Episode 198: Baby Boomers Vs Millennials… Or Is It?

Baby Boomers Vs. Millennials...Or Is It? The generational gap between baby boomers and millennials is something that every business owner is bound to encounter.... perhaps you already have? But one generation doesn't have to be at war with the other. Each generation has unique and specific experiences that they can share with one another to improve themselves. That's why in this week's episode of Bella In Your Business, I bring you Steve Dotto who has a unique perspective on the generational gap. Steve Dotto is a tech geek, entrepreneur, and business owner. He is the founder of Dotto Tech, which he has grown into a successful, self-sustaining business. He has built a community of our thirty-six thousand people, spoke at Social Media Marketing World, and worked with companies like Xerox and Blackberry.   Bella Vasta & Steve Dotto Show Highlights [2:00] - How do we define baby boomers? [2:30] - What are the stereotypes about baby boomers? [8:00} - Can you tell us your best advice for boomers looking to expand their online presence? [21:00] - What is the best advice you have for baby boomer business owners, millennial business owners, and where can my audience find you online? Links Steve's Website: https://dottotech.com/ Steve's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC9BqPtCcSyHvQsbl2rumM4w Steve's Webinar Wednesday's: https://members.dottotech.com/webinar-wednesday-registration-page/ Jump Mastermind: /mastermind/ Pet Sitting Employee Handbook & Training Manual: /product/handbook-manual-typesetting-resource/ Let's Connect! Did you enjoy the show? We would love it if you subscribed today and left us a 5-star review! Click this link – Bella In Your Business Click on the ‘Subscribe’ button below the artwork Go to the ‘Ratings and Reviews’ section Click on ‘Write a Review’' Are You New Here? Welcome, I am so glad you are here. If you are a dog walker, dog sitter, cat sitter, doggy daycare or kennel owner, then you found the right place. Jump Consulting is the one place on the internet to get all the resources you need for your pet care business. Can I give you some freebies to generate sales and increase revenues for your business? Grab your freebies below. Are you starting out? Been in business for less than two years? Get your startup resources here. Do you own an established pet care business and you want to take it to the next level.? Get Your builder resources here. Transcript: This is episode 198 of Bella in Your Business. Hi there, I'm Bella Vasta from Jump Consulting. You might know me from CBS, NBC, Fox, Huffington Post, Entrepreneur, or maybe you've seen me speak on stage or read my book, The Four Dogs That Every Business Owner Needs. In any case, get ready because you're about to get your hashtag Bella Butt Kickin' in this next episode of Bella in Your Business. So what do you say? Let's get ready and jump. Welcome to Bella in Your Business. My name is Bella Vasta, and today, all you boomers, I want you to listen up. This podcast episode is for you. I have Steve Dotto and his dog Farley joining us right now. Steve and I first met face to face—he doesn’t know this—but I already knew him well through his amazing YouTube channel. We actually sat across from each other and shared dinner with about forty other people at the Thinkific Dinner at Social Media Marketing World, one of the last conferences to happen in 2020. We had a great conversation, and I instantly loved his energy. I wanted to bring Steve to you because we often talk so much about millennials, Gen X, and Gen Z that we forget about baby boomers. There’s no one better to represent them than Steve. He’s made a name for himself on YouTube and elsewhere by helping people overcome their tech fears. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by software or new apps, Steve breaks it all down in an approachable way. So without further ado, welcome, Steve. He began by defining boomers as those born before 1960 or 1961. He was born in 1958, making him a true baby boomer. He refers to his generation as the “gray zone,” especially now during COVID when many have stopped coloring their hair. He laughed about how the gray zone is expanding. Discussing stereotypes about boomers, Steve explained that many view boomers as selfish, resistant to leave the workplace, and even as poor parents. But he wanted to challenge those assumptions. Back in 1965, the life expectancy for a man who retired at 65 was only four years—most men died around age 69. Today, it’s nearly 30 years longer, meaning people who retire at 65 could live another three decades. That changes everything. “We don’t want to retire and sit around,” Steve said. “We want to remain relevant, active, and contributing members of society.” Younger generations may feel frustrated that boomers won’t “move over,” but Steve says it’s not about denying opportunity—it’s about wanting to stay engaged. He pointed out that many baby boomers are now transitioning from responsibility—raising children, working full-time—to passion projects and finding ways to give back. He even has a podcast called Gray Matters for his community, where he encourages baby boomers to pivot and reinvent themselves. He says the internet doesn’t belong to any one generation, and his mission is to show boomers that they belong in digital spaces too. “We have as much right to be here as anyone else,” he said, adding that he calls his movement “the gray wave” because boomers are now starting to leave their mark online. Advertisers, too, recognize the buying power of boomers, and ad rates targeting older audiences are much higher. Bella wanted to steer the conversation toward boomers who are running businesses and struggling with technology and social media, as well as why boomers make great employees. Steve agreed and said generational friction often occurs between baby boomers and their younger employees because of different values. “Our identity is tied to what we do,” Steve explained. “We’re proud of our experience.” But millennials, he said, often see experience as something you can Google. That difference in perspective can create frustration, as boomers want respect for what they’ve built over decades. He emphasized that the tension isn’t about work ethic—it’s about values and respect. “Baby boomers want to be respected for their experience,” he said. “That’s a big part of who we are.” When it comes to adopting technology, Steve admits boomers are their own worst enemies. They often resist change, digging in their heels and insisting that the old way was better. For example, boomers prefer phone calls, while younger people prefer texting or messaging apps. But times have changed, and he urges boomers to stay flexible and adapt to the preferred communication methods of others. Bella pointed out that businesses should offer multiple communication options—not just to accommodate preferences but to reach different generations. A millennial might want to text, while a baby boomer might prefer a phone call. Steve agreed, saying flexibility is key, especially as more baby boomers enter the gig economy. Many of Bella’s listeners are business owners who hire both older and younger employees, and understanding this dynamic is crucial. Steve explained that boomers often expect structure because they grew up in an era where everything—from software to job descriptions—was “finished” before being released. They prefer detailed manuals and clear directions. “We used to ship completed software,” Steve said. “We wrote manuals, tested everything, and didn’t release until it was perfect.” Today’s approach, like Google’s eight-year Gmail beta, is entirely different—products are released first and fixed later. “That’s not how we did things,” he laughed. Bella noted that this mindset also applies to business training. Her company sells manuals and video training to help business owners create structure for employees. She observed that Steve’s YouTube channel functions similarly—it’s like a digital manual for those trying to learn new tools. Steve said his channel, DottoTech, focuses on two main topics: productivity tools (like Evernote and Google Calendar) and content creation. His videos introduce people to new features or ideas without overwhelming them. Some of his tutorials have surpassed one million views, though most average around 8,000 to 12,000 in the first month. Steve explained that while he could focus more on analytics to grow faster, he prefers to prioritize community. He reads every comment and uses them to decide what to create next. “The magic of YouTube is that you’re directly serving your audience,” he said. “When I worked in television, my customers were advertisers. Now, my viewers are my customers.” Before YouTube, Steve hosted a TV show called DottoTech in Canada for nearly 20 years. It was similar to his YouTube channel, teaching audiences how to use new technology. His sponsors included major companies like Microsoft and Apple. The difference now is that he doesn’t answer to advertisers—just to his viewers. “There are no sacred cows,” he said. “If you have an honest dialogue with your community, they’ll lead you to the promised land.” He cited Marcus Sheridan’s book They Ask, You Answer as a big influence, saying that listening to your audience’s questions is the best way to create valuable content. Bella agreed, saying she built over 500 blog posts for her pet sitting company the same way—by answering client questions. Steve shared that he also runs Webinar Wednesday, a free weekly online training series with over 130 sessions so far, teaching everything from productivity to photo archiving. The webinars are free to attend live or available for 48 hours afterward, and long-term access is available to patrons on Patreon. To wrap up, Steve encouraged all business owners—regardless of age—to stay open-minded and give each other grace.