Teen Farmer Pivots to Tech with Unique Approach

At 16, I was making decent money with Milan Farms, but I realized stayiTeen Farmer Pivots to Tech with Unique Approach

ng in agriculture would limit my long-term impact. Everyone thought I was crazy to walk away from profitable turtle breeding and farming to dive into the brutal world of tech startups in Silicon Valley.

I pivoted completely—shutting down my farming operations and founding Ankord Media with zero industry connections and a tiny budget. The first year was brutal; I was competing against established agencies with decades of experience while learning branding and design from scratch.

The breakthrough came when I started targeting early-stage startups instead of trying to win over big corporations. Our anthropologist-led user research approach helped a struggling fintech startup completely reposition their brand, leading to a successful Series A raise within 6 months. Word spread fast in the startup community.

My advice: don't compete where everyone else is fighting. Find the underserved niche where your unique perspective creates actual value. I learned that being young and inexperienced becomes an advantage when you're solving problems for other young founders who think differently than traditional businesses.

Milan Kordestani, CEO, Ankord Media