but not enough to grow.
They want the reward without the repetition. The platform without the preparation.
But building anything meaningful demands presence. It demands energy. Half-hearted effort produces half-baked results—and in this work, that just doesn’t cut it.
Our challenge has become clear: how do we inspire full participation in a world addicted to low-stakes engagement?
They want the reward, but they also want the comfort. They want to play big, but they fear losing small.
And this tension—the anxious middle—paralyzes progress. Our work has become about pushing people to choose: commit, or reset. But don’t stay stuck in the hallway.
VI. So Why Do We Keep Building?
Because we believe in what we can’t yet see.
When someone like Michael Macharia invites you to build with him—to found with him—it’s not just a moment. It’s a marker. An honour. The kind of invitation that forces you to level up, strip away pretence, and meet the gravity of the work head-on.
To be asked to co-create with those who’ve already carried weight is a privilege—and a responsibility. It affirms that your voice matters, but it also demands that you deliver.
Because we believe in what we can’t yet see.
Regardless always moving forward !
If you’re a young founder looking for communion, or someone who believes in what we’re building—reach out. Join the movement. Follow our journey across platforms and let’s shape the future together.
#FoundersBattlefield #NextGenBuilders #YouthInEnterprise
Race you to the future.