Viewpoint from Argentina

"Young entrepreneurs are no longer a small voice, we are millions."

Back to the future
Our globe is certainly a paradox. Today, the images of millions of suffering people are beamed right into our homes, yet for the first time in history young people have huge possibilities to transform our world. At a time when people are at their most vulnerable, it is up to us, the youth of today, to create solutions that will promote change and make a difference. That is exactly what I consider to be the essence of the entrepreneur: a person who sees opportunities where others can only see difficulties; someone who accepts challenges while the rest only think about problems. Such a description suits today’s world: a place which groups the pessimistic and optimistic people in chorus. Therefore, being an entrepreneur means to be optimistic. Our present world has many troughs and peaks, and as such is a place of prospects. The sectors of communication and knowledge are key to the present, but also to tomorrow and beyond. Knowledge has never before been so close to everyone, and communication should be congratulated for that. The new companies, led by the optimistic young entrepreneurs, must be built on these two pillars. I’ll even dare to say these are the foundations for our bright ventures. And furthermore, in my opinion, the young will find many more new opportunities within these sectors in the years to come. 01
Those of us who seek to generate employment, create innovative products or services and be efficient with our firms, face two challenges: to look outside, and to look to the future. I write these lines from Latin America, a region where it’s hard to stop looking back to the past; a glorious one, as Argentinian textbooks say, where the future is often ignored due to current and urgent necessities. A Brazilian colleague once told me that anyone with the determination to create a strong and resourceful company will succeed in any market here, since that person won’t have any significant competition. Looking outside implies that we need to carefully observe the entire world, analyse how it’s changing, where it’s heading, what it is looking for and what its needs are. But this also involves looking just around the corner, where a conversation between two kids playing soccer in the street might reveal what kind of products and services they will buy in the near future. Looking outside, and taking a global view, is the opposite of contemplating our navel, whether as young entrepreneurs, as a city, as a country or as a continent. The second challenge, looking to the future, has to do with being hopeful. But also with being cautious and not standing still feeling satisfied. Research, meeting new people, being disciplined and careful planning are all related to this challenge, which involves forecasting future trends and identifying new markets. As young entrepreneurs, we have the precise advantage of being young, and in tune with today’s young generations; tomorrow’s adults. 02
The challenges and conflicts facing people in different cities, countries and continents vary greatly. However, young entrepreneurs can unite to face these common issues together. In Latin America, these often concern corruption and social disparity. Every region has its own. However, young entrepreneurs are no longer a small voice, we are millions. And, singing together, our voices will reach further.

Pedro Andrés Ylarri Ciudad Periódica, Argentina 03

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