diverse breed of new entrepreneur drives micro-biz trend<\/i><\/p>\n
by rick telberg<\/b>
\nat large<\/i><\/p>\n
i know what you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re wondering: what\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s next? one minute, humankind is hunting and gathering; the next, we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re harvesting amber waves of grain. then all of a sudden we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re building infrastructure and factories like crazy, but pretty soon everyone\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s racing down the information superhighway.<\/p>\n
so what, you wonder, is next?<\/p>\n
well, intuit and the institute for the future have done some thinking on just that question, and what they see coming is yet another economic transformation. if you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re a finance or accounting professional, especially in a small-to-medium-sized shop, you\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to like this one. it\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s got small businesses popping up by the millions, all of them in need of someone who knows accounting, finance, payroll, and other aspects of business management and administration.<\/p>\n
the intuit-iftf report foresees a new economy increasingly composed of micro-businesses led by a much more diverse bunch of entrepreneurs. once again, baby-boomers will bring about a widespread change. coming out of corporate environments, either by retirement or displacement. they will continue to work by doing their own thing with skills honed from previous careers. often, they will be applying their skills to hobbies that they have turned into businesses. many will apply business skills to projects aimed at saving a little piece of the world.<\/p>\n
baby boomers have an unprecedented set of attributes:<\/b>
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 they have capital, though possibly not pensions.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 they have skills, though relatively weak in new technologies.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 they want to work part-time, though to this generation of hyper-doers, that may mean 40 hours a week.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 they have a vast network of contacts.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 they know the traditional ways of doing business.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 they know every trick in the book.<\/i><\/p>\n
at the same time, their grandchildren will come charging into the work world. as the first of the truly digital generation, their childhoods involve computers and the internet the way previous generations used crayons and coloring books. they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll have instinctive skills in research, multi-tasking, and working physically alone while networked with a far-flung constellation of colleagues.<\/p>\n
they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122ll be doing big business on small computers.
\n
\nthe youngest generation of workers has their own special set of attributes:<\/b>
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 they don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t have much capital, but probably don\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t need much.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 they have lightning-quick tech skills, but may be a bit weak on people skills.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 they have little desire to join big corporations.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 they may have started a business before graduating from high school.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 they may have taken courses in entrepreneurialism in college.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 they know every trick that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s not in the book.<\/i><\/p>\n
at the same time, immigrants will become a powerful driver of entrepreneurialism. in fact, they already are. because of workplace prejudices, language problems, sheer energy, and a certain desperation, they start businesses far more often than native residents of the united states.<\/p>\n
it would be unwise to overlook the special attributes of immigrants:<\/b>
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 they have contacts in foreign countries.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 they have knowledge of foreign languages and cultures.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 they experience difficulties with the english language and \u00e2\u20ac\u0153the american way\u00e2\u20ac\u009d (whatever that is).
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 they have an exceptional urge to succeed.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 they have little capital.
\n\u00e2\u20ac\u00a2 they have a drive to earn money, not indulge in hobbies or social involvement.<\/i><\/p>\n
how does this relate to the accounting practitioner? well, we can\u00e2\u20ac\u2122t tell you that. we\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re just going to tell you to look at these upcoming entrepreneurs and their attributes, then think of what they\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re going to need and how you can satisfy those needs. and that\u00e2\u20ac\u2122s how you, too, will charge into that new economy.<\/p>\n
[first published by the aicpa]<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"