Social Media and Entrepreneurship
Now is an exciting time for business, technology, and social media and how well the marriage works among the three. So, what opportunities are waiting in the future for younger generations? The possibilities are exciting and endless.
Sure, the opportunities are endless with all of the technology that they are growing up with, but times are tough and competition is fierce — and you really have to wonder if just sending them to the right schools and making sure they go into "money making" careers are really the right way to go. Does the world really need another lawyer, accountant, etc?
I believe that it's important for our kids, as well as for ourselves, to know that there are always choices and opportunities to be found; so much so that I have started an entrepreneurial class for kids in my hometown. Because of all of the constraints that are put on us as we get older, we don't always see things and follow our dreams as we wish we could. However, with the growth of social media, it is now possible to think about doing things that you may not have thought possible before, such as going into your own business.
With so many social media tools at our fingertips, there's never been a better time to go off on your own — to make your own path instead of always having to follow someone else's.
But as I've said before, we somehow feel "stuck" by our financial commitments and forget to realize that the quality of our lives is as important as how we make our money. How many of us feel that we work so hard at our jobs, not knowing if we will have one tomorrow?
I believe so strongly in social media and the entrepreneur that I am writing my next book on the topic. We cannot use the same business standards that have been used for the last 50 years, just as kids today should not be taught in the same way that worked in the past. Social Media allows us to reach so many people — to network and build our brand faster than ever — and sometimes without even having to leave our home office. So why not utilize these amazing tools to the fullest? All of these technologies are not only supposed to take our businesses further but will hopefully give us back some of this "quality of life" that seems to be constantly going by the wayside.
Of course, running a business isn't for everyone. We just need to allow ourselves to think this way once in a while — to open the doors to innovation and creativity in the same way that we did when we were younger.
Know yourself, your strengths, and capitalize on them to the fullest.
I recently watched a video of a man who admitted that he was terrible in school but loved being in front of a room and giving speeches; he was comfortable doing this, even at a young age. However, while in school, they never addressed his strengths but rather, continued to "fix," with the help of tutors, those things that he struggled with. How great would it have been if the focus was put not only on correcting the negative but encouraging the positive? He admitted that even today, he is terrible at accounting, so now he just hires an accountant. Once again, know YOUR strengths in business and do all that you can with them, whether you work for someone or for yourself. He now travels the world giving speeches and doing what he loves, and he makes his speeches available on the web as well.
Social Media today provides us with a road that has an infinite amount of paths in front of us — it's just a matter of finding the one that works best for you and your business. Learn all that you can about them, as they will be critical for managing business in the future and in helping you stay ahead of your competition.
I believe that you CAN sell anything to anyone through social media. The key is to know what works in today's online environment — to become comfortable using them and to make them work for YOU.
You are right on Marco. Unfortunately, someone forgot to tell the Dept of Education in most cities. They are still educating kids for the Industrial Age. You and I know that the Industrial Age is gone for good. I'd love to see entrepreneural classes in my community.
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: eMarketing Association Network
Discussion: Social Media and Entrepreneurship
I am learning about social media. It is incredible how you can be part of a huge community worldwide learning and sharing ideas. I have understood that the age 30 – 60 are the group who are the key users.I would love to learn about other's experiences.
Posted by Mona Cooley
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: NY Entrepreneurs Business Network (NYEBN)
Discussion: Social Media and Entrepreneurship
I think we need to get older generations involved they are missing the fun
Posted by Steve Stern
What's necessary, still, in any endeavor are strong communication skills, and the commitment to teaching those to high standards seems to be waning significantly. It's unfortunate. As a professor of undergraduate business communications, I see the places to start are listening skills and reading comprehension.
Via LinkedIn Groups
Group: Professional Bloggers
Discussion: Social Media and Entrepreneurship
The possibilities really are endless. The pace of social media will, in my opinion, become much more advanced than what we can comprehend may happen in the future. As technology and innovation grows in an exponential pace, we can only imagine, and see how our imaginations pale in comparison to the developments for the younger generations.
Posted by Jason Su
Really good article. Thanks!
Many members of the current younger generation have not lived in a world without computers, social media, and related technology. Having grown up with all the gadgets, they are adept at using them, and in imagining and developing the technology to come (which is how we got to where we are now). Certainly, unimaginable technological inventions will be at the disposal of future generations.
That said, I share the same concern as Molly Badgett, who commented on the article. In large measure, effective communication skills develop as one acquires the life-long habit of reading books. Effective writing is modeled on what you absorb from good writers. I won't condemn an entire generation. That would be unfair, and, most likely, a distortion of the facts. Yet, I believe that many of the yoiunger generation do not care at all about reading and writing. (My girlfriend, who is a high school English teacher, would back me on that assertion.) And, if the current younger generation pays no attentiion to reading and writing, will the future generations be any more likely to focus on those matters?
To me then, the real issue is not what technological opportunities await the future generations, but rather whether our successors will be able to use that technology to communicate effectively.
I welcome comments from all readers.
Social media does not come without its challenges. You still need to be saavy enough to come up with a unique product or service significant numbers of people want and need. You still need communication skills. It may be easier to mass market on social media and develop a niche network for a potential market base. Yet, at the same time, social media has opened up this flexibility to every company and for every individual, so the competition has widened. I am concerned people may only accept so much bombardment of info in email boxes and on social media walls from people trying to market to them, rather subtle or not so subtly, and may begin to tune out. Only a few thoughts.