This month we turn our attention to the future of the workplace and how the youngest generation in it (Gen Z) is likely to help shape it. Plus, practical steps to avoid when selling or starting a business, and an antique of a marketing video that still has something to say to contemporary business owners thinking about their marketing focus.
1. How the Youngest Generation is Redefining Work
While millennials, Gen X and boomers grapple in the workplace, the first generation born into a digitally saturated world is making its career debut. This article from BBC Capital looks at the characteristics of Generation Z and how they may affect the working world.
2. Podcast: Selling a Small Business? Avoid These Mistakes
This 9-minute episode from the Wall Street Journal's podcast, Watching Your Wealth, walks through six mistakes many business owners make when the time comes to sell — and practical ways to avoid them.
3. Why You Need Persistence When Selling Your Business
This post from Business2Community examines the difficulty and importance of persevering through the entire process of selling your small business. It provides an overview of the basic phases of a sale then dives into why they exist, what a business owner can do to increase the chances of a successful transition and some practical advice for active entrepreneurs who just hate waiting.
4. Video: Steve Jobs Talks Marketing Strategy
This oldie features Steve Jobs talking strategy in an internal video for NeXt, the software company he founded after parting with Apple in the '80s. Made in 1991, Jobs' discussion of marketing strategy touches on principles still relevant today: finding your target market, leveraging the competition, hearing and responding to customer needs and a unique selling proposition.
5. A CEO’s Greatest Challenge: Sales and Go-To Market Execution
This post from Chief Executive states that while CEOs face many challenges, the inability to develop and maintain a great sales channel is the reason most startups fail. Keep reading for five actionable steps CEOs can take to combat this challenge head-on.