There have been a number of struggles small business owners faced this year, including supply chain issues, inflation, and labor shortages—however, there have also been a number of small business milestones to celebrate. In fact, the number of SMBs in the US has grown 12.2 percent from 2017 to 2022 and reached 33.2 million in 2022, making up nearly all (99.9 percent) of US businesses.
I recently spoke with Jason VandeBoom, founder and CEO of ActiveCampaign, the leading provider of marketing automation, email marketing and CRM for growing businesses, about the next generation of business owners. VandeBoom shared what ActiveCampaign is doing to support these entrepreneurs and what those looking to start their own small businesses should invest in. So, let’s dive in.
Gary Drenik: What are the emerging trends you are seeing from Gen-Z in the workplace and how can business leaders prepare?
Jason VandeBoom: ActiveCampaign recently conducted a study, finding 45% of consumers said they’ve considered starting a small business in the past year. And, breaking this down further, 56% of students polled said they’ve considered starting a business this past year. Amid the struggles business owners have faced, many are eager to try their hand at entrepreneurship.
