Instead of turning away millennials that have their eyes glued to their phones, use their tech savvy to connect with your audience. These entrepreneurs have figured out how to tap into their young talent.
A. Their Tendency to Challenge Norms
Millennials are the generation that has chosen to do things differently. Whether that's not taking the 9-5 job, challenging the ways of larger companies, or choosing not to start a family until later, they're constantly looking for alternative ways to do things in the world. They have a unique perspective and are more open to out-of-the-box solutions and new ideas. - Laura Johnson, Salty Girl Seafood
A. Their Instinct to Automate
Millennials are always looking to automate. They don't like to take care of "small things" or do anything the long way. In a startup, finding out ways to automate tasks is crucial to success, especially in the beginning when you don't have resources. Using multiple apps to manage your calendar, calls, email, etc. is extremely important, and millennials have the instinct for that. - Sesie Bonsi, Bleu
A. Their Preference for Experiences Over Cash
For many startups, cash is king. And for many millennials, unique and memorable experiences are often more valuable than just cash. It's a match made in heaven. "Paying" through unlimited vacation time, flexible schedules, conferences and training, and team experiences can often be more important to them than massive salaries and bonuses. - Mike Jones, Resound
A. Their Ability to Digest a Lot of Content
Millennials are the focal point of a lot of content and marketing, from social media platforms to the latest digital app for XYZ. This makes them very useful and potentially successful in a startup environment because they can aggregate the best of what they're seeing as ideas for the company. -Arry Yu, GiftStarter.com
A. Their Flexibility
While many millennials are horrible about being punctual or adhering to a schedule, their flexible pace of life makes it work for a startup, because as most startup founders know, it's an ever-changing, flexible environment. The "normal" rules of the 9-5 day don't apply in the startup world. It doesn't matter if they work at 11 a.m. or 11 p.m. as long as they meet deadlines. - Steven Newlon, SYN3RGY Creative Group
A. Their Obsession With Everything Mobile
Everyone always complains that millennials have their faces stuck in their phones all the time, whether they're on Snapchat, Instagram or Facebook. But the thing is, the enterprise world is all about mobility now. The fact that they spend so much time with their phones in hand means they have an innate understanding of how things work. Many of them are a perfect fit for social marketing positions. - Steven Buchwald, The E2 Visa Lawyer
A. Their Immediacy
Millennials know what they want, and want it now. This may seem like a negative quality at first, but in terms of entrepreneurship, this can help propel a business forward. Also, millennials are more likely to pursue an exciting new business venture to find career gratification faster. This sense of restlessness can act as a motivator which makes them successful in a startup environment. - Jessica Baker, Aligned Signs
These answers are provided by members of FounderSociety, an invitation-only organization comprised of ambitious startup founders and business owners.