In short:
Four in five Generation Z-ers would rather work for themselves, according to McCrindle Research.
Gen Z-er Bianca Purdie worked various jobs after school, but has since started her own business and loves the autonomy.
What’s next?
Generation Z will account for 27 per cent of the worldwide workforce by 2025.
When Bianca Purdie left school, she went into full-time work because that was what she thought she had to do.
Over five years, she worked in retail, a call centre and as an au pair, mostly working two jobs at once. She also had a creative side hustle as a photographer.
But the demands of back-to-back shifts and little time to herself left her feeling burnt out.
In September 2022, she felt something had to give, so she decided to become her own boss and increased her photography to full-time.
“I went from working nine to five, Monday to Friday, to 24/7 just on my own business,” she said.
“One would say I was working more, but I had that passion already behind it … it didn’t feel like a job day to day.”
Entrepreneurial generation
Ms Purdie, now 25, is part of a trend in Generation Z, born between 1996 and 2012, to become entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Australian market research company McCrindle Research found that four in five Generation Z-ers’ (79 per cent) ideal working situation was a business they started themselves, showing the generation’s strong entrepreneurial spirit.
Only 56 per cent of broader Australians share this preference.
For Ms Purdie, while there have been challenges in working for herself, it’s been better for her mental health and more fulfilling.
“The autonomy you can give yourself, that if you’re having a bad mental day, you don’t have anybody to answer to,” she said.
“I can just say I am going to stay home today and answer my emails on my phone with my cat on my lap and a coffee in my hand.”
Challenges of starting a business
McCrindle Research also found 49 per cent of businesses fail in their first four years, with red tape and compliance costs reported to be among the most significant challenges.
Ms Purdie has been running her photography business full-time for almost two years, during which she has launched her own studio and carved a name and reputation for her work.
When starting out in Rockhampton, Central Queensland, she dedicated a lot of time to working with business coaches and researching the industry.
“I feel like that’s where a lot of people may have their downfall where they put a lot of time into just what you love doing and you neglect all the business side of things,” she said.
Digital and social generation
A McCrindle Research article describes Gen Z as “digital integrators” due to their early online use.
The generation is also heavily impacted, connected and shaped by its peers through social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.
Ellie Nasser opened her own Pilates studio in Rockhampton in September 2023.
The 23-year-old said social media revealed people’s journeys and jobs others might not otherwise have known about.
“Everyone posts what they are doing and (their) day-to-day lives, so you get a real glimpse into different people’s lives and different career pathways,” she said.
From university to own business
Ms Nasser took the traditional route of going to university after school, studying for a bachelor’s degree in sport and exercise science.
During her tertiary studies, she became interested in pre and post-natal Pilates.
She saw a gap in the market in her hometown of Rockhampton and set a goal of opening her own studio.
“I was little bit hesitant at the start, being so young … my Mum in particular was like what have you got to lose,” she said.
To save capital to start the business, Ms Nasser worked as a trades assistant at the mines on and off for three years during her studies.
“I knew when I was out there, I wanted to do this and own my own Pilates studio … I was just there for the money,” she said.
After just nine months in business, Ms Nasser recently moved to a larger studio, added more reformer beds and increased her services.
“I’m so lucky that I can be passionate about what I do for work, and I can make an income from it,” she said.
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