Standards Decoded

There’s this unspoken rule in tech circles that if you spend too much time on LinkedIn or if you dress too well, you’re somehow less of a “real” engineer. That the guy in a hoodie buried in code is the real deal, while the one in a blazer talking about his work is just a salesman.

I used to believe that. And I used to wonder why my ideas, my work, and my projects weren’t getting the recognition they deserved. I thought good work would speak for itself. Turns out, work doesn’t have vocal cords.

The Cost of Not Selling Yourself

I’ve seen brilliant people get overlooked because they never learned how to talk about their work. They ship amazing things but stay invisible. And then they watch someone else, sometimes with less talent but more polish, get the credit, the funding, or the promotion.

It’s frustrating, but it’s not unfair. Because the world doesn’t just reward skill; it rewards perceived competence. If people don’t see your value, it might as well not exist.

Why Dressing Well and Talking About Your Work Matters

For a long time, I resisted the idea that looking the part mattered. I thought my skills would be enough. But here’s the hard truth: being young in tech is already a credibility challenge. When we don’t present ourselves professionally, we make it even harder for people to take us seriously.

Investors, clients, and bosses make snap judgments. That’s human nature. And while it’s easy to complain that we should be judged on our work alone, that’s not how the world works. Perception matters. Looking like you belong in the room can be the difference between being trusted with responsibility or being overlooked.

The Hustle Tax of Looking Too Young

We’re already playing the game on hard mode. We’re young, which means we have to do more to prove ourselves. And if we look too young, if we don’t carry ourselves with the presence of someone who should be in charge, we only add more hurdles.

It’s why people in our field often feel like they have to “hustle more” just to be considered worthy. The uncomfortable truth is that dressing the part and learning to promote ourselves strategically isn’t vanity. It’s leveling the playing field.

Why Startups Are Struggling

Ethiopian startups have talent and great ideas, but many struggle to scale. The issue isn’t a lack of skill, it’s a failure to position themselves as serious players.

Many startups present themselves poorly. They have vague pitches, weak branding, and no real effort to build credibility. They assume a great product alone will attract investors. That’s a fatal mistake. The result? They get ignored by serious investors and end up dealing with shady opportunists who exploit their potential. This is why predatory investors thrive while promising startups fail. The ones who undersell themselves get trapped in bad deals, and eventually, they collapse.

Every Edge Counts

For startups or your personal brand, every small advantage matters. In a world where perception drives opportunity, credibility is everything. A strong pitch deck, professional branding, and a solid online presence aren’t just ‘nice-to-haves’, they’re survival tools.

Winning isn’t just about having the best product; it’s about selling your vision so people believe in it. Founders need to ask themselves: Are we presenting ourselves as a top-tier company, or are we making excuses for why we’re not there yet?

Selling Is Just Telling the Right Story

Selling isn’t about faking it. It’s about showing the real value of what we do. It’s about making sure the right people understand why our work matters. If we don’t do that, we leave it to chance. And chance favors the people who know how to market themselves.

I’m not saying we should all turn into influencers or wear suits to write code. But maybe—just maybe—we should stop treating professionalism and self-promotion like they’re beneath us.