I think aesthetics matter as much in SF as anywhere else. People hew to a certain look. It's just that the desired aesthetics differ there from most other places. Looking different from the normies is part of the aesthetics of that subculture.

And that aspect of appearance is what various advisors are talking about when it comes to appearance.

If you're wanting to get, say, a group of investors to give you a pile of money, or to woo a hotshot dev over to your company, or whatever, what you're facing is a communications problem. How you look, speak, dress, and carry yourself is a huge part of that communication. Through them, you're communicating something -- whether you intend to be or not -- so the point is that you should be communicating with intentionality.

Different subcultures have different aesthetic languages, and you do best by speaking in the language of those you're addressing.