LEADERSHIP
YOUNG CEOS ARE becoming more and more common as startups and app developers are gaining ground and respect in the exploding new-business market . Ageism can be a problem for these young leaders , as many of their older colleagues and connections find it difficult to have a millennial in charge . So how do they do it ?
Australia ’ s market for young leaders is growing right in stride . We look at a few of the top young leaders — one as young as 23 — to examine their paths to success , and see what it takes to get to the top of the food chain so early in their careers .
Genevieve George As founder and chief executive of the online recruitment startup OneShift , you would expect Genevieve George to have a few companies and years of experience under her belt . This is the first major venture of the CEO , who is only 23 .
OneShift specialises in jobs for casual , part-time and shift workers , and launched less than two years ago . George saw a gap in the market — many job search services cater to full-time or freelance job seekers — and capitalised on the niche . She also experienced this gap in the market firsthand . While working a six-week job on a boat in France , she attempted to find a better short-term employment opportunity ; the search was harder than she anticipated . When she returned to Sydney , George pasted together a online portal via WordPress and started marketing .
“ It really took off . It reflects the fact that many of today ’ s workers don ’ t necessarily want nine to five jobs . They want to be able to travel and explore
8 November 2014