Personal goals aren’t canceled. Moving on with milestones.

There’s a movement towards hyper-control over our futures because we all feel vulnerable from the one thing we can’t control: COVID-19. We are ready to move on from the “wait & see” mentality, set new personal goals & plan for our future.

Major personal milestones are on the UP and are much more intimate & attainable. Think hyper-personal moments that are rethought, scaled-down, and stripped back to what’s most important — and within our control.

Even with COVID still ever-present, many of us are cautiously optimistic about our futures… with bold italics on cautious. We are more than ready to move on to the next phase of our lives. From tying the knot and having babies to switching jobs and buying homes, folks are itching for fresh starts and experiences they can once again look forward to.

In a world where the virus still dictates public events… major happenings like the Super Bowl, SXSW, or Coachella are on the DOWN. Why invest energy or our slush funds on the hottest tickets in town when no one knows if they will actually happen?

The Decode

ON THE UP: Personal milestone moments get hyper-personal

Here’s how personal milestones are hitting all 5 Drivers of Momentum right now:

DISRUPTION: Saying “yes” & “I do” has downsized to champagne for two (plus a few family & friends). Hyper-intimate micro-weddings are flipping the marriage industry on its head. Elopements & small guest lists no longer seem like hasty, last-minute decisions. They are replacing large, lavish affairs with more manageable “minimonies” that are ultra intimate, personal & private and help circumvent gathering size limits.

Now, couples are finding creative ways to make their special day even more meaningful — adding an extra layer of personalization for the couple and hospitality & appreciation for the guests. Wedding companies like Sweet Petite Celebrations are helping couples express their extra appreciation for their guests by catering to each guest’s dessert preferences. Rather than forcing everyone to enjoy the same wedding cake, they field a survey before the wedding asking for their preference & serve them an individualized dessert.

1__w--lC-hiht33m88oUTf-g.jpeg

INNOVATION: People’s view of the best next place to work is shifting towards hyper-startups & small companies. Why? Because you can actually feel more in control over something you are building when you are at a hyper-startup than when you work somewhere more established. Major disruptions always force an evolution in company type preference & priorities for how to pick a new job. After the 2008 financial crisis, major tech companies (LinkedIn, Facebook, Google) became a popular, alternative route to finance. Now, priorities are evolving to:

  • Preference for companies that care, make a difference & solve a problem. Even if they can’t directly help the pandemic, people want to be part of the solution and there’s more white space in the market than ever for hyper-startups to step up and contribute.

  • Unparalleled access and experience. At a hyper-startup, it’s easier to impress and interact with the “head honcho” because he or she’s often one of the only “honchos”. And running lean means the company can start meeting in person again — putting a hybrid WFH / work in-person plan into place sooner rather than later.

  • Control over your position. When hyper-startups hire, it is to fill a specific niche within the company — you won’t be one of hundreds with your job description. Instead of starting slowly with busy work, you will be there to hit the ground running, craft your own role & make a difference from day 1.

1_gr-aGdGK67uQIBDHg_WeaQ.jpeg

POLARIZATION: Nothing makes you feel more secure in an uncertain world than the ability to own your place… But renting a home gives you flexibility. A heightened debate of hyper-certainty vs. hyper-flexibility. With our future still up in the air, which is the better bet: investing in a home for the long term while prices are down or keep renting?

Either way, companies are stepping in to help ease the process. Virgin Moneyhelps take the pain out of the process for first-time buyers. The Home Buying Coach gives users access to expert insight / coaching, real time progress updates & tools to calculate what they can afford, when they can afford it and how they can get there.

STICKINESS: Zoom might have made us feel like we lost all control over privacy as we welcomed colleagues and classmates into our homes… but people have found new ways to regain hyper-privacy & control. A silver lining of this moment is the ability for women to lean into the trend of “secret pregnancies” and the power to decide when to let their friends, families, employers know. Typically with the baby bump comes questions, advice & input. Social-distancing and WFH have made it easier to avoid the (potentially unwanted) commentary.

Brands are leaning into “secret pregnancies” to help women keep their decision hyper private & personal. Lia is ensuring that a woman’s pregnancy status is private and “100% [her] business” by introducing new innovations like a flushable pregnancy test.

SOCIAL IMPACT: Quarantine spiked a feeling of hyper-loneliness. But first dates still have momentum… Enter: virtual dating, bringing people together when they couldn’t physically meet.

ON THE DOWN: National milestone moments

Forget the hype. National events feel uneventful now.

These days, no one’s looking forward to hyped happenings like the Super Bowl, SXSW, or the St. Patty’s Day parades because nothing is set in stone. And, without the promise of wide-scale celebrating and in-person interactions, the streaming versions promise to be a virtual letdown. Why set ourselves up for more disappointment when we can Netflix and Chill with our new family in our own house, intimately in control of the experience.

1_Hj2FUNwwtHsQzhiJxepCqw.jpeg
kate strassman