Luke Lintz of HighKey Agency On How To Navigate The Generational Differences That Are Disrupting Workplaces
An Interview With Cynthia Corsetti
Continuous Learning: Recognize that learning never stops. I believe in providing opportunities for all employees to upskill and learn from each other. We introduced a mentorship program where older employees shared their wisdom with younger colleagues, and in return, they learned about the latest technology trends.
Today’s workplaces are a melting pot of Baby Boomers, Gen Xers, Millennials, and Gen Zers. Each generation brings its unique perspective, work ethics, communication styles, and values. While this diversity can foster innovation and creativity, it can also lead to misunderstandings, conflicts, and productivity challenges. How can businesses effectively bridge these generational gaps to create harmonious and thriving work environments? As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Luke Lintz.
Luke is the esteemed CEO of HighKey Enterprises, a public relations firm that he co-founded when he was only 16. Luke has turned HighKey into an eight-figure company, collaborated with A-list celebrities, and built up his portfolio — and he’s only 24. Luke is paving the way for other Gen Z CEOs and entrepreneurs to find success just as he did.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series. Before we dive into our discussion about succession, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share with us the backstory about what brought you to your specific career path?
I started a product-based business selling wireless earbuds when I was 16 in my Junior year of high school. I wasn’t trying to build a massive business at the time, I was really just thinking about additional ways to utilize my time and be able to make some side money from it. We sourced our wireless earbuds from Albaba and since we were really the first wireless earbuds in the US Market we were able to sell over $1 Million dollars of product before I graduated highschool and just from Instagram marketing alone. We had no idea what we were doing at the time with marketing, and were just doing what made sense to us of buying under priced attention with Instagram meme pages to reach a younger audience of buyers.
After making some crucial mistakes with the business when we tried to expand our product suite and it didn’t go so well, because the only reason we were making so many sales is because we were first to market with the wireless earbuds.
I got into my current career path when my brothers and I founded HighKey Agency in Winnipeg. Initially, we focused on Instagram, helping clients increase followers and get verified. We achieved early success through massive Instagram direct messaging lead generation efforts. However, as Instagram’s DM open rates dropped, we diversified our lead generation. We hired a sales team and expanded to cold calling, Facebook, and TikTok ads. We aim to capture potential clients’ interest and book appointments. Currently, we have about 20 full-time sales team members.
Now we have a total team of over 70 full time staff and we are specifically working with business owners working towards an IPO, Exit or capital raise. We are working on their digital brand to grow their enterprise value with press, TV placements, Podcast features, social media and more.
This Podcast does a good job explaining this story as well: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBAyJaEGOpA
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
One of the ways our company stands out is we created an innovative marketing method on Instagram where we partnered up with A List celebrities to giveaway massive prizes and be able to direct traffic over to our clients who sponsored the giveaway. This unique method allowed us to partner with celebrities like Kevin Hart, Snoop Dogg, Bella Thorne, Nicki Minaj, Cardi B and many other A list celebrities.
The other aspect of our company that makes us stand out is our services are all guaranteed in and an industry where guarantees don’t exist. We believe in being transparent about the deliverables we will do for our clients across the range of our PR services.
You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Resilience:
A key aspect of my success has been my resilience in facing challenges. There have been numerous obstacles and setbacks along my entrepreneurial journey. One notable example of this trait in action was when our company faced a significant setback due to unexpected changes in the market. Instead of giving up, I rallied my team, adapted our strategies, and found new opportunities within the shifting landscape. This resilience allowed us to not only weather the storm but also emerge stronger and more adaptable in the long run.
Vision:
Having a clear vision and the ability to communicate it effectively has been crucial to our success. I remember a specific instance when our company was at a crossroads, and we needed to decide whether to expand into new markets or focus on our existing customer base. By articulating a compelling vision for our company’s future and aligning our team’s efforts with this vision, we made the right strategic choices. This decision ultimately led to substantial growth and success for our business.
Adaptability:
In today’s rapidly changing business environment, adaptability is essential. I recall a situation where a major technological disruption threatened to make our core product obsolete. Instead of resisting change, we embraced it and transformed our product to align with emerging trends and technologies. This adaptability allowed us to stay ahead of the competition and maintain our market leadership.
In your experience, what are the most distinct characteristics, values, and work preferences of each generation currently present in the workplace?
Baby Boomers:
Characteristics: Baby Boomers often exhibit a strong work ethic, loyalty to their employers, and a focus on career advancement.
Values: They value job security, stability, and traditional hierarchical structures. Retirement planning is a significant concern for this generation.
Work Preferences: Baby Boomers may prefer in-person communication, formal dress codes, and structured work hours. They often have a preference for face-to-face meetings and phone calls.
Generation X:
Characteristics: Gen Xers are known for their independent and self-reliant nature. They often balance work and family commitments.
Values: They value work-life balance, individualism, and merit-based recognition. Gen Xers may prioritize career development and are likely skeptical of authority.
Work Preferences: This generation may appreciate flexible work hours, including remote work options. They are comfortable with technology and may prefer email and messaging for communication.
Millennials:
Characteristics: Millennials are tech-savvy, collaborative, and entrepreneurial. They seek purpose in their work and often value experiences over possessions.
Values: They prioritize work-life integration, diversity and inclusion, and social responsibility. Professional development and continuous learning are essential to them.
Work Preferences: Millennials are comfortable with remote work and flexible schedules and prefer digital communication channels such as instant messaging and video conferencing.
Generation Z:
Characteristics: Gen Z is the first fully digital generation with a robust entrepreneurial spirit. They are known for their adaptability and comfort with rapid change.
Values: They value authenticity, social justice, and sustainability. Job stability is important, but they are open to multiple career paths.
Work Preferences: Gen Z may prefer a blend of remote and in-office work, emphasizing technology for communication. They are more likely to seek feedback and mentorship early in their careers.
Can you describe a specific instance where generational differences caused a significant challenge in the workplace? How was it addressed, and what lessons were learned?
It’s about creating a supportive learning environment. We recommend offering training programs that cater to different learning styles. This ensures everyone can adapt to technology comfortably. Older employees hesitated about embracing AI tools, while younger ones were more receptive. To address this, we provided training, encouraged cross-generational collaboration in AI implementation, allowed flexibility in communication methods, and established a feedback system. The lesson learned was that patience, understanding, and flexibility, especially in AI adoption, can bridge generational gaps and lead to the successful integration of new technologies.
Technology adoption varies greatly between generations. How do you recommend companies bridge the tech-savviness gap without alienating any generational group?
Start by fostering an inclusive culture where older and younger employees feel valued. Then, establish mentorship programs that pair experienced workers with newer ones, promoting knowledge exchange.
How can organizations create cross-generational mentorship programs that allow older and younger employees to learn from each other?
Customize training materials to suit various preferences. Some may prefer traditional classroom-style learning, while others thrive with online resources. Offer options to accommodate everyone.
From face-to-face conversations to instant messaging, each generation has its communication preference. How can businesses foster effective communication that caters to these diverse preferences?
The key is flexibility. From face-to-face meetings to instant messaging, provide multiple communication channels. Encourage teams to adapt and use what works best for them.
How should training and development programs be tailored to cater to the unique learning styles and expectations of different generations?
Customize training materials to suit various preferences. Some may prefer traditional classroom-style learning, while others thrive with online resources. Offer options to accommodate everyone.
In what ways can leaders ensure they’re being inclusive and not harboring unconscious biases towards one generation over another?
Leaders must set the tone. Promote diversity and inclusion as core values and regularly assess policies and practices for fairness.
As we look towards the future and the eventual integration of newer generations into the workforce, what strategies should businesses implement now to be prepared for even more diverse generational dynamics? Embrace change and encourage open dialogue between generations. Companies should invest in ongoing training and development to ensure everyone can thrive in evolving workplaces.
What are your “Five Things Leaders Need to Know About How to Navigate the Generational Differences that are Disrupting Workplaces”?
1 . Embrace Diversity: Understand and appreciate the strengths of each generation.
2 . Mentorship Matters: Encourage cross-generational mentorship to bridge gaps.
3 . Tech for All: Make tech training inclusive and accessible.
4 . Flexible Communication: Provide various communication channels and be flexible on how each individual communicates and retains information the best.
5 . Continuous Learning: Recognize that learning never stops. I believe in providing opportunities for all employees to upskill and learn from each other. We introduced a mentorship program where older employees shared their wisdom with younger colleagues, and in return, they learned about the latest technology trends.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life?
“Be fearful when others are greedy and only ever be greedy when others are fearful” — Warren Buffet
The life lesson from this quote is on multiple occasions. But I have noticed that the biggest failures that I have made in life have come from being greedy. Greed and gluttony are part of the 7 deadly sins, because it’s the mindset of wanting to be selfish and take more than we need. I have learned this the hard way, where at the beginning of our first product-based business I didn’t want to sell out of our products because I was being greedy about trying to maximize our sales as much as possible. This greed led to a massive over purchase of inventory and led to a 6 figure mistake.
Off-topic, but I’m curious. As someone steering the ship, what thoughts or concerns often keep you awake at night? How do those thoughts influence your daily decision-making process? I’m always considering how to stay at the forefront of the ever-evolving digital landscape. These considerations influence my choices to emphasize innovation and adaptability. Nevertheless, I make it clear to my employees that I ensure I get a solid 8 hours of sleep each night. Sleep plays a crucial role in boosting productivity.
Even though there are many times I am extremely stressed during the day, I somehow have been gifted with always being able to sleep, which I am forever grateful for. But other things that increase my stress levels are the unknowns of massive decisions. We have got to a point where most material online isn’t nuanced enough to give me actionable advice on what’s the next big decision that should be made in the company to release the biggest constraint.
You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
I speak about this heavily in my recent YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K72vsZFeVhg&t=3s (It’s a very good one to watch)!
How can our readers further follow you online?
https://www.instagram.com/lukelintz/?hl=en
https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-lintz-874392148/
Thank you for the time you spent sharing these fantastic insights. We wish you only continued success in your great work!
About the Interviewer: Cynthia Corsetti is an esteemed executive coach with over two decades in corporate leadership and 11 years in executive coaching. Author of the upcoming book, “Dark Drivers,” she guides high-performing professionals and Fortune 500 firms to recognize and manage underlying influences affecting their leadership. Beyond individual coaching, Cynthia offers a 6-month executive transition program and partners with organizations to nurture the next wave of leadership excellence.
