THE WORKPLACE - GEN ZERS WANT TO BE THEIR OWN BOSS.CAN THE CORPORATE WORLD WOO THEM BACK?

CHASE GALLAGHER WAS 12 years old when he started mowing his neighbors' lawns in Chester County, Pa., for $35 a pop in the summer of 2013. At first the Gen Zer had only two customers, but thanks to some aggressive leafleting, he had 10 clients by the following year.

- ORIANNA ROSA ROYLE

Today, Gallagher's landscaping business employs 10 people and does “everything from stormwater management and drainage work to pavers and lighting,” he says. Last year, CMG Landscaping generated more than $1.5 million in revenue; meanwhile, many of his peers were still finishing their bachelor's degrees.

It's rare, of course, for an old-school pocket-money job to become so lucrative. But Gallagher says it's exactly what he's been plotting since the age of 10. “No one would hire me, because in the state of Pennsylvania, you have to be 14 to get a job,” the now 23-year-old recalls. “In between school, I would sit there on the couch, and I remember I'd be googling, ‘How to make money.’”

Gallagher's childhood hustle fits the classic founder narrative. What's just as striking is his attitude toward traditional employment. Looking back, he thinks following his parents' preferred path—attending college and then landing a steady job—would have been a bigger risk than going solo. “My mom has been laid off from five different jobs,” he says. “I have way more potential betting on myself than going to work for someone.”

For the generation that grew up playing on a smartphone instead of climbing trees, Gallagher's beliefs are surprisingly common—and turning one's hand to entrepreneurship isn't at all far-fetched.

The second-fastest-growing job title among Gen Z grads right now is “founder,” according to LinkedIn. Nearly two-thirds of people ages 18 to 35 say they've either started a side gig or plan to start one, according to research from software firm Intuit—and nearly half of those surveyed say their primary motivation is to be their own boss.