Sometimes, millennials are considered entitled, selfish, impatient, lazy, and disloyal...there's probably some truth to that, or else people wouldn't say that; but to me, there's some level of truth to that for every generation when they are in their 20s to early 30s. Of course, there may have been some slightly different aspects of what their weaker and stronger points were, but for all generations, there was some immaturity and self-centeredness at that age. I work with a lot of young kids, specifically with underprivileged and immigrant kids, first-generation students, and they always reminded me of my younger self - full of untapped strengths and hope inside that I didn't even know I had! So how do we crack their code and figure out their motivation and engage them in life and at work?
In this episode, we discussed these topics and more with Sammy Warrayat, host of “Successful Millenials Podcast,” - our youngest guest yet!
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
1. FIND FINANCIAL FREEDOM FIRST
Inspired by those who were leading purposeful lives, Sammy left his corporate job to harness freedom of time; he decided to pursue his passion of helping others reach success in five key areas - money, happiness, health, relationships, and career. In this episode, Sammy explains that although this can be hard to hear, money usually has to come first. Financial freedom can provide the opportunity to pursue your passions; otherwise, sacrifices in where you live, what you do, and how you spend your time will constantly have to be made. To Sammy, this looked like chasing side projects while working in a financially secure corporate position. While this may look different to everyone, Sammy emphasizes the importance of this financial security in the grand scheme of searching for millennial wellness.
2. VALUE SHIFTS OVER TIME
When just starting out a new job, Sammy believes your value lies in what you produce. Your performance and outlook, your relationships with others, and your ability to deliver quality work products are key. To succeed at this level, take on as much work as possible; independence and trust in your gut come first, but collaboration is right behind it. When you spend more time in the field, the value becomes more about what you know. What information can you readily reference to solve problems? Providing value at this second level is very different than at the outset. Finally, when in a leadership position, your value is defined by who - and how - you grow others. Sammy references that recognizing where you are in your career and how your work is being valued is critical to success long term.
3. NEVER STOP (SIDE)HUSTLING
Sammy’s current podcast started as a side hustle. He recommends focusing on passion-driving things; not money motivated, but things that bring you joy. Sammy recommends not to juggle too many passion projects at once, and to dive deeply into one hobby or interest. If you really enjoy the product, idea, service, or anything really, you can turn to see if you enjoy working in that field, either as a side gig or as a replacement. Scaling the passion you enjoy will eventually come naturally (as it did for Sammy, when he turned his passion for helping others into his podcast and financial coaching business).
4. BONUS: ADVICE TO LEADERS OF THE NEXT GENERATION
Sammy ended our episode with advice to the younger generation and the older. For the older generation, he implores leaders to keep an open mind with the younger generation. They’re the same workers you used to be, and even if they don’t yet know the business specifics, they know how to work hard towards their goals. Remember that there was a time when you also didn’t know how to navigate office politics, run a C-suite meeting, or send a client an email. Everyone is on their own journey, and different timelines shouldn’t run counter to the potential for empathetic connection.
🎧 To learn more about succeeding as a millennial, connecting with your passions, and more mentorship advice from Cece Leung, listen to the Dear Accountant podcast here.
🎙 The “Dear Accountant” podcast is a uniquely insightful and entertaining podcast for aspiring young business professionals. Each episode is packed with actionable advice to help young finance professionals get ready for whatever challenge they may face next. Aside from all of the many cool things in accounting (technical topics and trends), we bring in industry experts and influential leaders to share their journey, insights, and perspectives. We will also cover topics that were not taught in school - life essential skills such as personal finance, emotional intelligence, mentorship, networking, body language, and human behaviors, and so much more!
💬 About our guest, Sammy Warrayat: Sammy is a fitness enthusiast, avid traveler, financial coach, money expert and so much more! After having a data analytics career throughout his 20s, he left Corporate America with a vision of helping others achieve financial independence and a successful overall life in health, relationships, and purpose through discipline and grit rather than just motivation and inspiration through his podcast and consulting services.
📖 Get amazing advice from the 20 mentors in “Dear Accountant” Book: The book offers a unique immersion into the lives and careers of 20 inspiring leaders in finance from different disciplines - their backstories, pivotal moments, career trajectories, and hiccups along the way.
🎧 Listen to Cece’s interviews about her passion and mission in writing this book and paying it forward to help young professionals to find meaning and fulfillment in their life and career: