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The opportunity to foster a new economy, triggered by young entrepreneurs has never been greater, says Anton Van Heerden, EVP and Managing Director, Sage South and Southern Africa.

Young entrepreneurs are driven by a desire for independence, a belief in social good and a commitment to employee happiness. That’ s according to Sage’ s Walk With Me report which examines the key characteristics, attitudes and behaviours of millennial entrepreneurs around the world. Despite sweeping generalisations about how this generation behaves, the study shows that these business leaders have diverse traits which align them with five workplace personality types.

The Principled Planners, extremely methodical in their approach to work, they enjoy carefully planning for success. With an ambitious streak, they never take anything at face value and always ask a lot of questions.

The Driven Techies, love their work and cannot bear the thought of sitting around twiddling their thumbs, they trust in the power and efficiency of innovative technology to keep them one step ahead of the competition. They have a strong belief in its ability to accurately target their existing and future customers.

The Instinctive Explorers, cavalier, they love the unknown, as well as exploring uncharted territory. They trust their gut instincts and stick to their guns. A modern image is extremely important to them, as is leaving a legacy behind to be remembered by.

The Real Worlders, resourceful, but likely to say they rely on technology in order to succeed. When it comes to their approach to work and making decisions, they tend to alternate between going on gut instinct and taking a more methodical approach.

The Thrill-Seekers, easily bored and always on the lookout for the next challenge, they could not care less about appearances. They work best around others and believe that making a social impact is overrated.

More general trends from the study include a desire to make a difference.

Doing social good is especially important to young entrepreneurs in South Africa and Nigeria, both 80 % compared to other countries. Respondents in South Africa 30 % and Nigeria 46 % say that the way their business reflects their personal success is what gets them out of bed in the morning.

Millennial entrepreneurs have a huge role to play in the start-up economy and are shaping the modern workplace at great pace

24 INTELLIGENTCIO www. intelligentcio. com