Business experts say 2030 may sound out of reach, but it’s really only a few years away, and businesses need to prepare now for the next generation of customers.
“By 2030, most Baby Boomers will retire, so it’s important to understand your future customers,” said Debra Rosen, president and CEO of the North San Diego Chamber of Commerce.
This group includes millennials, Gen X and Z, and current high school students.
To help businesses—especially those with fewer than 50 employees—prepare for the future, the Rancho Bernardo-based Chamber of Commerce is offering a six-month monthly seminar series. Called the “Future Series,” it identifies technology and workforce solutions for small businesses.
The first workshop, “Understanding the Talent Resources Available to Employers,” will be held on Tuesday, November 11 from 8-9:30 am. 8 Palomar College Education Center, Rancho Bernardo, 11111 Rancho Bernardo Road. Free for members, $45 for non-members.
Speakers will be Jason Jarvinen, Associate Professor and Work Experience Coordinator, Palomar College; Alex Ortega Jr, Employment Coordinator, Miramar College, San Diego; and Angel Stancer, Business Services Manager, San Diego Workforce Partnership.
According to Rosen, the pandemic has forced the business world to embrace technology at an extremely advanced rate and has fundamentally changed the way business operates today. Anticipating more changes to come, businesses must prepare for uncertainties and opportunities in business, workforce and everyday life.
Of the more than 800 members of the regional chamber of commerce, 49.7 percent have fewer than 10 employees and 74 percent have fewer than 50 members, Rosen said.
“The reason for all this is that we really need to focus on small and medium businesses because they don’t have the time and resources to … see what other people are doing,” Rosen said. “They need to be ready for the future because technology is changing everything so fast.”
Some of the workshop sessions will include presentations from younger generations of customers who can talk about how social media and technology are influencing their consumer decisions.
“We want to bring in the next generation so they can talk to businesses about how they communicate, what social media they use for news, buying and how they communicate with businesses,” Rosen said.
According to the Chamber, the “Future” series will revolve around solutions, resources, technologies and creative ideas to support the challenges businesses face in today’s and tomorrow’s workforce.
Finding and retaining talent are the two biggest challenges facing most companies, especially small and medium-sized ones.
The other five workshop topics and dates in the series are:
• “Starting with the Foundation: Your Talent,” December. 8.
• “Building the Workplace for the Future,” January. 10.
• “Preparing for 2030 Customer Experience,” February. 14.
• “The Cost of Goods and Services in 2030,” 14 March.
• “What jobs will look like in 2030,” April 11.
The location of the live workshop will vary and is still being finalized.
Register for the first three workshops at bit.ly/3gigmF9. For more information, contact the Chamber of Commerce at sdbusinesschamber.com or 858-487-1767.