Entrepreneurship and Innovation

Mr Lazarus Jacobs, co-founder of Paragon Investment Holdings presented a public lecture titled Entrepreneurship and Innovation: Where to for Namibia? at the Polytechnic of Namibia last week. Mr Jacobs’ presentation focused on how the older and younger generations of the country (Millennials) can work together to start up successful businesses and companies.
Mr Jacobs emphasised that there are cross generation clashes which make it difficult for the older generation to work with the Millennials, he also thinks that the older generation do not trust the Millenials with information because they consider themselves as the primary custodians of information.

Jacobs says that Millennials tend to be more creative than the older generation and they are able to use this to build successful businesses and that they are not people you want to harass with questions like, what time did you come to the office?, what time are you leaving?, or where were you at lunchtime? “They need space to work and to think and if you ask them to do something they need to be given room to move, and the older generation needs to realise that the conventional way of doing things has changed totally”, said Jacobs.
He also stated that he realises that they are young people and they need their space, but there are certain rules they must adhere to in society. “You can do what you want, I just want to see the result and if I have given you a specific target you just need to reach it and if you do not I will come down on you like a tonne of brick”, he said. The Millennials need to understand this because they tend to lack discipline.
Paragon Investment Holdings is one of the few companies in the country that has embraced Millennials because they understand from a marketing, advertising and creative point of view  that you need to disrupt the status quo and rattle the cage all the time in order for you to reach your goals and objectives, concluded Jacobs.
Lazarus Jacobs is a well known Namibian media personality, published writer and sought after public speaker. Mr Jacobs has over ten years of marketing, advertising as well as radio and television production experience. He currently serves as a Director on the Paragon Investment Holdings Board, is the Chairperson of the Windhoek Observer and the Chairperson of the Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia.