In the colorful world of startups, your customer is not just someone who buys your product – they are your tribe. And if you are looking to build a strong, loyal community, understanding who your tribe is becomes critical. In particular, the way different generations think, behave, and engage with brands is unique. Whether you are trying to woo tech-savvy Gen Zers, value-driven Millennials, or another generation entirely, understanding their motivations is key. So, let’s break down how to find your perfect customer—or as we like to say, your tribe—by tapping into the distinct personalities of each generation

Step 1: Understand Your Generational Vibe

Each generation brings its own perspective and behaviors, and your tribe’s generational makeup can influence everything from how you market to what products you offer. Here is a breakdown:

Gen Z (Born 1997-2012): 

These digital natives are the first generation to grow up with smartphones and social media. They are tech-savvy, mobile-first, and love brands that align with their personal values. Sustainability, inclusivity, and authenticity are top priorities for Gen Z. If you want to attract them, your startup needs a strong sense of purpose, a commitment to social good, and a digital-first strategy.

Millennials (Born 1981-1996):

Millennials, also known as Gen Y, are driven by experiences and value over pure products. They are highly educated, entrepreneurial, and research driven. They appreciate brands that are transparent, socially conscious, and innovative. A startup that can deliver a great experience, whether through user-friendly digital platforms or community-building initiatives, will win this generation’s loyalty.

Gen X (Born 1965-1980):

Often the unsung heroes of the digital shift, Gen Xers are tech adopters but also appreciate traditional values like reliability and security. This generation values independence, practicality, and work-life balance. Startups that simplify life, offer convenience, or help manage time efficiently can appeal to Gen X. They appreciate straightforward, no-nonsense approaches.

Baby Boomers (Born 1946-1964):

While they may not always be the focus of trendy marketing, Baby Boomers hold significant buying power. They are often drawn to brands that emphasise quality, customer service, and trust. If your startup caters to this group, focus on building long-term relationships, providing educational content, and offering top-notch support.

Step 2: Speak Their Language

Once you have identified which generation you are targeting, speak their language—literally and figuratively. How you communicate with each group matters just as much as what you are saying.

Gen Z loves short, visually driven content. Think Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram Reels, hashtags. They respond well to authentic, unfiltered messaging and prefer brands that engage with them on social platforms in real time.

Millennials appreciate storytelling and want to know the "why" behind a brand. They respond to long-form content like blogs, podcasts, and YouTube videos, especially if it offers insight or value. They also love engaging in social causes through the brands they support.

Gen X values direct communication and often engages through email and Facebook. They appreciate practical, problem-solving content that helps them in their everyday lives. They may not need the flashy marketing tactics, but they do expect clear value.

Boomers tend to prefer more traditional communication methods, like email, phone calls, and even in-person interactions. Customer service and loyalty programs matter greatly to them, so be sure to communicate the personal touches your startup offers.

Step 3: Tailor Your Product to Their Needs

Each generation has specific needs and expectations when it comes to products and services.

Gen Z is all about customisation and personalisation. They want products that feel tailor-made for them and align with their identity. This group also loves innovative technology, especially AI-driven or sustainable solutions. If you are targeting Gen Z, think about how you can integrate personalisation and eco-consciousness into your offering.

Millennials are the generation most likely to value experiences over material goods. If your startup can create an experience around your product—through user communities, rewards programs, or immersive content—you will appeal to them. They are also champions of brands that are purpose-driven and transparent.

Gen X is highly practical. They are looking for products that solve real problems and make life easier. Simplicity, reliability, and functionality are top concerns. If your startup can provide time-saving tools or offer clear benefits, this generation will take notice.

Baby Boomers gravitate towards high-quality, durable products. They are less interested in trends and more in trust and long-term value. Demonstrate the reliability of your product and back it up with strong customer service, and you will win their loyalty.

Step 4: Be Where They Are

To connect with your tribe, you need to be where they are—both online and offline.

Gen Z lives on platforms like Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. They are mobile-first and love brands that interact with them in a fun, informal way. To engage Gen Z, your startup needs to have a strong, creative social media presence.

Millennials are highly active on social media, especially Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. They are also huge fans of digital communities, so investing in a community-driven strategy (forums, private groups, events) will help foster connections.

Gen X still engages with Facebook and uses search engines heavily. They are more likely to respond to content like how-to guides, newsletters, and informational webinars. Make sure your startup is discoverable through SEO and creates valuable content that addresses their concerns.

Boomers spend time on Facebook, but also appreciate offline interactions. Email marketing campaigns, phone calls, or even events can be effective for reaching them. They prefer brands that offer high-touch, personalised customer service.

Step 5: Evolve Alongside Your Tribe

No matter which generation you are targeting, your tribe will change over time. Be ready to evolve alongside them. Trends shift, values evolve, and new technologies emerge. Stay connected by consistently gathering feedback, tracking their behaviour, and listening to their needs.

For startups, flexibility and adaptability are key. Whether you are appealing to Gen Z’s demand for innovation or Millennials’ desire for meaningful experiences, keep refining your approach to meet your tribe where they are—and where they are headed.

Create Customer Persona

Creating customer personas is like throwing a wild party for your ideal guests. Here is your short and snappy guide to crafting personas that truly groove!

Persona Essentials: The Funky Breakdown (see examples and templates)

1. Name and Demographics

• Name: Give them a name that pops—“Eco Emma” or “Techie Timmy.”
• Age: Their age or age range.
• Gender: If it fits, specify their gender.
• Location: City slicker or country cruiser?
• Income Level: Are they living large or budgeting hard?
• Education Level: What is their brainpower level?
• Occupation: What is their 9-to-5 gig?

2. Psychographics

• Values: What makes their heart tick—sustainability, innovation?
• Lifestyle: What is a day in their life like—yoga and kale, or gaming and takeaway?
• Interests: Their passions—hiking, tech, crafting?
• Personality: Are they trendsetting explorers or practical planners?

3. Behaviour Patterns

• Buying Habits: Online shopaholic or in-store explorer?
• Digital Presence: Instagram, LinkedIn, or TikTok junkie?
• Decision-Making: What makes them hit “buy now”—price, quality, values?
• Pain Points: What is bugging them—too many choices, lack of trust?

4. Goals and Motivations

• Personal Goals: What is their big dream—career climb, zen lifestyle?
• Product Goals: How can your product be their secret weapon?
• Motivations: What is their drive—convenience, status, or eco-friendly vibes?

5. Challenges and Solutions

• Challenges: What is their daily grind—time crunches, product disappointments?
• How You Can Help: Show them how your product is their ultimate fix!

6. Preferred Channels

• Communication Preferences: DM on Instagram, email blast, or old-school call?
• Social Media Platforms: Where do they hang out—TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest?

Find Your Funky Tribe

Understanding the generational differences in your customer base is crucial to creating a brand that truly resonates. Whether you are building a product that speaks to Gen Z's love of sustainability, tapping into Millennials’ thirst for experiences, or providing practical solutions for Gen X, knowing your tribe is the foundation of a successful startup.

So, who is in your tribe? We are just getting started! Dive into the world of Gen Alpha—the future-shapers with their finger on the pulse of tomorrow. Crack their code, and everything else will fall into place!  🌟 🚀

Aaradhana Jyawali

Lecturer at the Centre for Academic Persistence

Are you a student with a passion for innovation and a desire to make a mark in the business world? Picture this: You, armed with the cutting-edge power of artificial intelligence (AI), shaping the future of entrepreneurship like never before. In this blog, we'll explore how AI tools can empower students to generate and execute groundbreaking business ideas and implement some of AI tools to things happen for you.

Identifying Opportunities

One of the first steps in launching a successful business is identifying a market need or opportunity. AI tools can aid in this process by analysing market trends, consumer behaviour, and competitor strategies. Identifying startup ideas requires a blend of observation, creativity, and problem-solving. Whether it's recognising unmet needs, leveraging emerging technologies, or tapping into personal passions, the key lies in spotting opportunities where solutions can add value. Have you ever tried asking an AI for start-up ideas? Go for it and try Stratup.ai | AI-powered startup idea generator. This platform utilises AI and data analysis to provide you with a continuous flow of distinctive and creative startup ideas, guaranteeing a constant source of inspiration.

Streamlining Your Operation

Launching a new business venture often involves wearing multiple hats and juggling numerous responsibilities. AI tools can streamline your operations by automating routine tasks, managing workflows, and optimising resource allocation. This frees up your time and energy to focus on strategic priorities and creative problem-solving. Integrating chatbots such as Chatfuel | AI agents for automated sales | Meta’s partner and scheduling tools can help you regulate and manage businesses such as AI Chatbot Generator for Conversational Experiences | Landbot.

Unlimited Possibilities, Infinite Potential

Are you looking to revolutionise your brand's visual identity? Enter the world of AI-generated images—an innovative solution that combines cutting-edge technology with boundless creativity. The beauty of AI-generated images lies in their versatility. No matter your industry or niche, AI can help bring your ideas to life in ways you never thought possible. You can try platforms like Playbook AI, Canva: Visual Suite for Everyone and AI Image Generator: Transform Images From Text | Shutterstock. Utilising AI-generated graphics, businesses can seamlessly incorporate them into their marketing campaigns across digital ads, social media posts, and various commercial assets.

Visualise your business

Employing AI for business logo design can revolutionise your branding strategy. With AI-powered tools, you can swiftly generate logo concepts that align with your brand identity and resonate with your target audience. These tools analyse design trends, colour psychology, and industry-specific aesthetics to produce logos that are not only visually appealing but also memorable and impactful. By leveraging AI for logo design such as SMASHINGLOGO | Design a Logo You Love, Artificial Intelligence Logo Maker | LOGO.com businesses can streamline the creative process, save time and resources, and ultimately, establish a strong and recognisable brand presence in the market.

As a student entrepreneur, the journey of building a successful business begins with a bold idea and a willingness to embrace innovation. The possibilities of using AI tools are endless. While AI tools offer immense potential for startups, they also present unique challenges such as data security, complex integration and cost. However, harnessing the power of AI tools can help you keep competitive and unlock new opportunities, streamline operations, enhance customer experiences, and drive innovation in your chosen field. Whether you're launching a tech startup, an e-commerce venture, or a social enterprise, AI can be a powerful ally on your path to entrepreneurial success. So, dare to dream big, think creatively, and let AI propel your business ideas to new heights!

Categorizing the problems and growth patterns of small businesses in a systematic way that is useful to entrepreneurs seems at first glance a hopeless task. Small businesses vary widely in size and capacity for growth. They are characterized by independence of action, differing organizational structures, and varied management styles.

As your business expands, you’ll need more capacity to produce or provide your product or service, and a wider range of skills. The easiest ways of achieving this are usually by taking on new staff, or training your existing workforce.

If you’re planning to develop new products and services, you should test them with your customers with just as much care and attention as a new business going to market for the first time.

One way of finding new customers for your products and services is by increasing awareness in your local area. Read through this article to find out how you can attract new cusotmers

Growing your business, whether through increased sales or improved profitability, often means you need to invest more. You can do this by looking at the strategies within this article

Once your business is established and you’re making a profit on the products and services you sell to customers, you may want to start thinking about how to grow. Many businesses think of growth in terms of increased sales, but it’s also important to focus on how to maintain or improve your profitability.

Leadership is a vital concept with numerous connotations. For instance Maxwell defined it as “having a genuine willingness and a true commitment to lead others to achieve a common vision and goals through positive influence”. Similarly, Dr Myles Munroe referred to it as “the capacity to influence others through inspiration, motivated by passion, generated by vision, produced by a conviction, ignited by a purpose”.

However, to narrow this down, for the purpose of this article, leadership is defined as the ability to influence people to passionately pursue a vision now and beyond the current leader’s tenure. Implicit in this definition are two most important roles that differentiates between great leaders and leaders who only occupy a position: Mentorship and succession.

The word méntoras (μέντορας), the Greek word for mentorship originated from the classic poem ‘The Odysse’ by Homer in 800 BCE. The poem describes a character, Odysseus who was the King of Ithaca. Odysseus was preparing to live his kingdom for Troy and decided to find someone who can act as a friend, teacher and adviser to his son, Telemachus whilst he was away. The name of that guardian was Mentor.

Therefore, to mentor simply means to replicate oneself in another. It is a process of carefully imparting the key skills and qualities of a mentor into a mentee.

Mentorship is the relationship between the mentor and the mentee where the former teaches the latter on how to effectively maintain and enlarge the vision of the former.

Similarly, the term successionem is a Latin word for succession that simply implies to follow after or step into the shoe of another. It is the process of effectively planning the handing over of a leadership position to a well trained mentee. Succession is one of the only few words in the dictionary with the word SUCCESS. Thus, succession is the successful handing over of a leadership position to a successor (mentee) in order to successfully cary on the vision of the mentor (leader).

However, Mentorship and succession have been the most neglected aspect of leadership. A lot of organisational and political leaders have held unto power for the longest of time and when they do let go, there is always a struggle to find a perfect replacement.

But why do leaders hold unto power ? Why can’t they simply plan their succession by mentoring others? The answers to these questions, the author believes are anchored on two key pillars:

1) the core values of the leader that he or she has acquired from his or her environment and 2) his or her lack of understanding of the importance of Mentorship and succession.

In the worldview of the great Italian writer, politician, philosopher and historian, Nicole Machiavelli “It is much safer to be feared than loved,”. Implicit in this worldview was the advocation for manipulation and cruelty as the best strategies to be a great leader and hold unto power for the longest of time.

Machiavelli postulated that the utilisation of deceit and the killing of the innocents. is a sine qua non to attain and maintain power. His doctrines were predominantly practiced by ancient and medieval leaders.

Decades after, the author of ‘The 48 Laws of Power’ (shown in figure 1) Robert Greene built on Machiavelli’s worldview by propagating what seems to be the most ruthless view on leadership.

Figure 1: The 48 Laws of Power

Some of the key laws that may have consciously or subconsciously led to the neglect of leaders in mentoring their followers are:

Law 2: Never put too much trust in friends, learn how to use enemies.

Law 3: Conceal Your Intentions.

Law 6: Court Attention at All Costs.

Law 8: Make other people come to you – use bait if necessary.

Law 11: Learn to keep people dependent on you.

Law 12: Use Selective Honesty and Generosity to Disarm Your Victims.

Law 15: Crush Your Enemy Totally.

Law 17: Keep others in suspended terror: cultivate an air of unpredictability

Law 18: Keep Others in Suspended Terror.

Law 20: Do not commit to anyone.

Law 27: Play on people’s need to believe to create a cult like following

Law 42: Strike the shepherd and the sheep will scatter

Law 43: Work on the hearts and minds of others.

Taking Law 11 in particular “Learn to keep people dependent on you” it is clear that Greene is suggesting that leaders shouldn’t empower their subordinates. They should rather keep the core secrets that help them to attain and maintain their position away from their followers. In fact Greene specifically asserted that you should “never teach them enough so that they can do without you”. Simply keep them wholly dependent on you and you became more powerful and feared.

Thus, philosophical leadership theories postulated by Machiavelli and Greene, has transcend the minds and actions of most leaders even today. Most leaders believe that teaching a follower to take on leadership roles will only help to weaken their current power base. They believe the best way to stay in power is to widen the gap between what they know and what their followers know.

However, 21st century leadership requires a complete overhaul of the Machiavellian philosophical values. Leaders need to develop values that are in congruence with mentoring their followers to take on leadership positions. Leaders need to understand that Mentorship and succession are naturally built into the leadership function.

Mentorship allows leaders to find their successful replacement. Mentorship makes it possible for a leader to delegate activities thereby reducing their workload. To mentor is to understand that there is a leadership potential in every follower and that it is the responsibility of the leader to harness that potential. Leaders don’t therefore, need to have their followers dependent on them, they simply need to empower them for a successful succession.

In order to effectively mentor and plan for a successful transfer of power from the mentor (leader) to the mentee (follower), the following six key strategies embedded in what the author calls the MENTOR’s Model can be utilised:

M: Mobilise the greatest of your followers into a MASTERMIND GROUP

E: Continuously ENGAGE them on your broad vision

N: NURTURE them with tips and advice on a continuous (Kaizen) basis

T: Provide regular empowerment TRAINING programmes in the form of workshops, seminars etc

O: Set Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound (SMART) OBJECTIVES and delegate part of your leadership function

R: REVIEW their performance on a regular basis

In conclusion, with the ever changing world, meeting the needs of current and future challenges requires an exemplary leadership style that is rooted in effectively planning for succession through Mentorship. Leaders should understand that their greatest achievement lies not in the number of infrastructural facilities they build, but rather the number of followers they helped. make leaders. In essence, Leaders should simply build people not buildings.

Like humans, businesses operate in an environment that can positively or negatively impact their operations. A business environment is basically the surroundings of businesses. These surroundings are mainly divided into two: micro and macro. The micro environment is also referred to as the internal or inside environment whereas the macro environment is referred to as the external environment.

To be effective, businesses (Small, Medium or Large) will constantly need to analyse both their internal and external environments. To do so, they will need to utilise key strategic tools e.g. SLEPT-D, Value Chain analysis, SWOT etc.

This article will however, focus on one main framework that is widely used to analyse a firm’s internal (micro) environment: the VRIO framework.

The VRIO framework was developed by scholars: Barney and Hesterly in 2006 to help businesses to effectively assess their internal environment with the aim of identifying their core strengths (capabilities) and weaknesses. The framework is rooted in the believe that a firm’s strength and/or core competence is derived from within itself. In other words, the source of a firm’s competitive advantage can be found in the resources it possesses. This is called the resource-based view of strategy.

VRIO is simply an acronym for Value, Rarity, Imitability, and Organisation, each of which represents specific sets of questions that must be carefully answered in order to successfully ascertain a firm’s. competitive advantage. The key questions to ask around each are as follows:

1. Value 
Are our resources of value to our customers and other key stakeholders? Are we able to effectively and efficiently exploit the resources we have to take advantage of opportunities and/or weaken a competitor?

Note:

a. Resources in this context refers to both your tangible (money, buildings, machineries, fixtures and fittings etc) and intangible (skills, competence etc) resources at your disposal.

b. Value in this context refers to the monetary and social benefits (satisfaction) a customer receives in exchange for the price you offer.

2. Rarity

Are the resources rare or scarce? In other words, is the value you are providing limited in supply? Are you the only business providing that value or do we have few or many businesses doing same? Are you in a monopolistic, oligopolistic or perfectly competitive industry ?

3. Imitability

Can the value you are providing be easily imitated or is it costly to imitate? Imitation here refers to the ease at each a firm’s product or services can easily be copied by others in or outside its industry.

4. Organisation

Do you have the right supporting systems in place to exploit the advantage you have? A good analytical tool to use to ascertain how organised your business is, is the McKinsey 7-s framework. According to McKinsey consultancy, a firm’s competitive advantage is hugely derived from the effective interrelation between the following 7-S’s: Staff, Style (leadership style), Shared-value ( the culture of the business), Systems, Strategy, Skills and Structure.

VRIO and Decision Making

VRIO is thus a great strategic decision making tool in the hands of any business who wishes to effectively compete in their sector and industry. The diagram below shows a synopsis of the different outcomes of a carefully planned VRIO exercise.

From the diagram above, the following conclusive statements can be made about your firm:

1. If the firm’s resources are not VALUABLE to the market in which its operate, it should be outsourced to a company in another market where that value is needed 
2. If the resources are VALUABLE but not RARE, the firm is in a competitively disadvantaged position which simply means that it may not survive in the market space if concrete strategic steps aren’t taken urgently

3. If the resources are both VALUABLE. and RARE but that it is not expensive to imitate or copy, then the firm will have nothing but a competitive parity. It competitors will try to imitate its products in the very near future

4. If the firm’s resources are VALUABLE, RARE and is also very expensive to IMITATE but that it is unable to sufficiently organise itself to sustain its advantage, it will end up having a temporary competitive advantage. This was the case with Motorola whose competitive advantage was short-lived by the emergence of companies like Samsung and Apple

5. Lastly, If the firm has VALUABLE resources that are RARE, costly to IMITATE and has the right ORGANISATIONAL setting that is supported by the effective interrelation of the 7-S described above, it will enjoy a SUSTAINED COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE. This is the sort of advantage that Google, Apple, Microsoft, Paypal, Alibaba etc are enjoying.

To put the framework into perspective, here is an example of a VRIO analysis of Apple Plc

•••

Value: Yes

Apple has a strong brand presence and loyalty and provides products that are well designed and convenient for its customers

Rare: Yes

Unlike other mobile phone manufactures, Apple is the only company that has its own software: the iOS. In addition, the software is seen as one of Apple’s USPs (Unique Selling Prepositions).

Costly to imitate? Yes

Apple’s iOS, closed ecosystem and brand loyalty including its complex manufacturing process and organisation is costly to imitate. Comparatively, other devices from their main competitors, like Samsung, Google, Huawei, HTC, LG etc all run on Google’s Android software.

Organisation: can Apple exploit its resources ? Do they have the capability? Yes

Apple has trained and motivated staff, great systems, the right mix of skills, organic (flexible) organisational structures, excellent strategy, dedicated skilled employees, great style of leadership and an awesome organisational culture (shared value), all working together to sustain its competitive advantage.

In conclusion, SMEs as well as large businesses can adopt the VRIO framework to assess their internal environment. The framework helps in identifying their key resources and capabilities and it will show whether they are Valuable, Rare, Imitable and have the right support system (organisation) to exploit its resources and capabilities.