Young Entrepreneurship.
How young people are reshaping work and entrepreneurship.
Young people combine their studies, work and personal projects. They experiment, start ventures and find their own way. But do we really understand what drives them, what opportunities they see and what barriers they face?
In Jong ondernemerschap, I look beyond the clichés about a new generation. Drawing on research, stories from young entrepreneurs and insights from experts, I offer a nuanced perspective on work, ambition and entrepreneurship.
Not a guide to starting your own business, but a book for anyone who wants to better understand and make the most of young talent.
Why I wrote this book
Young people today have different perspectives on work and entrepreneurship. They combine studies or work with their own projects, explore different career paths, or go all in on starting a business. Some are driven by ambition; others encounter barriers in the labour market.
As a researcher and mother of two young adults, I see how young people are finding their own way. At the same time, I hear how often people talk about “young people today”—that they’re less ambitious or less loyal, or have unrealistic expectations. But is that really true? Or are we still too often looking at them through the lens of the past?
With this book, I don’t want to take sides with young people or employers. I want to add nuance and bridge the gap between young people and the people who educate, guide, recruit or make policy for them.
Because only when we understand each other better can we make better use of talent.
What will you discover in this book?
Young entrepreneurship is about much more than starting a business.
It also tells us something about how a new generation views work, ambition, learning and the future.
In this book, you’ll discover:
Entrepreneurship in all its forms
Why youth entrepreneurship is about much more than starting a business.
Trust and room to grow
What young entrepreneurs need from employers and organisations.
Perceptions and role models
How social media and expectations shape perceptions of entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurship as a learning ground
The skills young people develop by taking initiative and experimenting.
New combinations
How young people combine studies, work and personal projects.
Opportunities and barriers
Why not everyone starts from the same starting line, and what we can do about it.
Who is this book for?
Employers & HR
For those looking to better understand, attract and develop young talent, and respond to changing expectations around work and careers.
Education & youth work
For those who support young people in their development and want to foster an entrepreneurial mindset, with an eye for different ambitions and starting points.
Business organisations & policy
For anyone looking to understand new forms of entrepreneurship and reach and support a more diverse range of young people.
Bring the insights from the book to your organisation
A talk or workshop on
youth entrepreneurship?
What can employers learn from young entrepreneurs? How can you encourage an entrepreneurial mindset in young people? And how can your organisation respond to their changing expectations around work and careers?
The insights from Young Entrepreneurship underpin my talks, guest lectures and interactive workshops.
From HR professionals and managers to business organisations, teachers and young people themselves. Always grounded in research, brought to life through relatable stories and shaped by the questions on the audience’s minds.
"I hope this book helps foster greater understanding between generations and
more confidence in young people’s entrepreneurial potential."
Karijn Bonne
Book launch: Young Entrepreneurship
Arteveldehogeschool, October 2026.
Curious about Young Entrepreneurship?
For anyone who wants to take a broader look at young people, work and entrepreneurship.
Young Entrepreneurship: How Young People Are Reshaping Work and Entrepreneurship was published in 2026 by Pelckmans Uitgevers and is available from the publisher and bookshops.
Pelckmans Uitgevers · 2026 · Paperback · ISBN 9789465305783
Interested in a talk, keynote or panel discussion on youth entrepreneurship? Feel free to get in touch.
Want to buy the book? Find it at your local independent bookshop or on the Pelckmans website.
