Sometimes we say that when we just don't want to hear it...
It's no accident that we're all connected and reading this post right now. Something happened to make it possible. Wonder what it was? I think you already know. It was science, technology, engineering, and math overlaid with business growth and innovation in a global market place along with our insatiable desire to get and stay connected to each other.
Make no mistake about it - we will not stop innovating, inventing, trying to make it better, connecting ourselves all around the globe. Whatever the limits are we will shatter them until we find new limits and then we'll shatter those as well. Gone is any resemblance of a comfort zone. If you're still in one - a comfort zone I mean, then you might need an exit strategy.
What's THAT got to do with me?!
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Here's what I see...
- Everyone Must Get STEMulated
- Social Media Has Gone Wild
- The Rise of the Global Entrepreneur
- Don't Forget About Millenials and Post-Millenials
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Everyone Must Get STEMulated
If you're in a traditional STEM profession, you may feel a sense of comfort that you took the time to get a STEM degree. Kudos to you for getting the tough stuff done! As an Electrical Engineer from the University of Florida, I admit that I've felt a little smug from time to time at having a solid background in intricate scientific and technological concepts. Not anymore!
The dynamic shifts in social networking technologies, business, education, and globalization created a world that I didn't recognize. With a growing sense of uneasiness, I jumped into the middle of it to better understand what's happening and what I should do next. My sense of urgency is confirmed everyday by the facts. Every single profession in existence today has a STEM component to it whether we've discovered what it is or not. STEM will either help professions to grow, to transition, or to terminate.
A few more questions worth asking: Are you considering how you can STEMulate your current role by gaining new "social" skills? Is there a social technology that can help you improve productivity or revenue within your company or organization? Are there some quick courses that you can take to expand your awareness of this crazy new world of ours? How is your demographic group being impacted? Keep asking and answering questions then take action.
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According to our estimate, 47 percent of the total US employment is in the high risk category, meaning that associated occupations are potentially automatable some unspecified number of years, perhaps a decade or two.
Source: Oxford Martin School - The Future of Employment (2013)
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Social Media Has Gone Wild
Do you think the people on social media platforms are just playing around? I thought that too before I understood what I know now. I set up accounts on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ to go along with my then outdated (recently updated) profile on LinkedIn. I thought I could send a tweet, give a like, or make a comment and I'd be golden. Wrong!
There are significant and complex strategies in progress in the world of social media and I'm gettin' my game face on. I've learned that social media etiquette must be balanced with marketing tactics and that consistency and presence matters. I've also learned a lot about RPV, CTR, and CPC among many other valuable lessons.
RPV (revenue-per-visit) continues to shatter records (Social Intelligence Report). Whether you're on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, or any other social media platform, you undoubtedly see an increase in unique types of ad traffic designed to get your attention. Reviews of CTR (click-through-rate) or CPC (cost-per-click) provide insight to the business owner about whether a shift in strategy is warranted. According to McKinsey Global Institute (MGI), social media technologies are still mostly untapped.
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These technologies, which create value by improving productivity across the value chain, could potentially contribute $900 billion to $1.3 trillion in annual value across the four sectors [consumer packaged goods, retail financial services, advanced manufacturing, and professional services]
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The Rise of the Global Entrepreneur
In recent years, technology has made it easier than ever before to create global, scalable, and whimsical businesses with a team of virtual resources (or no resources at all) - using a few clicks and finger-tip knowledge. Of course I may be over-simplifying things quite a bit (not really), but you get the point. This seismic shift has granted access to billions of potential connections for everyone who is willing to step forward!
According to an article by the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM, 2013), the number of entrepreneurs in the world approached 400 million across 54 countries in 2011! That’s right 400 million—or 5.7% of the world’s population! Keep in mind that these figures are from 3 years ago. Let’s break it down further. Of the millions of entrepreneurs, 39% are Women Entrepreneurs, 40% are Young Entrepreneurs (18—25), and 17% are Innovators, and 4% are Global Entrepreneurs.
The allure of entrepreneurship depends on geography as well as whether an economy is factor-driven, efficiency-driven, or innovation-driven. A key measurement benchmark is TEA - Total early-stage Entrepreneurial Activity for individuals in the process of starting a business or those running new businesses less than three and a half years old.
It's not just about the money...
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The topic of well-being has been gaining presence rapidly in social sciences and economics. ...in several economies, between 10% and 30% of a country’s labor force could be considered early-stage entrepreneurs or business owners
...Furthermore, entrepreneurs experience “procedural utility,” that the process of being an entrepreneur provides enjoyment over and above the material success of being an entrepreneur
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Don't forget about Millenials and Post-Millenials
If you think competing with Millenials is tough, just wait for the Post-Millenials (or Gen-Z)! They are only a few years away. Heck - they're already here and are already competing with support from organizations like Kidworth and Junior Achievement. Kidworth aims to bring 1 million kid entrepreneurs to market. Post-Millenials are the first generation to be completely "plugged in."
I'm guiding my 10-year-old daughter towards a STEM-based education followed by entrepreneurship, supported by social media technologies - and she's totally engaged (for now anyway)...
What's THAT got to do with you and me?! Everything!
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