The world of investment can be daunting for newcomers and those who don’t have much saved up, with 85% of young Americans preferring to ‘play it safe’ when it come to stocks and bonds. Even high earners under 34 put relatively little emphasis on investments, preferring the security of their savings accounts. Because of this, they’re open to guidance; less than 10% of this generation’s investment decisions are made completely on their own.

The conventional roster of life milestones is under review. Having kids in your 30s is no longer a given, if kids are part of the plan at all. Career progression is non-linear, with freelancers projected to make up nearly 51% of the US workforce by 2027. Older Adults are headed back into the workforce or finding new forms of independence after retirement. And Gen Z, resigned to the feeling that owning property is a financial impossibility, are trying to embrace a more fluid definition of home. Getting onboard with non-traditional life paths isn’t about giving up on life goals – it’s about reframing them to fit with new needs, and new realities. The pandemic left people reeling and reprioritising life choices, with some leaning hard into comfort and stability, and others pursuing adventure and flexibility. A challenging economic landscape and the only-escalating climate crisis is adding to overall global stressors that are pushing people toward the pragmatic in some cases, and the spontaneous in others. And for most, standardised, conventional elements of life are being recalibrated. People are celebrating holidays and creating rituals with both friends and family, opting to have kids later in life, on their own, or not at all, exploring ethically non-monogamous relationships, and living nomadically far from home. But while a more fluid world means more freedom, a lack of clear direction can be disorienting. And for growing numbers, it is restrictions induced by the global climate leading them to make decisions about families and finances, rather than purely a desire to live differently. These shifts mean people are looking to brands and businesses to guide them, support their choices and empower them as they explore ways through life beyond the traditional pathways.

From being saddled with student debt, to sky-high housing prices, the dream of owning a home has never seemed more distant to most Gen Yers. Claiming to be “the missing step,” Unmortgage is helping people put down roots with a scheme that partially finances their homes.

Getting on the property ladder is proving difficult for first-time buyers, with just 20% of Britons and Americans under the age of 25 owning a home. As their individual savings are often not enough to enter the market, a growing number are finding a house with someone who’s not their spouse.