Reflections on the G20 YES Mexico – Marty Park

Common Ground

Coming to the G20 Young Entrepreneurs Summit creates all sorts of excitement around the people you are going to meet, the differences in language, the cultural differences, the new destination you are travelling to.  The focus going into this Summit was all about the things that are different and unusual from the day to day work routine.

Then you arrive in Mexico City and from the first moment you start to meet other entrepreneurs, you discover only one thing … common ground.   You start to see many things in common every minute of the Summit.

The first obvious similarity is the energy, the perspective and the mindset of entrepreneurs from all G20 countries.  Globally, entrepreneurs think in similar ways and conversations quickly begin to echo the phrase “me too” over and over.

The business challenges of young entrepreneurs are also common ground.  We often think we are the only ones struggling in our companies; struggling to grow them, struggling with staff or delivery of product, cashflow struggles, etc.   We often begin to feel like the only young entrepreneur with these issues.  Quickly at the G20YES we discover that the challenges and issues of business ownership are universal.

Finally, the spirit to use entrepreneurship to better their families, their communities, their countries and this global community is common ground.  While entrepreneurs are often thought to be capitalists first, Mexico City demonstrates that the common ground of common improvement is profound and very alive.