President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has made no secret of her ambition to empower the youth.

Most pressing is the rising number of youth unemployment, which the President admits is worrying and requires immediate intervention.

She has elevated the approach to calls for tangible programmes and projects to realise objectives associated with youth empowerment. This sets a positive precedent.

What industry role players and technocrats appear to be failing at is breaking it all down.

Government leaders and experts in various industries have persistently encouraged Namibians to turn to self-employment as a means of putting food on the table. However, this appears easier said than done.

What is missing from this narrative is that self-employment might not be as easy as it is touted. In the absence of formidable structures, programmes and initiatives to assist small businesses in their formative stages, such undertakings would be fruitless.

However, the youth have energy on their side, owing to their age. This could be one of the greatest weapons they have against rising unemployment – harnessing their energy into positive economic programmes and projects.

Simply put, the youth can positively impact their lives by leveraging their tender age and aptitude for innovation.

Namibia’s efforts to boost the small business sector need to be commended. However, the bigger challenge the country faces is creating small and medium enterprises (SMEs) that meet the needs of the 21st century. 

Before the start of the 21st century, discussions on SMEs were rhetorical.

Currently, the subject is firmly on the national agenda because economic hardship is forcing individuals and the government to explore alternative sources of income or economic growth. 

Significantly, the SME agenda is gaining prominence during a phase in which businesses are increasingly under pressure to adapt to the needs of 21st-century consumers.

Youth businesses can equally take off if done well. The youth can use their experience through interaction and the use of modern technology to set forth their business agendas. 

However, there are a few key attributes of a 21st-century business that one should keep in mind.

These include an online or virtual presence because, even though the decision to operate physically or virtually largely depends on the type of business, online presence is a must in the 21st century.

The benefits of being accessible online far outweighs the risks of not having any online presence.

Do not just offer a service but offer a lifestyle.

Consumers are more likely to be attracted to something which complements or improves their lifestyle.

Business owners should ensure that their business complements the lifestyle of their target consumer.

Innovation is something that is encouraged by businesses in general, but very few actually follow through by rewarding employees for brilliant ideas.

Rewarding innovators encourages them to do more than their prescribed share.

It is further important to partner with people who share a similar vision. People are more attracted to something they believe in, rather than the short-lived lure of a better pay cheque.

As an entrepreneur, one must be agile and accessible, as all clients would rather not wait to get service. If your business has an opportunity to offer a particular service faster and efficiently, do it. This could be your competitive edge.

A single customer complaint on a social networking platform, such as Twitter or Facebook, has the potential to jeopardise years of hard work.

Even though it is impossible to make everyone happy, every complaint should be addressed efficiently to set a better impression of the business.

SMEs need to adopt a ‘local but global’ business philosophy, as becoming a global or multinational player does not always require millions of dollars, especially if there are no physical assets required.

In this case, virtual networking could easily place one’s business in a position to operate across different markets.

There is no doubt that Namibia has the capability to create SMEs that meet the needs of the 21st century.

The message we need to instil is that our SMEs need to address the needs of the 21st-century consumer. The youth can be at the forefront of this.