Teach Me Three - Zach

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: Why Gen Z is embracing analog and physical media The return of vinyl records, physical books, and digital cameras What it means to “soft launch” or “hard launch” something online How gaming culture is influencing Gen Z language What “side quests,” “locked in,” and “aura points” actually mean Why authenticity matters so much to Gen Z What other generations can learn from Gen Z’s approach to everyday life ⁠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.