As a frequent speaker to financial services audiences, I talk often about the future customers of financial institutions, including Gen Z, the youngest generation, who are mostly still in some form of school as I write this. So when I have a chance to interact with an actual Gen Z member, I generally ask a lot of questions; about how they interact online and, even at a very young age, pay for things online and just how they think generally. So it was on a beautiful fall day, I was engaged in serious conversation with my great niece, Avery.
Every time I am around Avery, I have renewed hope for our future as a species. If even half of her generation is as smart, thoughtful, and energetic as she is, we will all be OK. She is truly a renaissance young lady, active in volleyball and a competitive cheerleader. Smart; she does extremely well in her 7th grade classes. She could likely become anything she put her mind to. If I had to guess right now, she would make a great actress. While I was visiting, she did a killer impression of linebacker Clay Matthews in full gorilla mode (physical improv).
Later, during a conversation about job interviewing skills which was not about her, she jumped out of her chair and did a spot on extemporaneous riff of a job applicant, first shy and under-confident, then immediately switched to the confident, go-getting job seeker. Excellent command of oratory skills!
What she really wants is to become a baker, specifically to be innovative in creating new baked foods, particularly cakes and cookies. She regularly takes over the home kitchen; working without pre-written recipes to create her own versions of baked goods. Scanning YouTube videos, she picks up basic techniques, then puts these into practice in her own “kitchen laboratory.”
By way of example, she told me about creating her own original frosting, making it smooth and creamy by using powdered sugar. She took parts of different YouTube videos and through experimentation, created her own recipe. This also illustrates that YouTube may be the future of all education…
In the end, she admitted her dream is to have her own shop, a bakery / pastry place where she could freely innovate and turn it into a profitable enterprise. But, not to my surprise, she added an entertainment wrinkle. She would want live music or perhaps an acting / improv element that would be incorporated into the business. No doubt this would be a unique draw for customers.
As an entrepreneur, I am excited to see the passion for creating small businesses is alive and well in Avery. Her smile is infectious, her speech thoughtful and reasoned and yet, every so often, she is just a 12 year-old goofball. So much fun to be around!
Do you know someone like Avery? If so, then pour yourself into their lives. Help them grow and fan the flames of their passion. Help them understand doing things like starting a business is hard work. Give them chances to take small initiatives and allow them to fail small and early. These are valuable lessons which will sharpen and align their experience with their interests and passions. And, oh say 12 years from now, you might run across a bakery / improv shop where they serve up unique twists on both Shakespeare and cookies. It’ll be called “Shakes and Bakes” …
Special shout out to Aunt Samantha for the totally cool and unique shop name …