The Industries That Secured Wealth for Each Generation (and Why They Don’t Now)
Written by
J. Arky
Edited by
Zuri Anderson
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In each generation, there is an industry that impresses its stamp upon the time and creates a legacy of wealth for those who came up in it. However, what worked for one era might not translate to another and in many cases, become obsolete.
GOBankingRates wanted to track the industries that secured financial stability for the last few generations, as well as break down why these types of jobs and companies are no longer feasible in the present day market.
Baby Boomers
Baby boomers accumulated wealth through banking, manufacturing and owning real estate for the long term during a time of stable wages and easy credit, according to Ryan Wright, the CEO of The Investor’s Edge.
“In the ’70s to ’90s, you could actually purchase rentals at a three to four-times income, and refinance when rates dropped, compounding equity silently,” Wright described. “And to add, generally speaking, there is so much more that can be done with an ordinary/regular wage!”
Today, Wright pointed out that with lending standards tighter and margins thinner in banking and buy-and-hold, playing the game requires significantly more sophistication to beat inflation.
Gen X
In Wright’s opinion, Gen Xers took advantage of the internet boom through stock options, early tech equities and commercial real estate correlated to office and retail expansion.
“The thing is, early adopters usually get the highest return,” Wright explained, who also admitted that as a Gen Xer himself he started his real estate career in the early 2000s. “I watched other peers do well by buying small strip centers when cap rates were generous, and tenants grew quickly.”
Now, tech is no longer innovative or new, simply just another industry that’s competing in the market place and has much less of a chance of making someone a millionaire overnight due to delusion of equity and mega-cap titans who control the majority.
Millennials
For millennials, Wright highlighted that platforms and creator-led businesses offered some upside, but those returns were front-loaded and were not scalable for late entrants. Those who could create an online brand or business via social media now find the marketplace flooded and the ability to get their messaging out to customers harder than ever.
That’s because platforms are crowded. Algorithms control the audience to content relationships. And while the internet used to be considered a fun place to be as millennials were growing up, it is now considered a volatile space that not everyone wants to be part of these days.
Gen Z
As Gen Z starts to find their place in generational wealth, more and more are looking to trade skills that can be utilized and not taken over by artificial intelligence in the future, hopefully giving them an upper hand when it comes to financial success.
“Each generation has had different paths to wealth, but skilled trades offer something unique: Consistent earning potential that doesn’t rely on catching a single trend,” shared Joshua Haghani, the founder and CEO at Lumion. “Today’s Generation Z is already entering skilled trades such as HVAC, welding and electrical work where labor shortages are leading to increased wages and business ownership prospects.”
“The advantage Gen Z will have will be doing the actual work,” Wright added, “rather than just chasing trends/hypes.”
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