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Lets be clear: We shouldnt expect kids to be experts in financial literacy. As much as they love YouTube, I doubt many spend their time watching videos of Warren Buffett. However, the oldest members of this Gen Alpha group will become adult consumers soon enough, and between the way they approach money and their perception of spending, two things are quite clear. The first is that regardless of their industry, companies will be put to the test by this generation. The second is that Gen Alpha may have a rude awakening when faced with the harsh realities of life. Weve done several studies on Gen Alpha, with the most recent focusing on their thoughts and interactions within five key industries: beauty, automotive, financial services, food, and luxury. And while we uncovered many great insights, I cant help but focus on the spending. Seventy percent of respondents say they have a basic understanding of money, and again, at their age, we shouldnt necessarily assume that to be the case. However, other findings paint a picture of a generation that has a taste for the finer things in life, high expectations, and increasing influence. Luxury possessions are of value to Alphas Typical toys and video games arent the only things catching the attention of Gen Alpha; they have big dreams about the life theyll one day lead. Thirty-five percent aspire to own a luxury car when they are older, and who could blame them? But did you know that 68% already own a luxury product by the time they turn 10 years old? While they place plenty of value on digital goods and their digital identities, 66% say they would pay a premium for real-life products. Alphas believe they are entitled to what they want, when and how they want it How will they pay for these luxury high-end items? Early signs indicate it wont be through traditional institutions but through e-wallets and online banks. Alphas top five favorite financial brands are PayPal, CashApp, Visa, Apple Pay, and Venmo. Companies that dont offer these digital payment options may miss out on purchases. Additionally, others that dont provide flexibility on the products themselves could face similar pushback because Alphas want to customize. In fact, 58% of respondents would rather customize a car than save money by purchasing a standard model. Im sure youre noticing the theme of a lack of frugality, which aligns with an eye-opening mindset: 75% of Alphas say they deserve to get most of the things they want. Parents are giving Alphas a meaningful decision-making voice Perhaps this financial ambition and confidence stems from the parents, who say their children play a central role in many decisions within their households. For example, 61% believe their kids have final say on which car the family purchases, and the same percentage believe their kids have influence over what the family eats. While they have a voice in the choice, we must also acknowledge that they likely arent feeling the impacts of those decisions because they arent yet financially responsible for the purchases. Kids dream big, and thats a good thing. That inspiration and imagination should never be discouraged, and there are only so many real-world considerations they can apply when theyve had minimal experience. That being said, companies that arent keeping Gen Alphas perspectives at the forefront of their strategies could find themselves drastically off the mark when these consumers reach purchasing age. At the same time, Alphas appear to be experiencing a false sense of reality on the accessibility and affordability of luxury or customized products. Both trends could impact the way this generation budgets and manages money, how it prioritizes desired purchases, and its brand loyalty. Of course, they are still young, and these feelings could change quickly. But based on the data we have today, the companies that meet Alphas experiential needs in areas like flexible options and digital payments could have an advantage. And to the social media creators posting financial literacy content, I dont think youll have a hard time getting engagement from Alphas once they start paying their own bills.
Category:
E-Commerce
Being the great-grandson of the French artist Henri Matisse can be complicated. Alex Matisse grew up in the Northeastern United States, and being a Matisse meant being immersed in art. It’s what his family talked about at the dinner table; the walls of his home were full of paintings usually seen only in museums. By the time he was in elementary school, Alex could recite his great-grandfather’s most notable works, like La Danse and the Nu Bleu series. Like many of the Matisse children, Alex had artistic inclinations. Throughout his school years, he thrived in art classes, and in fourth grade he fell in love with pottery in an after-school program. But when Alex began to think about his future, he struggled to see how he could become an artist. “I really wanted to escape my great-grandfather’s legacy,” he says. “I felt like if I became an artist, there would always intrinsically be a comparison to Henri’s work.” Alex Matisse [Photo: East Fork] So Alex forged his own path as an artisan potter, eventually founding the renowned North Carolina pottery company East Fork. Now he’s resurfacing his family roots with the new Matisse Collection, launching online today. It features famous motifs from Henri’s work displayed on dinner plates, dessert plates, and mugs. The company has also developed a new dark blue color, which it is calling La Sirne (the Mermaid), inspired by a color often used in Henri’s palette, bridging Matisse’s saturated, graphic sensibilities to East Fork’s rustic craft. [Photo: East Fork] Forging a new path for the Matisse name When he was starting out as a ceramist, Alex fell in love with a community of potters who had settled in North Carolina, creating rugged utilitarian pieces. He apprenticed with the legendary potter Mark Hewitt. In 2009 he bought a piece of land that was once home to an old tobacco farm in Asheville, North Carolina, and set about starting his own practice as a potter. “I didn’t really know what it was going to be,” he says. “But I had this feeling that if I tucked myself away in the mountains for a little bit, I’d figure it out.” And he did. He met his wife, Connie, and another potter, John Vigeland. The three of them, still in their twenties, decided to launch East Fork in 2009. Over the next few years, they developed a unique look for their pottery, inspired by the heavyweight, wood-fired aesthetic of North Carolina potters but also blended with a minimalism that would appeal to millennials. They sold their plates, serving dishes, and mugs directly to customers through their website, and spread the word through Instagram. Over the past decade, East Fork has thrived. The company now has a team of more than 100 people at its headquarters in Asheville, where there is a large factory. The company also has physical stores in Asheville, Atlanta, and Brooklyn. The pottery has become iconic, particularly among millennials. It’s common for couples to put East Fork’s dishes on their wedding registries. Many consumers don’t know, or care, that it is made by the great-grandson of a famous French painter. In many ways, Alex did what he set out to do: He created his own artistic legacy that had nothing to do with his ancestors. “We’re not trying to play in the art world,” he says. “Its proper pottery. We sell beautiful objects that are functional, durable, useful.” But then something interesting happened. Alex felt a shift inside himself; he wanted to reconnect with his heritage. He wanted to somehow find a way to nod to Henri’s most beloved paintings through his work at East Fork. He is doing so for the first time with this collection. [Photo: East Fork] Matisse motifs Alex chose the motifs for the Matisse Collection very carefully. He wanted them to be recognizable but also blend in perfectly with the East Fork aesthetic. “We thought really hard about how to pay homage to his work in an honest, complete presentation, without distorting it or cutting it up,” he says. Henri’s best-known portraits are very spare; just thick black lines made in aquatint, a printmaking technique. Some of his most famous ones are Nadia au regard sérieux (Nadia With a Serious Look) and Bédouine au grand voile (Bedouin With Headscarf). In this collection, East Fork has captured these portraits on plates. Henri is also famous for his Nu Bleu (Blue Nude) series, which features blue paper cutouts on canvas designed to reflect the human form. In the East Fork collection, thes images are rendered on plates and mugs. “We just went through everything,” Alex says. “We kept trying different paintings until we found ones that fit perfectly wrapped around the mug.” In some Nu Bleu paintings there are also images of palm fronds. In the East Fork collection, this motif is isolated and displayed on cake plates. On one serving platter, there is a large image of a tree taken from La Platane (The Plane Tree), which is made up of thick black strokes. [Photo: East Fork] An homage to family lineage in an East Fork line For Alex, it felt like a serious responsibility to identify and incorporate these motifs. This is partly because the Matisse family has been very judicious about licensing Henri’s art to create products, which is quite different from other well-known artists, like Vincent Van Gogh. This year, much of Henri’s art enters the public domain, which allows companies to use it without having to pay fees. (Some of the earlier work is already in the public domain.) Alex wants to make sure Henri’s work is represented in the very best way through this collection. “It was a moment where we felt we could shepherd Henri’s work into the world in a thoughtful way,” Alex says. The East Fork team worked hard to render the images perfectly on the pottery. In the end, it was easiest to put them on as decals. They found a company in France that was able to translate the images into decals, and then East Fork applied them to the pottery and finished it off with a glaze. [Photo: East Fork] This collection is the first in what Alex wants to be an ongoing part of the East Fork line. Over time, the company will introduce different aspects of Henri’s work onto pottery, finding ways to draw new attention to the Matisse heritage. But in an interesting twist of fate, Alex believes there are some customers who are East Fork purists and who only want the brand’s minimal pieces that aren’t adorned with Henri’s work. “We have tried very hard to make this collection very aesthetically similar to what we already make, so our existing customers will be intrigued by it,” he says of East Forks Matisse wares. “But there are others who won’t care about this collection. And that’s fine too.”
Category:
E-Commerce
A strong résumé can make all the difference. It demonstrates to hiring managers that you’re the best person for the job by summarizing your career highlights and accomplishments. We know its important to customize your résumé for each job you apply to, and to ensure that youre including quantitative accomplishments whenever possible, to show the impact youve had. But despite the amount of time we all spend writing and refining our résumés when job searching, theres still a fair amount of debate about the ideal format. One common question is whether or not to include an objective statement at the top of your résumé in order to provide a snapshot of the type of position you hope to acquire. Does it help you stand out to recruiters or does it look dated? We asked four career experts what they recommend: When it makes sense to skip an objective statement Objective statements can come off as generic and full of tired clichés, says Amanda Augustine, a résumé writer, career expert at résumé.io, and Fast Company contributor. Including a career objective on your résumé can actually hurt, more than help, your candidacy, she says. The statement may date you: Hiring managers instantly recognize it as an old-school practice, she says. At one time, it was common advice to put a career objective at the top of your résumé, but if youre still following that advice, its time to update your approach, says Augustine. Even though an objective shares what youre hoping your next career move will be, some job experts say adding the statement states the obvious and your employment history should speak for itself. What to focus on instead Highlight your qualifications instead, says Stacie Haller, chief career adviser at ResumeBuilder, as those are more relevant to companies looking for a strong candidate. The focus has become more on what the candidate’s qualifications are rather than what [the candidate] wants, Haller explains. After all, you only have a few seconds to capture a recruiter or hiring manager’s attention, Haller notes, and the top of your résumé is prime real estate. Use the top of your résumé to capture a recruiters attention, says Haller. This concise segment should highlight your most relevant skills and accomplishments that align with the job youre applying for. It is not a place for stating career objectives; rather, it’s an opportunity to showcase why the candidate is the ideal fit for the role. Another tip is to tailor the top section for a specific position, so hiring managers will want to delve deeper into your résumé. Create a summary thats impactful, succinct and directly related to the job youre applying to. For example, she says, if you were applying for an accounting job, yours might say: Detail-oriented and results-driven accountant with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and CPA certification. Skilled in financial reporting, budgeting, and compliance, with proven success in managing audits and streamlining accounting processes to improve accuracy and efficiency. Adept at using QuickBooks, Excel, and ERP systems to analyze data and support sound financial decision-making. Committed to delivering value to organizations through accurate financial stewardship and strategic insights. Why keywords matter more than ever Instead of including a tired objective statement packed with clichés, use the space on your résumé to include keyword-rich words to match a job description, says Jasmine Escalera, career expert at LiveCareer. Tech-savvy job seekers know that companies are using AI in the recruitment process, and according to a MyPerfectResume report, 39% of HR professionals now use AI for résumé screening and analysis. Résumés have to be optimized to show how they match the role, says Escalera. A vague objective about what you want wont help you get through the AI screening, but she insists a targeted professional summary with the skills, keywords, and achievements that match the job sure will. When an objective statement makes sense If youre a recent college graduate, adding a career objective is acceptable, says Haller with ResumeBuilder. College grads are an exception to this as they do not typically have as much direct experience to highlight, she says. But Haller thinks even entry-level applicants should still make sure to demonstrate when their skills align with the job description. But when they do include an objective or statement, Haller emphasizes it should not just be “seeking an opportunity to learn and grow with an organization,” but more focused on what the job is and what they can offer. Likewise, Jill Chapman, director of early talent programs at Insperity, agrees that including a career objective or mission statement on your résumé can be a smart move, especially for new graduates or those pivoting into a new industry. This is especially valuable because many candidates, particularly recent graduates, may not check every traditional box on a job description, Chapman explains. Hiring managers are looking for people who are coachable, motivated, and aligned with their mission. A strong objective signals all of that, right from the start. She says this type of objective statement includes your intended career direction, a glimpse of what drives you, and how you can contribute. Keep it under 50 words and use it to connect the dots between who you are and the opportunity in front of you, she recommends.
Category:
E-Commerce
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