Generation gaps are getting more and more severe and, when you think about it, it’s really no surprise. The rushing technological development of humankind that sprang in the 20th century and is still going strong in the 21st has been the catalysts to mark this gap so severely.
Truth be told, if I was born somewhere in the 40s or 50s, I would most definitely have a lot of trouble understanding the lives of youngsters these days. It is very challenging to even filter all the information that we now have access to, let alone put it to good use. I mean, I’m not terribly surprised by the look of bewilderment on my mom’s face when I show her my Twitter profile. Heck, even I get lost in there sometimes.
These years have been marked by the success of the generation of people popularly named the millennials. People born between the beginning of the 80s up to somewhere in the mid 90s can consider themselves a part of this group. There are some things distinct about this particular age group that makes them capable of achieving success very early in their lives. Here are some of the traits & tricks these young entrepreneurs boast about and rely on when making decisions.
1. Mark Zuckerberg: Be dedicated
“Are you willing to make sacrifices for your passion?”
As the owner and founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg is one of the most successful people in the world, let alone among the millennials. Dedication to work and innovation have set this 30-year-old genius apart from the competition, and his wealth is estimated somewhere around $33.1 billion. According to Mr. Zuckerberg, you should devote yourself to what you are doing and if this means missing a few nights out then so be it.
2. Aden Levin and Rob Tominey: Know your market
“Essentially, we want to become the number one company for inexpensive but high quality travel.”
Millennials are quite aware that the majority of their generation loves to travel and these two young entrepreneurs, being that they are a part of this generation, found it as an ideal place for investment. The broader message here is to be aware of the time that you live in and give the people what they want, don’t try to convince them into what they need, in other words, there words do your market research thoroughly.
3. Jamie Dunn: Choose your friends wisely
“Surround yourself with positive people who believe in you.”
As a 20-year-old who managed to put his own company together at that age and ended up hitting major success, Jamie Dunn definitely has natural talent for entrepreneurship. When he was asked what he found most difficult through his rise to success, he replied that the biggest problem was breaking out from that circle of people who claimed he would never make it. Encouragement is a big part of success.
4. Ben Weissenstein: Start at the bottom
“Everything started as nothing.”
Mr. Weissenstein’s career started when he was helping his mother organize a garage sale at the age of 14. At the age of 19 he had already started a company with a couple of friends with no knowledge of how to run a business. He claims that their organization was rather simple in the beginning but, gradually, they learned and got more organized.
5. Amelia Humfress: Enjoy diversity
“You get to dive straight into the interesting challenges and do something different every day, rather than just making the tea!”
In her first year as an independent coder, Amelia made a turnover of £408,000. Today, she holds Humfress’ coding, which has the flattering title of one of the best places to code in 2014 and currently offers classes in many types of coding, web design and much more. She claims that her motivation comes from the fact that her job always has to offer new and interesting challenges.
6. Sheel Tyle: Find your inspiration
“Finding your motivation and drive that will not go away”
The youngest on the Forbes 30 under 30 finance list in 2013, Sheel Tyle is an associate NEA at a venture capital firm and a young entrepreneur. He ties his greatest inspiration to an event he witnessed on the streets of Mumbai. Apparently, he witnessed a man haggling a price of his purchase from 20 to 19 rupees (which is somewhere around 2 cents) and this kind of devotion inspired him to start his own career.
7. Sheryl Sandbergs: Keep the ones you love close
“Remember to find some times for the ones you care about”
A woman that managed to get Facebook’s shares up 140% works hard but doesn’t only focus on work. Outside of work, she has an active life with her family and friends which is something that is generally considered a priority by millennials across the board.
8. Steph Parker: Know your SEO
“Learn about social media and modern marketing.”
As one of Forbes’ Top 30 under 30 Marketing and Advertising, her career has really been a diverse one. One of the crucial things that helped her move forward was her experience and understanding of how SEO works which helped her discover how content actually reaches people. If you want to be a modern entrepreneur, you have to use the right SEO tools in order to allow people to reach the idea you want to present them with.
9. George Burgess: Be a problem solver
“Finding solutions to problems you have and then capitalize on them.”
As a student, Mr. Burgess had trouble finding any useful apps to help him prepare for his A-Levels. The fact that there is a considerable number of apps out there and that none of them helped students get through their education struck him as an ideal place for investment and it appears he was right. Focusing on real needs is a must if you want people to take notice.
10. Jamal Edwards: Make your hobby into a profession
“Turning a hobby into an entrepreneurship ends up leaving you with work you love.”
At 15, he started amateur filming with his friends, just for fun and he uploaded his first video in 2007. In just 7 years, he has grown so much that he worked with some of the most famous Pop Stars out there and gathered a following of 400,000+ subscriptions on YouTube.
There is a lot to learn from these young people and I hope this helps you on your way to success. Remember, not every entrepreneur makes it as quickly as these guys, so don’t get discouraged and things will definitely happen for you.
