There are a lot of historic moments that Millennials will use to mark time in their young lives, and one of those will be remembering where they were when they heard their hero, Steve Jobs, had died. Although Steve Jobs wasn’t a Millennial, he embodied the Millennial spirit of innovation and entrepreneurialism, following his passions and not worrying about what the outcome would be. In his speech to Stanford’s class of 2005, he advises graduates to do exactly what Millennials have been so criticized for lately: following their dreams and not settling for less than exactly what they want.
Since his death last night, the Internet has been flooded with outpourings on blogs, Facebook, and Twitter as young people share how much they will miss Jobs. He was more than the creator of cool. He paved the way for their lifestyle. There’s no one they’d rather emulate.
Steve Jobs understood Millennials. He’d rather risk everything for innovation than to stay the course. He valued change. His Apple products and stores demonstrate that in so many ways. Millennials want to experience products and play with them before buying; many tech stores give them that opportunity, but not like Apple, which makes them feel welcome to hang around and “talk shop” with employees and friends. That’s why they like going to Apple stores to check out products and see what’s new, even if they’re not in the market to purchase anything. That’s why they’re part of the cult of Mac.
The stores’ Geniuses are another Millennial-centric idea. Anyone can be an expert, even if they’re young and wearing jeans and a t-shirt. Like the stores’ Geniuses, Jobs demonstrated a working style Millennials identify with, starting out in a garage and remaining laid back when he became a high-power CEO. Like their hero, Millennials love the free exchange of ideas; they’re collaborative and casual. Would Mark Zuckerberg be taking meetings in his infamous sandals if Jobs hadn’t changed the culture of business with his trademark jeans and black mock turtleneck?
Jobs had an immeasurable impact on Millennial culture. They’ll miss their hero, but they’ll carry his legacy forward and follow his advice. They’ll stay hungry, stay foolish.
