#GenZ

For Gen Z, the line between creative expression and entrepreneurship is becoming increasingly blurred—but what does it take to turn a passion into a sustainable career?

Research from Deloitte suggests that Gen Z is approaching career success through a combination of financial security, meaningful work, and personal well-being. At the same time, emerging opportunities in the creator economy are giving young entrepreneurs new ways to build businesses around their creative skills.

In this episode, Dr. Meghan Grace sits down with Emily Henegar, cookie artist, content creator, and entrepreneur behind Cookie in the Kitchen, to explore how Gen Z is blending creativity with business—and finding new ways to make a living doing what they love.

What started as an 11-year-old selling cookies around her neighborhood has grown into a creative business making edible works of art for everyone from next-door neighbors to Harry Styles, Chappell Roan, and Sabrina Carpenter. But for Emily, it's about more than beautiful cookies. It's about celebrating people's stories, finding joy in the details, and building a business that makes room for both creativity and real life.

In this episode:

Connect with Emily - CookieInTheKitchen.com

& Instagram: @cookieinthekitchen

Gen Z may be the most digitally connected generation yet—but they’re also embracing analog technology, creating new rules for sharing their lives online, and borrowing language from gaming to make sense of everyday life.

In this episode of #GENZ’s Teach Me Three series, Dr. Meghan Grace sits down with her former coworker and longtime friend Zach Jones, who has been teaching her about Gen Z culture long before the series officially existed.

Zach teaches Meghan why Gen Z is rediscovering vinyl records, physical books, and digital cameras, breaks down the art of the “soft launch” versus the “hard launch,” and explains how gaming terms like “side quests,” “locked in,” and “aura points” have made their way into everyday language. Along the way, they talk about authenticity, slowing down in an increasingly digital world, and why a little inconvenience might actually make life more meaningful.

It’s a lighthearted conversation about the trends shaping Gen Z culture—and how they reflect a larger desire to make everyday life feel more intentional, playful, and human.

We Discuss:

⁠Have a topic or guest you’d like to hear in Season 9?⁠Share your suggestion at strategieswithgrace.com/podcast.

Connect with Zach on LinkedIn.

True crime has always fascinated audiences—but TikTok, podcasts, and social media have fundamentally changed how we participate in it.

In this episode of #GenZ, Dr. Meghan Grace sits down with Dr. Simon Hobbs, Senior Lecturer in Visual Culture at the University of Portsmouth and co-editor of #True Crime: Digital Culture, Ethics and True Crime Audiences, to explore how Gen Z is reshaping true crime culture.

Simon explains how younger audiences have moved beyond simply watching or listening to true crime. They're discussing cases in real time, sharing theories, amplifying overlooked stories, questioning representation, and increasingly challenging the ethics behind the content they consume.

Meghan and Simon dig into why true crime has historically resonated so strongly with women, the complicated line between feeling informed and becoming fearful, and how overconsumption can influence our perception of safety. They also explore whose stories receive attention, whose are overlooked, and whether platforms like TikTok can actually create opportunities for more ethical and inclusive storytelling.

The conversation ultimately asks a bigger question: What responsibility do we have for the media we choose to consume?

Connect with Dr. Simon Hobbs on LinkedIn

Every generation evolves the way we speak—but what makes Gen Z’s language feel different?

Research on language change suggests that the way we speak is constantly evolving alongside our social networks, identities, and culture. For Gen Z, growing up online has expanded networks dramatically, allowing slang, speech patterns, and cultural references to spread faster and farther than ever before.

In this episode, Dr. Meghan Grace sits down with sociolinguist and author Dr. Valerie Fridland to explore what the way Gen Z communicates can tell us about the generation and the culture shaping them.

In this episode:

ValerieFridland.com

Instagram: @LikeLiterallyDude

Like, Literally, Dude and Why We Talk Funny

Gen Z is constantly evolving—from the language they use to the way they travel, work, connect, and adopt new technology.

In this episode, Dr. Meghan Grace kicks off a new #GENZ series where members of Gen Z teach her three things they think the rest of us should know. Her first guest is Charlie, a 23-year-old Butler University graduate, young sales professional, and Meghan’s former roommate—and longtime unofficial Gen Z correspondent.

Charlie teaches Meghan what it means when something is “chopped,” introduces her to the anxiety-inducing world of “airport theory,” and explains why he believes Gen Z’s early adoption of AI could become a major advantage. Along the way, they talk about generational differences, social media, digital habits, and why a generation known for being chronically online may also be learning when it’s time to put the phone down.

It’s a lighthearted conversation about what Gen Z is actually thinking, doing, and talking about—and what the rest of us might learn by simply asking.

We Discuss:

Connect with Charlie

Instagram @_charliesteel

LinkedIn Charlie Steel

Manifestation has a presence in Gen Z culture—but what's really driving its popularity?

Research on self-efficacy, goal-setting, and positive self-talk suggests that our beliefs can influence our motivation, confidence, and ability to pursue opportunities. In a generation navigating economic uncertainty, rapid technological change, and constant digital connection, it's no surprise that concepts like manifestation, affirmations, and mindset have become part of the conversation.

In this episode, Dr. Meghan Grace sits down with creator, podcast host, and manifestation educator Ryan Lu to explore why manifestation resonates so deeply with Gen Z. Ryan shares his journey from aspiring songwriter and content creator to building a community centered around confidence, personal growth, and possibility. Together, they discuss the psychology behind self-belief, the role of social media in shaping our perceptions of success, and why Gen Z approaches life's biggest challenges with equal parts ambition, humor, and optimism.

Whether you're curious about manifestation, interested in understanding Gen Z, or looking for practical ways to build confidence and resilience, this conversation offers a thoughtful perspective on how mindset can shape the way we move through the world.

We Discuss:

Why manifestation has become part of the Gen Z mindset

The connection between affirmations, confidence, and self-belief

How social media influences our understanding of success

The difference between optimism and toxic positivity

Ryan's philosophy of being "realistic-delulu"

Practical ways to build resilience and pursue your goals

Connect with Ryan:

Instagram: @e.mo.tions

TikTok: @e.mo.tions

Podcast: Delulu with Ryan Lu

What does it mean to come of age in an economy that feels increasingly expensive, uncertain, and impossible to navigate?

In this episode, Megan sits down with economist, creator, and founder of The Junior Economist, Guyesha Blackshear, to unpack how Gen Z is experiencing today's economy differently than previous generations. Together, they explore everything from financial anxiety and "late-stage capitalism" to side hustles, social media, AI, and the changing definition of success.

Guyesha shares why Gen Z has become one of the most adaptive generations in recent history, how economic instability has shaped their mindset around work and money, and why traditional financial advice often falls short in addressing today's realities.

Whether you're Gen Z yourself or someone who works with, leads, parents, teaches, or mentors young adults, this conversation offers insight into the economic forces shaping a generation and the resilience helping them navigate it.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

Why Gen Z approaches work, money, and risk differently than older generations

The connection between economic instability and financial anxiety

What people really mean when they talk about "late-stage capitalism"

How social media has changed perceptions of wealth, success, and career paths

The benefits and challenges of the creator economy and side hustles

Why AI literacy is becoming a critical career skill

The role of community, relationships, and adaptability during uncertain economic times

Practical mindset shifts for building long-term resilience

Connect with Guyesha

TikTok: @TheJuniorEconomist

Substack: The Junior Economist

LinkedIn: Guyesha Blackshear

Parenthood is a major life milestone andGen Z is approaching it with their own mindset.

In this episode of #GenZ, Meghan Grace sits down with perinatal therapist and Nameberry Editor-in-Chief Sophie Kihm to explore how Gen Z is rethinking parenting, relationships, emotional health, and family-building in real time.

This conversation is about more than babies - It’s about how an entire generation is approaching adulthood with more intentionality, self-awareness, and openness around topics previous generations often kept private.

Drawing from Sophie’s work with parents and parents-to-be, Meghan and Sophie unpack why Gen Z adults are:

Thinking more critically about whether or not they want children 

Having earlier conversations about finances, caregiving, and relationship expectations

Bringing therapy, emotional intelligence, and self-development into parenting conversations 

Navigating the tension between individuality and caregiving

Redefining fatherhood, paternity leave, and equitable parenting roles

Trying to build healthier family systems than the ones they may have grown up with

Connect with Sophie:

Website: sophiekihm.com

Instagram: @sophiekihm

Chicago Perinatal Therapy: chicagoperinataltherapy.com

Nameberry: nameberry.com

We knew this day would come, we just didn’t think it would be here so soon - Gen Z is getting married.

In this episode of #GenZ, Meghan Grace sits down with Adrienna McDermott, founder of Ava and The Bee, to unpack what’s really shaping how Gen Z approaches weddings—and what that reveals about how they make decisions more broadly.

Because this is about much more than weddings. It’s about what’s underneath it all that drives their consumer decisions around big life moments.

From industry insights to real-time client behavior, Meghan and Adrienna explore why Gen Z couples are:

Doing significantly more research before making decisions

Expecting full transparency in pricing and process

Prioritizing guest experience and community over tradition for tradition’s sake

Balancing individuality with trend-driven aesthetics

Planning faster, but with higher expectations

While those shifts might feel disruptive, this episode reframes them with depth: Gen Z is redefining weddings with intention, values, and a focus on meaningful experiences.

Connect with Adrienna on Instagram 

Season 8 is here—and we’re starting with a question that feels bigger than dating:

Is Gen Z actually avoiding love… or protecting themselves from it?

In this episode of #GenZ, Meghan Grace sits down with Dr. Corey Seemiller to unpack what’s really shaping Gen Z’s approach to love, dating, and relationships right now.

Because this isn’t about “dating advice.”It’s about what’s underneath it all.

From new research to real-life observations, Meghan and Corey explore why so many Gen Z'ers are:

And while those trends might sound discouraging, this episode reframes them with clarity:

Gen Z isn’t disengaged from love—they’re being intentional, cautious, and values-driven about how they approach it.

Connect with Corey on LinkedIn

Find her book: The Soulmate Strategy: My Imperfect Plan to Conquer Heartbreak and Find True Love here