Youth Movement Will Be Interesting

To my surprise, with no pushing or prodding, completely on his own, my son shocked me this fall, when as a high school senior, he told me that after years of hearing me pontificate, (to no avail) he decided to join DECA. He made me extremely proud, both of him and his decision to join legions of other young visionaries who will lead America's next wave of marketing and business professionals.

During my years of involvement with DECA as a judge, mentor and advocate of their national advisory board, I've met many DECA kids that blow me away with their appetite for knowledge, initiative, and an uncanny instinct for business. I've also met those who are still "testing the waters" and “just want to chill”. I think each matures at his/her own speed and accordingly find their own watermarks at the appropriate times.

Those kids that are driven to climb to the top, will potentially have a great impact on franchising. Franchising has always struggled with generational issues and legacy. Often, great “first generation” franchisees retire and leave the business to the next generation that may (or may not) possess the same level of commitment and/or passion for the franchised business. With the impact that today's DECA is having on higher education and creativity, today’s youth will, I hope, step in, step up and innovate the business model of franchising in the years ahead.

Another trend, that has been highly publicized in industry trades, is the “youth movement” that is afoot in franchising. I for one, have not just seen a lot younger applicants recently, but older, as well. Gen Y is certainly on the rise and there are many new concepts that lend themselves to the younger set. As we continue to slide into what certainly appears to be a deepening recession, I think too, that more and more boomers might try getting out of the stock market (if they still can) and reinvest what's left of their 401, 301, or hopefully not 201 (K's), into franchised businesses that they can control and protect, rather than sticking it out on Wall Street and praying for miracles.

For those boomers that do jump into franchising, there will still be the need to be reliant on our youth, to help operate their businesses. Organizations like FBLA, SIFE and my personal favorite, DECA, all provide incredible platforms for real-world experience for today's kids and tomorrow's business leaders. I am really looking forward to seeing how DECA helps shape my son's future interests and where my son and his peers go with their careers. While times are certainly changing, let's always remember that change is certain... GROWTH, is optional.