Doug Williams at the Open Course CU, recently posted an article identifying the opportunity for credit unions to connect with Gen-Yers through small business services, as well as consumer services. And it got us thinking.
Over the last several months, many of us have been affected in some way by the lean job market, but stats show that Gen-Yers are being hit the hardest with unemployment rates well above average for twentysomethings.
So is it so surprising that Gen-Yers are looking more towards entrepreneurial endeavors? In fact, a 2008 article in the Wall Street Journal revealed that:
- Half of all new college graduates now believe that self-employment is more secure than a full-time job
- 80% of the colleges and universities in the U.S. now offer courses on entrepreneurship
- 60% of Gen Y business owners consider themselves to be serial entrepreneurs (Inc. Magazine)
- 18 to 24-year-olds are starting companies at a faster rate than 35 to 44-year-olds
- 70% of today's high schoolers intend to start their own companies (Gallup poll)
And now I hope it’s got you thinking too. How could you tailor or augment your small business marketing initiatives and services to attract Gen-Y entrepreneurs?
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