You Want Things, You Have to Build Them | Jay Shah’s Advice for Youth

Ideas are everywhere. Builders are rare.In this episode, entrepreneur, investor and dad, Jay Shah explains why young people should stop waiting and start building.While Jay co-founded a company that was later acquired by Google, this conversation isn’t about getting rich or being famous. It’s about having a builder mindset starting in your youth.Jay talks about growing up around entrepreneurship, why building is a muscle anyone can train, and why young people today have the best moment in their lives to take risks and try things. He also shares what people misunderstand about success, why learning matters more than your resume, and how curiosity and action can shape your future.You’ll also hear about his newest project, Poppy, a device designed to give kids safe access to technology while encouraging curiosity, questions, and real-world thinking.This episode is packed with advice for students, parents, and anyone who wants to stop waiting and start building.In this episode, you’ll hear about:Why ideas are easy but action is rareThe truth about startups and successWhy young people should take risks earlyLearning vs resume buildingHow parents can raise curious kidsWhy Canada needs more buildersThy This Challenge 🎯Jay gave you TWO challenges this week. Pick one and try it!Challenge 1: Build something with AIThink of a small idea for an app, website, or tool.  Use AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, or other builders to create it even if you don’t know how to code.It doesn’t have to be perfect.  It just has to exist. The goal is to practice the builder muscle.Challenge 2:  Fix something in your community Look around your school, your neighborhood, or your city. Is there something that bothers you? (ie. Something broken? Something that could be better?)Then find out:Who is responsibleWhy it works that wayWhat you could suggest to improve itBuilders don’t just notice problems.They do something about them.LinksPoppy: https://talkpoppy.com/Jay’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaykshah/Buffer Box: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BufferBoxGoogle Acquires Buffer Box: https://financialpost.com/technology/google-snaps-up-waterloo-startup-bufferboxYoutube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GenNextPodcastInstagram: @thegennextpodcast GenNext LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gennext-podcast