What are real-life millennials like?

If you don’t know anyone who came of age in the new millennium, common stereotypes might have you thinking things like, “tech-savvy”, “narcissistic”, “lazy”,  and “entitled”.

The reality is vastly different.

We had the opportunity, on Saturday, to talk with four millennial creatives in a discussion-panel format.  The setting: Pipe & Thimble Publishing & Bookstore, which is Southern California’s first bookstore to carry independent authors, exclusively.

Common threads emerged.   The panelists, ranging in age from eighteen to twenty-six, were all making things happen in their creative fields.

Four perspectives on creativity

Hannah Shafiroff published and illustrated her first children’s book, The Unexpected Rainy Day, earlier this year.   Currently, she’s studying art in college, with the goal of combining her love of creating art with working in a creative career field.   (And her second book is in the works!)

Conor Walsh has written a number of short stories.  Earlier this year, he published his first book: the historic novel Little Glass Men.  Not only is he at work on his next book now–he has considerable talent for marketing his creative work.

Ellie Lieberman is co-owner of Pipe & Thimble Publishing and Bookstore, as well as a published author (two young-adult novels, Society’s Foundlings and Solving for X, plus numerous short stories).  But Ellie was a creative entrepreneur long before the opening of Pipe & Thimble, in May 2017.   She crafts fairy doors, houses and other fairy-world miniatures.  From the start of her original small business, Acorn Tops, she’s steadily challenged herself with more and more intricate original designs.

Amanda K. Lechner is a freelance filmmaker.  Her talents include screenwriting, cinematography and directing.  Amanda has created a number of short films on Vimeo, and is currently at work on several freelance projects.

During our “Millennial Mythbusting” panel, these real-life millennials presented their perspectives.  Work, creativity, common stereotypes and the future all came up as topics.

Far from fitting any of the negative stereotypes, Hannah, Ellie, Conor and Amanda all knew where they wanted to go, in life, and how they planned to get there.

And what they had to say may very well inspire you in your creative and innovative journey!