This week, one of our interns discusses how she views businesses and their relationship to younger generations. Her lens as a teenager in the current age of social media provides a unique perspective on how she believes we can close that gap between generations and flourish together! But we’ll let her explain in her own words!
Hey y’all! It’s Layla, one of the Interns at Spraycan. In this post, I’m gonna give my little guide on how businesses and young people can go about their interactions with each other.
Tip #1: BE WHO YOU ARE.
I think companies task themselves with asking the questions of “what are kids into,” “what’s trendy,” “what’s the current slang,” etc. Now, yes, these are valid questions to try and keep your business fresh and up to date. However, I think, as a teenager, I am more into authenticity rather than brands that take trends and try to attach themselves to it. Of course trends are fun to play with, but not all trends done in the media may fit one’s business and that is OKAY! There are so many cases I have seen of organizations trying to fit into something that is unnatural to their image for the sake of appealing to the latest fad and at least for me… it never hits. I always feel more connected to a brand when their uniqueness is their foundation and they build off of that.
Tip #2: Put Yourself Out There.
To explore both sides of this relationship, this tip goes out to all the kids who are looking to go into the world of business. Whether that is through marketing, administration, or entrepreneurship, DO IT! If this is something you are interested in, explore your opportunities and find what works for you. That is what I did with Spraycan; and I’ve been interning here since August of 2023. How did I get here though? I walked up to the door (that was locked…like literally) and asked for a chance. I was lucky enough to have it given to me! So put yourself out there and see what happens. If things don’t work out, I promise it’s gonna be okay; move on and try again. As hard as it sounds, don’t let these businesses intimidate you. If they do, as Rihanna said, “pretend.” Try your hardest to pretend you aren’t afraid, and do it anyways. Don’t let fear or inexperience drive you away from chasing what you want.
Tip #3: We’re All In This Together.
This last tip is going to be for both the kids and the companies. Let’s work together. I believe we are pitted against each other because of a lack of understanding for one another. However, I’m here to say that this does not have to be the case! If given the opportunity, young people have A LOT to say. If companies used their knowledge of the business to take what we have to say and allow us to help them utilize it, we could make a great team. Our relationship should become less about being opponents and more about being collaborators.
All in all the key takeaway from my three tips is understanding. If we all understood ourselves, our ideas, and each other a little more the opportunity for connection would become so much stronger.
*This post was written by a human named Layla.
