Gen Z Navigates the Economy

[00:00:06] This is Hashtag GenZ, a podcast that explores Generation Z, who they are, how they're different from other generations, while also being an incredible blend of those who came before them. We explore what they think is cool, what moves them, and why they do what they do. I'm your host, Megan Grace. Today's generation of young adults is coming of age in one of the most economically complex moments in recent history.

[00:00:28] Between rising housing costs, persistent inflation, AI reshaping the workforce, and the pressure to constantly monetize every skill, hobby, and interest, GenZ is navigating an economy that often feels unstable, expensive, and uncertain. Recent research is backing that up.

[00:00:47] Studies from the Federal Reserve and Deloitte have shown that younger generations are experiencing significant financial anxiety around affordability, long-term stability, and career security. While simultaneously, they're redefining what success, wealth, and work look like.

[00:01:06] Instead of relying on traditional career paths, many GenZ adults are building diversified income streams, personal brands, creative businesses, and community-driven networks that create flexibility and resilience in a rapidly changing world. It's changing the way all of us are thinking about money, work, identity, and the future.

[00:01:24] So today, we're diving into the psychology of late-stage capitalism, the emotional realities of financial instability, the rise of the creator economy, and why GenZ may actually be one of the first and most economically adaptive generations we've seen. To help us unpack all of this, I'm joined by Gaisha Blackshear, an economist, media founder, creator, and founder of The Junior Economist.

[00:01:50] Based in Atlanta, Gaisha has built a platform dedicated to making economic policy, AI, and culture accessible through storytelling that makes sense to everyday people. Through her work, she's helping young adults better understand the system shaping their lives, from inflation and labor markets to social media, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. This conversation is honest, insightful, validating, and surprisingly hopeful. So let's get into it.

[00:02:22] So one of the best parts of doing a podcast is that I get to meet people that I've never met before, and then you find that you're wearing the same outfit, and that you probably already have a lot in common, and you just become immediate friends. And I can already tell that listeners are going to love learning from my new friend, Gaisha. Welcome. I'm so glad you're here. And I'm super grateful to be here, and I'm excited to do this podcast. I will preface that I started my life in college to be an economics major.

[00:02:52] I did not survive as an economics major. I've talked about that widely and publicly. But I love economics. I think it's so fascinating because it's the study of humans and these interesting behaviors and decisions that we, you know, make over time and what influences that. So I am, I would say I'm more of like a hobbyist around the economy, but I wanted to bring in someone that is a true expert in this to talk about.

[00:03:16] I feel like we're finally going to be able to use like what it feels like a meme is the phrase of like in this economy to talk about Gen Z today. But before we get to the really hard-hitting, sexy stuff of the economy, Gaisha, I want to know more about your story. Who are you? What are you currently doing? But also what's a little bit of your journey and how you came to be the person you are today? I am someone who's obsessed with financial and economic empowerment.

[00:03:41] And that shows up in my day job as an economist and as well as in my entrepreneurial ventures, which includes running Scholars and Dollars at Spelman College. It was a six-week financial literacy program where we give students tools in order to know how to navigate their corporate journeys, whether it's like gaining valuable skills or either managing their money.

[00:04:05] So that also shows up on the junior economist, which is my show that I run on TikTok, Instagram, all other platforms. Because when I was going through grad school, I noticed that either I would read very serious financial papers and I would understand them. But if I would try to forward it to a friend, I'd be like, okay, cool.

[00:04:33] So, but then I noticed like it was this gap, whereas other people would just give headlines and I'm like, okay, where's the context? So I sat on a mission to say, okay, I'm going to break these down and be the translator between these two worlds. And that is how the junior economist came about. I love that so much. Like I just, I think that that is such important work. And I always say like there's a difference between important and serious.

[00:05:01] And I think sometimes in the world where numbers get involved, we make it like super serious when really important and everyone should be able to access it and understand it. And I feel very similarly about the work that I do in terms of generations and research. So it's confusing. And I'm just glad that there's someone like you that is doing that important work of translating what feels kind of overwhelming sometimes for people and breaking that down. And that is so needed. So one, thank you for doing that. And I'm glad that that's the work that you do.

[00:05:31] Of course. And yeah. And what else? What else are you? I know that you've got the junior economist. You are doing great work. I love that you're also tied to higher education. We are like kindred spirits. I love this so much. Like kind of continue to evolve that impact. Especially it sounds like working with young people to understand not only finances, but this thing called the economy, how it impacts them. So the main thing I'm doing is building up my media ecosystem.

[00:05:57] But I'm also doing that in collaboration with one of my friends. Her name is Imani. And she runs this program called the Mason Mogul Foundation, where she partners with different organizations around Atlanta, whether that's in local government or community groups. And we are working to bring these, well, we are working to bring these things into practical programs in which that we can not only import them around the city, but as well as distribute them throughout the world.

[00:06:27] And as well as that comes with expanding what the junior economists can do and the different audiences that we should serve. So that looks like my new newsletter called the forward indicator, which is for the serious institutional policy nerds or what have you. And as well as another newsletter called econ for the culture.

[00:06:51] Whereas it's kind of like an economics group chat, but it's more so people who want to know what's going on, but look like without all the jargon. So that's what we're going to call next. It's like modern day free economics for the people is what it sounds like. It's, and I've, I've, so my father-in-law is a former economics professor. He's retired now, but it's like required reading in their, their family.

[00:07:16] Like you have had to have read for economics because I've never met an economist that doesn't love it because it takes what they love, which is something that feels complicated and makes it so approachable. And you're like, oh, okay. I love that. And so I love that you're doing that in a more modern take. And I know the freaking comics guys are still out there doing stuff, but like for young people sounds like also a lot of support for young women, which is oftentimes a gap in like that financial confidence, not even literacy, the confidence around it, I think is a big piece.

[00:07:44] So I know we've hung to talk about today because the economy is always moving, moving and shaking. Let's get into some Z aspect of this. You do a lot of work with kind of the, the young adult population coming up, trying to understand and gain their own financial confidence in themselves. So what is Gen Z looking at the economy and how are they looking at it differently and grasping it differently than maybe older generations aren't grasping it or they're grasping it in different ways?

[00:08:13] I would say that Gen Z is really looking to optimize all aspects of their being and as well as to monetize it because they have gone through economic instability, whether that was through the 2008 recession, along with world conflicts. And they've also seen their parents and even grandparents stay loyal to companies and then be done dirty at the end.

[00:08:41] So this has empowered this generation to really take their entire lives by the helms and say, Hey, if I want this type of monetary lifestyle, I'm going to be creating my TikTok brand. And as well as my YouTube brand, whatever it is that I feel as if my superpower is. So I just think that they also place like a lot of value in branding and social capital.

[00:09:10] I mean, which is something in which they're like, you know, the older generations, they're more so like, why are you showing that? Or why are you doing that? And Gen Z is like, well, I'm doing that. So I won't be thrown away by a job who I gave 20 years to. And I'm also ensuring that instability. Yes, it may hit me, but it's not going to hit me as hard, you know, as it did in 2008.

[00:09:33] So I just think that it's just like maximizing optimality if I had to like sum it all up, you know? Yeah, I completely understand that. And I think I see it. And thank you for bringing up kind of those things that Gen Z witnessed, right, around the economy. And I think it's because they probably learned about the economy in a time when we were democratizing information a lot more. Like I remember first learning about the economy in economics class in high school.

[00:10:01] Like that's a little bit late, all things considered. Unless I, you know, it just didn't seem like a thing me and my peers were talking about as millennials in high school. Whereas I feel like Gen Z is going into college, they're going into high school and college having seen and understood a little bit more of the economy and how capitalism, especially in the U.S., operates. And this idea of a capitalistic mindset.

[00:10:24] And so I feel like they're going into it where maybe older generations, and correct me if I'm wrong, older generations are like, we'll build the nest egg that maybe if we need it. And that usually it's in form of traditional investments, whereas Gen Z is like, I'm going to diversify and my income streams and my nest egg is just, it looks different. And it's not just tied up in buying a home or traditional investment portfolio. And that's what I've kind of learned from other guests.

[00:10:49] But I think that this generation, they're so smart and they're smart in different ways than previous generations. I think because they saw other generations, they observed it and they were like, oh, I don't want that to happen to me. Like they learned through observation a little bit faster. Is that a fair assessment? I would 100% say that's a fair assessment. And they're also more willing to take risks.

[00:11:12] You know, their risk thermometer is off the charts, whereas older generations are like, it'll be better to stay. But Gen Z is like, no, let's explore all options and let's diversify it all. So, yes. I think that the idea of like, if you're diversified in the way that you're bringing in income and then also how you're investing it in variety of different ways, they are, I feel like they might be okay with taking like micro risks a little bit more because they're not losing all of it.

[00:11:42] They're losing maybe a little bit of it. And there is definitely some economic theory there somewhere. But I think I've seen that where they're really willing to, they'll nibble, you know, and if they like it, they'll take a bigger bite out of something and then they'll invest a little bit more. But they're okay pivoting and being like, this wasn't for me. And like signing off. And I think that that's a really interesting and healthy mindset to have. Absolutely.

[00:12:03] And I think it's just like also a reflection of like their values of where they're just like, listen, I want to say as mobile and as flexible as possible because you never know what's going to happen. And it goes back into that whole diversity model. So. Yeah. And I want to get into this idea of what we're hearing online is like capitalism. We're throwing around this big fancy word that I think I have a pretty good understanding of, again, because of my very entry start of studying economics.

[00:12:30] But I think that it's become part of the everyday people's zeitgeist to kind of talk about late stage capitalism. But I'm not sure that we all have a common working definition. From your expertise lens, how would you help us define that? And what do you think are some of the signs that Gen Z is experiencing late stage capitalism most directly? So the first thing I would define as is when your most basic human needs are increasingly becoming financialized as possible.

[00:12:59] I recently saw a TikTok where a young lady was talking about her experience of apartment hunting recently. Not only was the unit very expensive, but also she said that she had to pay a monthly fee for the key fob as well. Or you would run the risk of being locked out of your apartment.

[00:13:19] We're at this point where even just for a simple key to a place that you already pay, rent, utilities, and all the other fees that come with living in apartments is now being basically turned into a subscription. You know? I mean, and you see it everywhere from apps saying, okay, in order to use it, you have to be on some type of monthly plan or what have you.

[00:13:42] So I just think that with the onset of conflicts, inflation, tariffs, and every other economic dodgeball, as I call them, that have been thrown our way, that's just what it is. Everything is a cost. I always think about like late stage capitalism from this very negative. Corporations are out to get us, right? But it is, it's not just these corporations that are potentially making it impossible for young people to live and survive.

[00:14:09] But this idea that there are, in some cases, the microeconomic factors of things that are happening on a more individual or small community scale, like an apartment building, which is necessary. And I think that I had not thought about late stage capitalism in more of this micro sense of it being applicable to things that are everyday people need to survive. And that really helps me reframe that in thinking about it.

[00:14:34] And I mean, I think about how the idea of like, well, your key fob has a membership, even though you've already paid for the rent to live there and keep your stuff there for this apartment. I love this example of, it's not only just access to a home, but it's the ability to open the door to the home that you already rent. It's almost the nonsensical element of it that makes it feel unethical, that puts it into this idea of corporate greed for me that I'm really sitting with. I don't like it. It makes me feel icky.

[00:15:03] But I also know a time when it wasn't like that. And I think that's why I feel especially icky, because it didn't used to be like that. And now it is like that. But the way that this is becoming normalized is how Gen Z is growing up in their life stages of like, if that's how your first apartment was, that just sets the tone for how everything is. Exactly.

[00:15:22] And it becomes one of those things where I like to call it the selective economy, too, whereas pathways to everything is becoming very narrow. And so in order to afford even to live or to have the ability to have the key fob subscription or what have you, you need to have the access to the opportunities which will provide you the resources as well.

[00:15:47] Well, right now, we know that we're in a low hire, low fire economy. So if you already don't have the privilege of being fully employed, you're already in a bad spot that's also being obliterated more by AI. Yeah. And I think it's I'm having an absolute epiphany. My gobs are smacked at this point.

[00:16:08] But it is this idea that, again, I think I have these conscious memories of not every element of trying to navigate the world had a special fee associated with it. It feels like the Ryanair of trying to be a human where they're like, did you want a cup of water on this seven hour flight? That's five dollars for that cup of water. Right. And I'm like, oh, my goodness, I get it now where it doesn't have to be this way. And it didn't used to be this way. But now everything is seven dollars for a cup of water.

[00:16:36] I was literally listening to an NPR episode this morning and they were talking about Ryanair because they were comparing it to what happened with Spirit. And they used a concept very similar to that where it's like, OK, do you want the cup of water or do you want to get from Germany to London for seventy dollars? Why does it have to be that compromise, though, if your revenues are exceedingly growing? Yeah, correct.

[00:17:04] It's almost and again, it's this idea of like you and I know this is like economics is really the study of how people make decisions, but also how specific policies or specific interventions by people in power motivate certain decisions to be made. And like that is absolute gaslighting. And I'm an airline girl. I love it. But it's gaslighting to tell people like, would you like to stay hydrated on this flight when you're on a tube thousands of feet in the air? Or would you like to go there for seventy dollars? And I'm like, por qué no los dos, amigos.

[00:17:33] Like, why can't there be? Why can't I have a cup of water, too? So I agree with you. This is the psychology of the world of consumers that we're in right now. Well, if you would like a comfortable thing like staying hydrated, you better figure that out for yourself. Yes. Unfortunately, like you said, you said the key word. Unfortunately. Unfortunately. Yes. Wow. I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight. I'm so fired up right now. Um, so now that we've tackled late stage capitalism and how it is really and I think that Gen Z is very aware of this.

[00:18:03] They're just kind of like this. This is a scam. All of this feels like a scam. And they will call it out to the best of their ability. They're doing the best like we all are. This is a true or false. If you can affirm this for me, that there's a lot of financial anxiety with Gen Z. That is deeply rooted to the current economy and the psychology that they're being kind of taught around how everything is, especially in the U.S. Commodified for the everyday expenses that are almost required to be an alive human being.

[00:18:31] I 100% agree with that because it's literally like you have higher housing costs, labor markets that are unstable, stagnant purchasing power on top of that, and a host of other things that are happening to you at the same time. So like a lot of us, and I think that this goes for all age classes, we're trying to solve structural problems through individual optimization. And it's not working because, you know, the old system would say, okay, just budget, you know, be a good steward of your money.

[00:19:01] But it's like budgeting alone cannot save you from systemic cost pressures. And we saw that with Spirit. Their business model was predicated upon a $2.50 price for their fuel. And mind you, that doubles in a short period of time. And you're already running on very low margins. What do you think is going to happen? The same thing happens with the individual, you know? Yeah. Yes. And it's, I mean, I know that they've been throwing this around.

[00:19:27] Everyday American is one paycheck away from complete instability, which makes me very, very sad because I've traveled the world. And there are a few societies that love to grind and absolutely hustle to the end of the day to make a dollar in the U.S. I've been there. I've seen it. And I've had to put myself in track to be like, y'all, we are doing a lot of work and we're not living life. Like we're not enjoying life. And you know what's also sad too?

[00:19:55] The Federal Reserve recently did a survey and they found out that one in three adults as of now couldn't even cover a $400 emergency. I'm like, and people are out here having kids? That's the whole other thing that we're talking about in this season is like there's so many things that are interrelated for Gen Z at this moment in time where the economy is so shaky that they're like, I don't know how to advance my career. And then there's also this pressure to grow up, be an adult, maybe get married, have a kid. But do you know how expensive kids are?

[00:20:25] And also the world's on fire. They're like, I just want to lay down and take a nap or like my personal favorite one. They're like, I need to go touch grass. And I'm like, yeah, because that's free. I think for the most part, you can touch grass for free. I feel that. But I also I'm a few laps around the sun older than most Gen Z to sit there and say, I think I have the mental resiliency to get through this. But it would be really hard to be 25 and navigate this right now. You hit the nail on the head. But it really does start with this mindset.

[00:20:54] And yes, we are going to discuss, you know, the problems because they are very real and they are very relevant. But like you say, that mental resiliency to say, yes, this market may be a hot mess right now and raggedy, but we will get through this. And the best part about understanding the economy is knowing that there are business cycles. So what goes down must come up and vice versa. So and some of the best companies are made during recessions. Hewlett Packard was made during recessions. So it was Walt Disney.

[00:21:23] So it's all about human ingenuity and as well as innovation that's going to come from this time. But what's going on is still very relevant as we are. Yes. You know. Yeah. And I love that you put this in like Hewlett Packard. Yeah. Printers and other things. We need those. And Walt Disney, like, come on. We can't fault that. That there is this. We know this. That in moments of – and I don't want everyone to be in a moment of deficit. But when we have this like your back's against the wall, sometimes that's when innovation comes out the most.

[00:21:50] And that gives me a weird hope because we millennials, we know a thing or two about a recession occurring when we're entering the job market. Without that kind of 2008 recession that occurred, we wouldn't have the social media, the level that we do now. Because of a lot of people in the older millennial generation were like, I know computers and I've got a laptop and an idea. And I think Gen Z is going to – from an optimistic standpoint, it is not fun right now. As you pointed out, it is a little bit raggedy out there.

[00:22:20] But Gen Z is, I think, a resilient generation when they've got someone guiding them. When they've got someone saying, you're going to be okay. And that's where I'm like, millennials and Gen Z, we need to arm together and say it's going to be okay. It's going to be scary for a second, but we're going to be okay. Absolutely. And I think that that's one of the most important things that we can do, especially in economic times that are not the best, is to really build community and as well as create partnerships that are going to not only make us better,

[00:22:48] but hopefully have some type of positive impact, whether that's through business or just making everyone better as a whole. So I think we have a very salient point. Okay. We went to the – as the Catlin needs to do, we went to the sad down point. Let's go to the up point now, like the upturn of this. You've kind of mentioned this already, but we have to talk about like this really large undercurrent of Gen Z and their relationship with social media.

[00:23:15] We know that it's different than millennial relationships with social media, different, not distant, right? Like they're similar but very different at the same time. How do you think the social media landscape that Gen Z has grown up in has changed the way that Gen Z is thinking about money, success, and wealth? I think the main way is the fact that they have a higher barometer of what success can look like, right?

[00:23:40] Because traditionally, you know, you'd be comparing yourself to people in your community or what have you. But when you have social media, now you're comparing yourself to someone across the world and you probably have two completely different upbringings and as well as environments. But now you're just like, okay, well, I didn't know that that was possible. I actually want to do that. So I think that it's not only like kind of compressed the comparison cycle, but it has also widened people's eyes to the possibilities,

[00:24:08] which goes back to the whole income diversity point in which that me and you were making earlier. So I think that this is also gave birth to a wealth of career aspirations. You know, at first people just saw traditional success as being like those who doctor, lawyer, or what have you. But now people are like, no, actually entrepreneurship can also be sexy. And I can also live the lifestyle that I choose to. Also being a creator, whether you're creating digital products or freelancing.

[00:24:38] And I think that has also increased what has led into increasing financial awareness. Where should you be investing? Different side hustles. I think that although social media can be in sometimes negative because, you know, you're constantly in like this comparison wheel, but I also think it can be healthy for letting people know what the possibilities are. But it's a very thin line there as well. Yeah. Yeah. Because it is, it's this idea of you have the whole world was what it feels like to compare yourself to,

[00:25:06] which if you don't walk that very, especially at a delicate time of, you know, adolescence and young adulthood, where comparison is like, we're just fully forming our identity. And so that can be a really challenging thing for, I think, some young people. But also at the same time, I agree that it's today's world allows people to pursue passions in ways that while we are like, you might need a side hustle to survive in today's world because it's too expensive out here.

[00:25:33] I think it also allows people to be like, yeah, maybe I don't love my nine to five, but it gives me good health insurance. And in the evenings, I'm running my Etsy business. And I actually really love doing my needlepoint. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. I think that the fine line for me is the comparison and how that can steal our identity of truly who we are. But then the other thing of like, we don't also need to be hustling all the time. Not everything needs to be a side hustle. And that's this really delicate tightrope that I think we as Americans, especially, we have to turn everything into a money making opportunity.

[00:26:04] Everything can be sold on Etsy or a digital product or YouTubed or slapped an add on. And sometimes we can just do something to enjoy it. Yeah. There's so much beauty in having hobbies. I recommend hobbies to everyone because you need that. Something in which that you're able to express your creativity, free your mind from the treasures of this world. But, you know, a skill that you can really nurture and grow. That's also good, you know, to connect on as well. Correct. And that makes me feel really good.

[00:26:32] Like I had a conversation with my neighbor and I'm a big reader in the evenings. I've written, they're nonfiction and I like doing that for my job. And he was like, oh, would you ever want to write fiction? Because like I love reading a fictional murder mystery. And he was like, would you ever write fiction? I was like, no, because that's somebody else's thing. And I don't want to ruin the thing that I love to read and enjoy at the end of the day by making it a thing that I need to make money off of. And I know how the publishing game works.

[00:27:03] And I don't want to write books to make money. So no, other people can write the fake mysteries. I will read them in the evenings. I'll stick to my day job of doing research and writing books about that. And that just really affirmed for me of like, we all need a thing that we don't have to monetize. You know, and that's something in which that I, you just made me have an epiphany too. Because I recently went through a Pilates teacher training program.

[00:27:26] However, after I've gone through all 10 sessions, I have now come to the understanding of, actually, I don't think I want to be a teacher. I think I just want to use this as just something for me. And this is for someone else. But this is good to like deepen my own practice, you know? And I'm going to keep it that way. It's a great hobby. Right. And then you don't have to feel like the thing that you like being a hobby becomes your way to get paid. You're just like, I just want to enjoy Pilates.

[00:27:55] I just want to make my muscles scream at my own will. That's, I just want it to be, I want that to be a personal torture. I have complicated feelings about Pilates. I know it's so good for you. But every time I'm there, I'm just like, why is it like this? Everyone's dressed so nicely, but my muscles are not having a good time. Like, so that's the whole point. I understand that. All right. So we talked about some heavy stuff. We've talked about some light stuff.

[00:28:21] And I always want to leave a conversation allowing listeners, whether they are Gen Z themselves, or people that might be supporting Gen Z in their life. So parents, teachers, educators, mentors, bosses, you name it. What are some things that if you could give Gen Z some advice around financial habits or mindset shifts that can help them think about, like we've talked about that long-term stability or even that mental resiliency piece that's so necessary to navigate shaky times.

[00:28:49] What's some advice you would give out to them or that the people that are supporting them? The main thing to focus on right now is to increase your leverage. So what does that look like? Understanding that AI literacy is economic literacy because these companies are literally saying, if we can decrease our headcounts and just deploy these AI tools that won't call in sick, won't take time off, and we just need three instead of 10, we're going to do that, right?

[00:29:15] Learning how to use the tools as well as increasing leverage when it comes to your communication. Because that's one feedback which I've heard from people who have worked with Gen Z is their communication can sometimes be shaky. So understanding how to increase your relationship with humanness, I'll say it like that. And also with systems thinking, right? And of course, as somebody who does educate people on financial literacy, please learn how money flows through systems.

[00:29:44] So whether that's through taxes, investing, and as well as like with business structures. And please develop real relationships and community because that is what's going to carry us through. That's also what's going to get you your next opportunity, your next job, and enable you to further flourish in this world we go into these uncertain conditions. And I would say one thing I do want to leave with people who are a part of Gen Z and also work with them is these people who survive the economic transitions are those who are very flexible and continue building.

[00:30:13] But these are like innate skills that Gen Z already has. So as long as you stay true to what I just said, then you have nothing else to worry about. But just maintain leverage. Yeah. I really appreciate that mindset. And that's I feel like you and I we I don't know how we ended up not being friends until today. Because people keep asking me they're like, how is AI going to change everything? And I'm like, it's going to make some things faster. But to stay competitive, you still have to know how to be a good human.

[00:30:40] The machines can't beat us is how to be a good human. So being a good teammate, being someone that can actually effectively collaborate, someone that can actually talk to other people, someone that can make the discernment that a machine can't. And so I'm like, my job security, I'm good. I'm good. I'm a thinker and a chatter. Like I'm going to be chilling. But if you don't like talking to people, you don't like engaging with people and you don't like navigating real context in a world,

[00:31:06] it's going to be really hard when we're constructing technology to to fill in those gaps. So I'm I really appreciate that you weren't just like and invest in your 401k. Like the advice that you're giving is very, very true to building the social resiliency, the mental resiliency and the confidence to navigate what feels uncertain for people. And I think that the human experience is what gets us through it. And it also helps us, as you've pointed out, find the solutions that actually make us better down the road.

[00:31:34] So, yeah, so this is like my what I call the exit ticket. You can't leave the show without answering this question. But what's your favorite thing about the Gen Z that you're working with and that you're kind of leading and educating and guiding? I love how intelligent, creative and how there's just willing to just do it. And like I said, that comes from that whole I have to diversify my income mindset.

[00:31:59] That also comes from I just have to just produce and the fact that they're all about self-actualization. So those are four things that I love about my Gen Z co-workers and as well as my Gen Z friends. But just know that I think that all of you are amazing and you all inspire me, especially being, you know, a part of the generation that I'm a part of. I'm like, keep doing it because I'm also taking notes and applying them as well. Yes, I feel like an older cousin to Gen Z.

[00:32:27] And a lot of times I feel like I'm like the Kris Jenner meme where I'm like, you're doing amazing, sweetie. That's how I feel about most of my like interaction with Gen Z. I'm like, you're doing amazing. By the way, don't do that. You're going to burn your hand. That's what it feels a lot like. And so I know sometimes Gen Z likes to poo-poo on the millennials and we're like, girl, we're just out here trying to not let you get burnt by that fire. Okay. It's older sister. It's what it is, Geisha. It's like older sister energy. The younger siblings don't get it. We're just trying to keep them alive.

[00:32:56] And they be like, girl, go over there and go crochet. And I'm like, oh. Yeah. There are times when they're like, you need to get outside. Yeah. You need to get it together. And I'm like, you're right. You're right. But this is the beauty of intergenerational collaboration is that they check us on some stuff. We check them on others. And as long as we stay friends, we're going to get through it. Absolutely. Wonderful. Well, Geisha, I know that you are lots of places in good ways helping people learn about something that can feel scary and overwhelming.

[00:33:26] But I'm sure listeners want to stay in touch with the work that you're doing. Where are some of the best places for that? Find me, number one, TikTok. I'm the junior economist. You can also find me on LinkedIn, Geisha Blackshear. That's also where I post my newsletters. Also, check out Substack if you're a policy nerd and you want more serious commentary and economic analysis. That's also under the junior economist. So, everywhere with a junior economist, Geisha Blackshear for professional things. Wonderful. And we will make sure to get that linked.

[00:33:55] So, if you're listening, you can easily go find those things and stay connected with Geisha's work. Well, Geisha, thank you so much for being here. It was good to get my economics nerd brain back in shape for a second. And really thinking about things a little bit differently and understanding that it's different in this world for Gen Z. And we can't change that. But we can try to help and help everyone get through this a little bit easier. So, thank you for being here and sharing your knowledge. Of course. And it has been my pleasure, Megan.

[00:34:24] You have made this experience wonderful. As we wrap up this conversation, there are a few things that Geisha said that I think are really going to stick with me. First, Gen Z isn't being lazy or unrealistic. They're being adaptive. They grew up watching economic instability happen in real time to older generations. And because of that, they're thinking differently about work, money, and security. They're diversifying income streams, building personal brands, learning new skills,

[00:34:53] and trying to create flexibility instead of putting all their trust into one employer or one path forward. Second, budgeting alone can't solve systemic problems. I thought that this was such an important point. Yes, financial literacy does matter. But so many people are navigating rising costs, unstable labor markets, and economic pressure. Sometimes the stress that people are feeling is actually structural and not a personal failure.

[00:35:18] Another big takeaway was the idea that AI literacy is becoming economic literacy. Understanding how to work alongside technology, communicate well, think critically, and stay adaptable are becoming some of the most valuable skills you can have moving forward. The human side of work still matters immensely. And finally, community and relationships matter. Those who help us stay grounded, connected, informed, especially during uncertain times, are just as important as the strategies themselves.

[00:35:47] A huge thank you again to Gaisha Blackshear for joining us and sharing her perspectives and expertise. If you want to keep up with her work, you can find her on TikTok and Substack at The Junior Economist or connect with her professionally on LinkedIn. And if this episode resonated with you, make sure to share it with someone else who's trying to navigate work, money, and adulthood in today's economy. Because none of us are meant to figure all of this out alone. Now we would love to hear about it. What stuck out with you?

[00:36:13] What will you keep thinking about after today's episode ends? Also, you can share about it on Spotify in the listener's comments, or you can rate, review, and follow wherever you get your podcasts. It really does help more people find these conversations. So we're still chugging along with season eight. If you have a guest or topic you'd like us to explore, drop us a line using the form on our website, strategieswithgrace.com slash podcast.

[00:36:41] You can also connect with me on LinkedIn or Instagram at Megan M. Grace to keep the conversation going. I couldn't do this without the Gen Z team behind me that brings all of these episodes to life. This episode was produced and edited by Callie Waters. Thank you again for stopping by. Let's continue this conversation and we'll chat soon.