(Audio) We talk about the importance of ownership but never about the business connotation of “selling out”. Instagram, once a stand-alone company, sold out to Facebook back in 2012. Snapchat, on the other hand, decided to keep their sovereignty and declined a $3 billion dollar buyout offer from Facebook in 2013. At the time, skeptics felt like they were fools. Now, the photo-sharing app is worth $16 billion and keeps besting Facebook in their attempt to create something that can put a dent in Evan Spiegel money making empire.

The fact that a larger company, like a Gillette or Facebook wants you obviously means something. They see the value in your knowledge and insight and, instead of immediately attempting to become a direct competitor, they send an offer to join your team.

Would you “sell out” or would you keep your ownership and control, possibly making an industry giant an enemy of you.

As a proud millennial, I’m proud of both Tristan Walker (the inventive owner of Bevel) and Evan Spiegel for standing strong and realizing their value.

However, there’s a major generational divide in philosophies when it comes to business. Listen below for my full commentary, and an overview of my discussion with my Dad (a proud black man and Generation X member) who believed that Bob Johnson’s sale of BET to Viacom in 2001 was right and Spiegel declining Facebook’s multi-billion dollar offer was insane. There’s a generational divide indeed!

https://soundcloud.com/authorrandallb/randall-on-the-millennial-philosophy-on-ownership

Randall looks back on the movie “Drumline” and how the topics covered in the film, released in 2002, are still relevant to HBCU’s today.

Check out “The Diary of Aaliyah Anderson” book series on Amazon:
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