Patrick Schwerdtfeger is a motivational keynote speaker and leading authority on global business trends including demographics, both domestically within the United States and also internationally. Obviously, the demographic reality here in America revolves around the emerging Millennial Generation and how they are impacting everything they come into contact with. The Millennial Generation (also referred to as Generation Y or the Echo Baby Boom because they are essentially the children of the original Baby Boom Generation) is comprised of some 80 million people in the United States, all born between 1985 and 2004. So in 2014, they were between 10 and 29 years old and already accounted for over 30% of the national workforce. That means they’re not just on their way. They’re already here! Millennials have very different motivations than their parents, focusing more on purpose, life balance and collaboration, and less on money and individual success. Businesses need to understand these priorities, both as customers and employees, if they wish to thrive.
Past speaking clients include:
Recent speaking destinations include:
Expert on the Millennial Generation: Definition
The Millennial Generation has very different priorities than their Baby Boomer parents. Baby Boomers are fiercely independent. They like to compete. The Millennials seek collaboration. They travel in tribes. And with today’s increasingly social internet, many Millennials have become “content creators” and “publishers” online. Many are “influencers” on social media and have impressive followings. That means marketers have to stop thinking about “target markets” and start thinking about “target tribes” and including influencers in their marketing campaigns. Because if you piss off just one influencer, you can lose the entire tribe as a result.
Millennials aren’t motivated by money the same way their parents are. In fact, it doesn’t even rank in the top 5. Millennials want a healthy work/life balance, they want to contribute to a greater cause, they want to work with friends and they want to learn and grow throughout their lives. Companies can cater to these priorities, if they only knew about them in the first place! Millennials want recognition and progress. That means HR departments need to introduce “mini promotions” so employees experience steady advancement in their careers. These are simple things that can dramatically increase productivity and reduce turnover, and that equates to increased revenue and profits as well.
Business Speaker on Millennials in the Work Place
Patrick Schwerdtfeger is not a Millennial himself. He was born in 1971 making him part of the much smaller Generation X. But that also makes him the perfect speaker on the Millennial Generation topic. Most leadership positions in corporate America are held by Baby Boomers while most of their younger workers are Millennials. Patrick sits right between those two generations and can explain their priorities and give productive business advice in a candid and unthreatening fashion. He’s the author of the award-winning book “Marketing Shortcuts for the Self-Employed” (2011, Wiley) and a regular speaker for Bloomberg TV. So if you’re looking for a dynamic speaker on the Millennial Generation, contact us to check availability and get additional scheduling details.
