How Mic’s millennial CEO manages a staff of millennials

This is View from the Top, a video series from Digiday where we sit down with leaders and pioneers at brands, agencies and publishers to find out how they’re adapting to the modernization of media and marketing. 

Chris Altchek is familiar with all the millennial stereotypes: narcissistic, selfish short-term thinkers. The 28-year-old CEO of the millennial-focused publication Mic thinks a vast majority of those characteristics are over-simplifications. With a staff of more than 65 young journalists, Altchek likes to highlight that his team is dedicated.

“People work their asses off to get these things done, and at the end of three months they may want the next project or a promotion or a raise,” said Altchek about how millennials don’t want to settle. “I think for non-millennial managers that’s a surprising phenomenon.”

So at Mic, millennial expectations are managed by setting short-term goals. Every three months, staffers are given a different project with a new set of goals and rewards. Watch our interview with Altchek to find out how he’s also beefing up his millennial staff by bringing in older millennial-minded managers.

https://digiday.com/?p=154406

More in Media

Publishers revamp their newsletter offerings to engage audiences amid threat of AI and declining referral traffic

Publishers like Axios, Eater, the Guardian, theSkimm and Snopes are either growing or revamping their newsletter offerings to engage audiences as a wave of generative AI advancements increases the need for original content and referral traffic declines push publishers to find alternative ways to reach readers.

The Guardian US is starting its pursuit of political ad dollars

The Guardian US is entering the race for political ad dollars.

How much is Possible’s future in Michael Kassan’s hands?

Some people in the know at Possible said they see the conference taking a bite out of Cannes’ attendance, most acutely by U.S.-based marketers who could save money by staying on this side of the Atlantic.