In today’s business landscape, it’s anyone’s game. While it’s true that baby boomers can leverage life experience and a wealth of wisdom into making meaningful decisions, the Gen Zs and millennials’ drive and ambition can fuel them into entrepreneurship too.
All things considered, business advice can come in many forms, and many times, age doesn’t always determine how deep it can be. That said, let’s take a look at the most critical lessons we can learn from young entrepreneurs today.
Embrace technology
This lesson shouldn’t come as a surprise. These days, there’s a web-first solution for everything. Smartphone apps are in abundance too. Don’t want to do your own groceries? Kroger. Not in the mood to whip up a meal? DoorDash. Need to go from one place to another? Uber.
And because all these innovations are happening at a time when technology has advanced greatly since the 90s, today’s young business leaders are incredibly fluent in the langue of automation and machinery.
For instance, take the optimization of no-code tools. Back in the day, only technical developers and seasoned coders could build software from scratch. Today, virtually anyone can with no-code platforms. Visual programming has empowered more users to actualize their visions and move them into action.
Take 17-year-old Zach Laberge, for example. He optimized Bubble to create Frenter, an all-in-one Saas tool for rental businesses across North America. Without writing a single line of code, he’s been able to build a business, acquire two others, and now serves more than hundreds, if not thousands, of patrons.
Still, it’s important to note that citizen developers—the term used to refer to no-code builders—aren’t limited to building dynamic and profitable apps only. A lot of times, citizen developers are employees who wish to shorten a workflow by automating work processes.
Both staff members and organization leaders alike are using no-code solutions like Integromat and Octaparse, to name a few, to integrate multiple apps and gather data smartly.
Essentially, no-code tools aren’t only about building profitable and functional programs—although this is a huge win. No-code tools also make for great resources when streamlining business practices and making more efficient marketing efforts.
Take branding seriously
The word “brand” isn’t new, but young entrepreneurs are finding new ways to make the most of curating experiences tied to their products and services. And although branding isn’t anything novel, the younger generation of business leaders are putting a heavier premium on branding efforts. So much so, that personal branding—as invidious personalities, meaning apart from the business they establish—has never been more apparent until today.
Prime examples here are Sarah Snow of Snow Media, Alexa Hirschfeld of Paperless Post, and Jade Darmawangsa of X8 Media, to name a few.
Furthermore, it’s also easier to notice how today’s newer brands are a lot more cohesive and put together on social media. From language to memes and emojis to product offerings, a lot of the fresher brands are aesthetically appealing and offer principle-driven messaging.
Company culture is everything
Ever since the pandemic hit in 2020, the way we approach work and employment has changed. Whereas life before coronavirus consisted of a stunning lack of mental health breaks at work and other relevant employee privileges, today, workers are demanding more.
That said, young entrepreneurs are approaching the workspace with a lot more caution and respect for diversity. Not only do studies cite how younger bosses are prioritizing more leaves, remote work, and up-skilling, today’s newer bosses are a lot more sensitive with how teams work with each other, too.
What’s Next?
Again, one’s age or generation can mean very little when the business one runs is anchored on empathy, purpose, and insight. Nonetheless, there are a ton of lessons to pick up from both millennial and Gen Z entrepreneurs alike.
The word “young” may be relative, and a host of definitions on the internet can tell us how that word should be approached. Even then, what matters most is that today’s leaders carry with them not only the desire to make a profit but more so the heart for change and progress.
Fortunately, no-code tools are at the forefront of them the ongoing change in the business space. From customer-facing apps to internal communication channels, no-code platforms enable anyone and everyone to build applications minus the heft sum of money generally needed to launch an app.
Are there app ideas you’d like to explore? We’re the team to partner with!
