As a teenager, my entrepreneurial opportunities were limited to paper routes, lemonade stands and mowing neighbors’ yards on weekends. As an Arizona native, these opportunities were easy to find, though none were particularly enticing in the hot summer sun.
These days, advancing technology, the growing ubiquity of information and the evolving business landscape are providing aspiring millennials with unprecedented opportunities to start businesses and pursue entrepreneurial ambitions — before they can even drive.
Case in point, Stacey Ferreira and Jared Kleinert, two successful millennial entrepreneurs who are tearing down the perceptions of their “entitled generation.” Ferreira, 22, started her first company when she was 18, raising $1.2 million in funding and selling her business two years later. Kleinert, 19, has founded two companies before the age of 16 and later worked in two venture capital-backed startups.
Ferreira and Kleinert are out to prove that they are not extraordinary or abnormalities, but rather part of progressive norm of young and ambitious millennial business leaders.
The two have co-authored a new book, 2 Billion Under 20: How Millennials are Breaking Down Boundaries and Changing the World, in which they share how millennials are breaking down age barriers and changing the world. The book includes firsthand anecdotes for finding success at a young age from Olympians, teenage entrepreneurs, singers, actors, scientists, nonprofit founders, computer scientists and more from more than 20 different countries and all walks of life.
Here are a few inspirational thoughts from just a few of the talented young entrepreneurs they feature in their book.
Tyler Arnold, Co-Founder, SimplySocial
“In hindsight, every start story feels like things were ‘meant to be.’ It feels like your destiny was set all along. But that’s not true. What every start story is missing is the endless questioning and self-doubt that’s felt throughout the entire process — I guess if you’ve been around long enough to see these things, you realize that luck, spontaneity, and good timing count for a lot.”
Kevin Breel, Writer, Standup Comedian, and TED Speaker
“In youth comes the right amount of overconfidence and naivety to think you can actually change the world. You get to dream big dreams and create crazy plans for total domination of the universe. But it’s also the time you need to actually do stuff.”
Kirill Chekanov, Founder, Chill
“I look back on the days that I romanticized my ‘idea of business.’ It’s true that doing business does require talking and laughing and shaking hands, but it takes work to get there. And putting in that work upfront, to build a solid network, will help ensure that doing business will be fun.”
Alex Jeffery, Founder, ONEWorld Summit
“We live in an extraordinary time in history. We are more powerful than ever before and are only going to become even more limitless in the near future! So get out there, do what you love, make a different, and have a hell of a lot of fun!”
Ben Lang, Founder, Mapme
“Choose to surround yourself only with people you know will commit to your personal and professional success 100 percent. Choose people to surround yourself with that will challenge you, support you, and bring you to new heights — not send you crashing and burning to the ground.”
Zoe Mesnik-Greene, Founder, Lasting Smiles
“A simple idea or a short conversation can lead to monumental changes in our culture. Look for what sparks you and speaks to you and propels you forward with burning desire. While going about your day, be alert to how you can improve the world by consciously being in an innovative state of mind.”
Sam Mikulak, Olympic Gymnast and Co-Founder, MateBros
“When you are striving for something in life, realize how success will affect those around you and use that force as motivation to achieve exceptional goals in life. When you are fighting for a cause that is bigger than yourself, you will find that you have no bounds and that the journey, not only the success, is what shapes the person you become.”
Safeer Mohiuddin, Founder, Underage Investor
“I sold $100,000 worth of iPhones. It seems silly talking about buying and selling iPhones as an entrepreneur, but that’s how it all starts. Entrepreneurship is about hustling. It’s about doing whatever it takes to get the job done no matter the circumstances you are under.”
