Why All Young People Should Be Entrepreneurs. | Justin Lafazan | TEDxAllendaleColumbiaSchool

Summary

The speaker challenges the traditional linear path to success, questioning societal norms that dictate a certain sequence from high school to retirement. They advocate for life design, encouraging entrepreneurship among youth to create opportunities and solve problems. The benefits highlighted include excitement, flexibility, risk aversion, and the ability to explore passions. The narrative contrasts the structured life with the empowered life of an entrepreneur, urging young people to design their own paths to extraordinary lives.

Takeaways

• 🤔 The speaker felt their life was on a predetermined path that didn't resonate with them, questioning the conventional route to success.
• 🔄 A paradox was identified where the status quo advice for success didn't align with the dissatisfaction of many in their work.
• 🌐 The concept of 'life design' was introduced as a way to envision and create a path towards a desired future lifestyle.
• 🏫 The speaker disliked the rigid structure of school and sought a more flexible and engaging way to learn and grow.
• 🚀 Entrepreneurship was presented as a means to create opportunities and solve problems, diverging from the traditional career ladder.
• 💡 The speaker discovered that successful people often carved their own paths, seeking lives that were not readily available.
• 📈 Entrepreneurship was advocated for young people as it offers excitement, flexibility, and a sense of control over one's life path.
• 📉 The risks of following a traditional career path were highlighted, using the example of someone reaching a high position in a company that then failed.
• 👨‍🎓 The speaker shared personal experiences of starting companies and the value of trying different things to understand one's passions.
• 🧠 The importance of experimentation and exploration was emphasized over rigid educational and career structures.
• 💼 The final call to action was for young people to design their lives with entrepreneurship in mind, aiming for extraordinary rather than average lives.

Q & A

What was the speaker's problem with the traditional path to success?

The speaker felt that the traditional path to success, which involves going from high school to college to internships to jobs and eventually retirement, did not make sense to them and did not resonate with their desire for a non-conventional life.

What paradox did the speaker develop regarding societal messages about success?

The paradox was that if everyone follows the same singular path to success, how can one stand out or achieve something different from the status quo, especially when many people are unhappy with their work.

What is the 'hand in the sand' mentality mentioned in the script?

The 'hand in the sand' mentality refers to the process of taking in as much advice as possible and letting go of the advice that doesn't resonate, while holding onto the advice that does.

What did the speaker discover as the core advice in the palm of their hand?

The core advice that the speaker found valuable was to create opportunities and solve problems.

How does the speaker define 'life design'?

Life design is defined as looking out 10 years into the future, identifying the life one wants to live, and designing a path to achieve that life.

What are the benefits of entrepreneurship that the speaker mentions?

The speaker mentions three benefits of entrepreneurship: excitement, flexibility, and being risk-averse.

Why does the speaker feel that entrepreneurship leads to excitement?

Entrepreneurship leads to excitement because it involves working on cool projects, traveling, and engaging with interesting people, which contrasts with the boredom and disengagement felt in traditional educational settings.

How does entrepreneurship offer flexibility according to the speaker?

Entrepreneurship offers flexibility by allowing individuals to choose various life paths and make decisions that best suit them, as opposed to being confined by rigid schedules and structures in traditional education and corporate environments.

What example does the speaker use to illustrate the idea that entrepreneurship is risk-averse?

The speaker uses the example of a man who worked his way up in a company (Blockbuster) that eventually went bankrupt, showing that even a seemingly secure corporate path can be risky, whereas entrepreneurship allows for more control over one's life path.

What is the story of Tim and Jared that the speaker shares?

Tim is a high-achieving student struggling to find an internship, while Jared, who was rejected by every school he applied to, took control of his life by starting the 'gap year experiment,' which led to an impressive resume. This story illustrates that entrepreneurship can lead to more control over one's life path.

Why does the speaker believe entrepreneurship is essential for young people?

The speaker believes entrepreneurship is essential for young people because it allows for experimentation and exploration of passions and interests, which can lead to finding fulfilling work and a meaningful life path.

What is the final call to action the speaker gives to young people?

The speaker urges young people to envision their life ten years from now, decide how they want to live, and design a path to achieve that life, rather than following the average status quo advice.

Outlines

00:00

🤔 Challenging Traditional Success Pathways

The speaker reflects on their junior year of high school, feeling that societal messages about a singular path to success did not resonate with them. They observed a paradox where the 'status quo' advice seemed to lead to dissatisfaction for many. The speaker was confused about what it takes to be successful and felt that the conventional educational and career trajectory was not the best fit for their desire to make a change in the world. They began researching and asking questions, adopting a selective approach to advice, discarding what didn't resonate and holding onto what did. This led them to the concept of creating opportunities and solving problems, which they found to be the essence of entrepreneurship. The speaker also notes the evolving definition of an entrepreneur, from someone who starts a company to someone who creates opportunities, aligning with their own discoveries.

05:02

🚀 Embracing Entrepreneurship for a Fulfilling Life

The speaker advocates for entrepreneurship as a means for young people to design the lives they want to live. They highlight three main benefits of entrepreneurship: excitement, flexibility, and risk aversion. The speaker contrasts their own engaging and dynamic entrepreneurial experiences with the monotony of traditional education and the rigidity of corporate structures. They also challenge the notion that entrepreneurship is inherently risky, using the example of a man who diligently climbed the corporate ladder only to see his company, Blockbuster, go bankrupt. The speaker shares stories of their friends to illustrate the unpredictability of life paths and the empowerment that comes from taking control through entrepreneurship. They also touch on the importance of experimentation and exploration in entrepreneurship, which can help young people avoid the pitfalls of underemployment and find fulfilling work that aligns with their passions. The speaker concludes by encouraging young people to look beyond traditional career paths and to design a life that is extraordinary through entrepreneurship.

Keywords

💡Success

Success in the script is portrayed as a subjective and personal achievement rather than a linear progression through societal norms. The speaker challenges the traditional path of high school to college to job as the only route to success, suggesting that success can be defined by the individual and pursued through creating opportunities and solving problems.

💡Paradox

The paradox mentioned in the script refers to the conflicting feelings and societal messages the speaker experienced. It highlights the tension between the conventional wisdom of a singular path to success and the desire for a more personalized and fulfilling life trajectory.

💡Entrepreneurship

Entrepreneurship in the script is redefined from merely starting a company to creating opportunities and solving problems. It is presented as a mindset that can be applied in various aspects of life, not just business, and is seen as a path to designing a life that one truly desires.

💡Life Design

Life design is introduced as a concept where individuals look ahead to the life they want to live and then design a path to achieve it. It emphasizes personal agency and creativity in shaping one's future rather than following a predetermined route.

💡Experimentation

Experimentation is highlighted as a crucial part of entrepreneurship and life design. The speaker encourages trying out different roles and industries to discover one's passions and interests, which can lead to a more fulfilling career path.

💡Disengagement

Disengagement is used to describe the speaker's feelings towards traditional education and the corporate world, which they found stifling and unexciting. It contrasts with the excitement and engagement they found in entrepreneurship.

💡Flexibility

Flexibility is presented as a significant benefit of entrepreneurship, allowing individuals to choose different life paths and make decisions that best suit them. It stands in stark contrast to the rigid schedules and structures of traditional education and corporate jobs.

💡Risk Averse

Being risk averse in the context of the script means taking control of one's life path by creating opportunities and solving problems, which is seen as less risky than following a predetermined path that might not align with one's values or desires.

💡Status Quo

The status quo refers to the conventional societal norms and expectations around education and career paths. The speaker argues against blindly following the status quo and encourages designing a life that deviates from the average to achieve an extraordinary life.

💡Opportunities

Opportunities, as discussed in the script, are not just job openings but also the chances to explore, learn, and grow. The speaker advocates for creating one's own opportunities rather than waiting for them to arise.

💡Problem Solving

Problem solving is central to the concept of entrepreneurship as presented in the script. It involves identifying issues and creating innovative solutions, which can lead to personal growth and a more fulfilling life.

Highlights

The speaker felt like they were living life backwards, questioning the traditional path to success.

They observed a paradox about societal expectations and the desire for a non-standard life.

The concept of 'life design' was introduced, which involves creating opportunities and solving problems.

The speaker engaged in a 'hand in the sand' approach to filter advice and keep what resonated.

Entrepreneurship was redefined as creating opportunities and solving problems, not just starting a company.

The speaker started two companies in different industries to explore their interests.

Entrepreneurship offers excitement and engagement, contrasting with the boredom of traditional education.

Flexibility is a key benefit of entrepreneurship, allowing for varied life paths.

Contrary to common belief, entrepreneurship can be risk-averse by taking control of one's life path.

The story of a man who followed the traditional career path and ended up jobless due to company bankruptcy.

The contrast between two friends, Tim and Jared, showing the unpredictability of success in traditional paths.

Jared's entrepreneurial spirit led to a diverse and impressive resume despite academic rejections.

Experimentation and exploration are encouraged in entrepreneurship, unlike structured education.

The speaker's first company, 'Students for Students', was a test of their passion for higher education.

The second company focused on marketing and digital strategy, further exploring the speaker's interests.

The importance of not just being a business owner, but applying entrepreneurial thinking in any field.

A call to action for young people to design their lives instead of following the status quo.

The potential for extraordinary lives if young people embrace entrepreneurship and problem-solving.

Transcripts

around my junior year of high school I

started to feel like I was living my

life backwards both subliminal and overt

societal messages were telling me that

there was one singular path to success

and that I went you go from high school

it's a college which leads you to an

internship which you would lead to a job

and then you turn that into writing to

partner and then you get to retire but

that didn't make a whole lot of sense to

me and I saw the development of a really

really interesting paradox because if

this was status quo advice what if I

didn't want the status quo where four to

five Americans feel negatively about the

work that they do so I was really

confused about you know this whole thing

of what does it take to be successful in

the world and anyways I thought I was

different I loved learning but hated

going to school I wanted to make a

change in the world that didn't feel

like an organized structure was really

the best place to do it so I started

researching and I started exploring just

asking questions and I used this hand in

the sand mentality where I tried to take

as much advice as I can and things that

didn't resonate with me I let slip

through my fingers and what I did enjoy

I kept in the palm of my hand and what I

eventually found in the palm of my hand

was advice to create opportunities and

solve problems so I went back to the

people who were giving me this advice

and I was saying you know how did you do

it why did you do it and they were

telling me that they wanted a life that

they couldn't live you know with that

they wanted something different than the

universe presently offered them which

made a whole lot of sense to me

and that's where I kind of got this

whole idea behind life design which is

looking out 10 years finding the life

that you want to live and designing a

path to get there now don't get me wrong

I'm not saying we have to know what

career we want to do it while being in

high school I started two separate

companies in two completely different

industries and I have no idea what I

want to do in five years nevertheless I

understand the kind of life that I want

to offer meanwhile back to when I was

asking all these questions I started to

realize another thought and that the

people I was asking these questions to

we're all entrepreneurs now Babson

College is leading this fight to change

the definition of the word entrepreneur

away from someone who started a company

and towards someone who creates

opportunities and solace problems which

is ironically the same definition I was

getting before so I thought it was

really on to something and I started to

weave together

more advice and settle upon the fact now

what we need to do as young people is

design the lives that we want to live

through entrepreneurship and there are

so many benefits to entrepreneurship

the first is excitement back in high

school I was bored I was sleeping in

class I felt distracted and I really I

felt disengaged me and my friends liked

to joke that we spend three weeks every

year of high school we're trying to find

birthday gifts for my girlfriend just to

pass the time well you know at the same

time my friends who were doing real work

and going out into internships came back

and told us that all they really were

doing was getting coffee and working on

spreadsheets so there wasn't really a

solution and everyone is feeling so

disengaged nevertheless when I started

my companies now I get to travel the

country and I get to work on cool

projects with cooler people and it's

exciting to me and for the first for my

life I'm feeling less tired and more

engaged the second reason why I believe

all young people should be entrepreneurs

as for the fact that it offers

flexibility I was really dissing courage

in school by that I by the fact that I

had to make choices and sacrifices based

on time spent in class or time spent in

jobs school just like prison has a bell

schedule that you have to operate with

in addition you're told where to do and

where what to do and where to go every

single step of your life and the

corporate world really isn't that much

different we're forced to clock in and

clock out and have everything structured

around us and that really didn't make a

whole lot of sense for me instead I

wanted something flexible where I can

choose a variety of life paths and

really make a decision that felt best

for me and right for me the third reason

why I believe all young people should

try entrepreneurship to design the lives

that we want to live is because being an

entrepreneur is actually risk averse now

the same societal messages from before

stop me and they say no entrepreneurship

is risky and unstable and we should try

the corporate world to really get a

taste for what is going on but I turned

to a story told by Forbes writer Paul B

Brown and Paul was telling me the tale

of a man who really knew what he wanted

he found a company he really wanted to

work with and went to work for that me

interned in their store work his way up

to assistant manager to manager to

regional manager to senior management

and the company turned out to be

blockbuster and went bust a few months

later because we unfortunately unless

were entrepreneurs we don't have really

control of our life path and ice

really interesting dichotomy between two

of my friends the first let's call Tim

Tim is one of the brightest kids I know

he went to Harvard University got a 4.0

average did all the right clubs and

organizations and is struggling to find

a summer internship for this coming

summer after his freshman year of

college he has no control of his life

path well on the other hand I have my

fred jared kleiner

jared was rejected by basically every

school he applied to a kid's ultimate

nightmare but Jared didn't let that stop

him because he's an entrepreneur he

wanted to create opportunities and solve

problems for himself so Jared started

the gap year experiment in which he

backpacked Europe consulted for New York

Times best-selling authors did pageant

training with Miss West Virginia and

everything else under the Sun and now

jared has a resume which impresses

forty-five-year-old corporate executives

and yet he got rejected from all the

schools he applied to a few months

earlier because he took control of his

life path by creating opportunities and

solving problems the real entrepreneur

the final reason I believe that all

young people should really try

entrepreneurship is because of this idea

behind experimentation and exploration

MoneyWatch reports that one in two

students will end up working in a career

that either doesn't match their major or

that they're overqualified for which

leads to tremendous youth unemployment

and youth underemployment that's a real

problem nowadays and I happen to believe

it's caused by the structure of what

we're living in right when we enter

college we're forced to make these major

decisions about what we want to major in

and what we want to do the rest of our

lives

when a few months earlier we have to ask

permission to go to the bathroom in math

class it really didn't add up to me

because now college is no longer a time

for exploration but seeing is this

career accelerator so where's the time

to actually try things out and see if

it's what you love care about and want

to do entrepreneurship gives you the

opportunity to test out your passions

see your interests and find the work

that you really that makes you really

come alive and gets you up in the

morning so I started my first company

students for students college advisory

because I really loved higher education

and I wanted to consult in that industry

and I tried it and I grew it and it went

really well

and then I started a second company

millennial marketing strategy

I liked marketing I liked digital

strategy I liked consulting and I'm

still trying new things every day

worked in two industries

have zero clue if I actually want to

pursue either one of them in the future

but now I know more about myself my

passions and my interests and I can take

a step back and see what's going on

nevertheless I'm the classic

entrepreneur because I started companies

and I started consulting and I grew

organizations but just like Babson

College is trying to teach us not all

entrepreneurs have to be business owners

you can go work for a non-profit you can

go work in you could go work in a

corporate world but create opportunities

for yourself and solve problems you can

go to college but do things differently

and see the world differently this whole

status quo advice really didn't make a

lot of sense to me

so I urge all young people to look out

ten years from now and don't decide what

you want to be doing but decide how you

want to be living your life and design

your path to get you there because if

all young people listen to the average

status quo advice we'll end up with this

average status quo life but if we do

things differently if we create

opportunities if we solve problems if we

spark our interests if we try

entrepreneurship to design the lives

that we want to lead we might truly have

lives that are extraordinary thank you