Welcome back to GenZtea's Newsletter, where I break down trends, industries, and tech with a Gen Z lens. I'm Natalie Neptune and I'm so happy you're here.

I was recently got my 1st brand post EVER on LinkedIn with STANLEY as a Top LinkedIn (love any feedback on the post)

If I get 50 likes by April 3rd, 11 pm EST, next edition will have tips & resources on how YOU can get brand deals & UGC content if you have 0 followers to thousands easy.

And GenZtea is officially a LLC!!!

But first, let's dive into this newsletter's theme... The Future of Events Through a Gen Z Lens!

As someone who's built thriving communities, become a LinkedIn thought leader, and was named a Top LinkedIn Voice for Next Gen, I've developed a keen eye for spotting trends before they explode.

Let's break down:

• The biggest predicted shifts - analyzing patterns across various industry reports and what they mean for Gen Z

• Hidden opportunities - uncovering the gaps that aren't being discussed in mainstream predictions

  Now... let's dive deep into these predictions! ⬇️

Events (Dinner focus)

People are willing to spend more on experiences, too: nine out of 10 plan to attend the same or more events in 2024, with more than half saying they want to attend more events compared to last year. Seven out of 10 surveyed would rather splurge on an experience over material goods, with the 21- to 35-year-old demographic being 1.4 times more likely to say event spending is a high priority for them.

Immersive, experimental, and interactive events, in particular, are big news in the new year. Think themed speakeasy soirees where you dress up (make the summit business casual), enter a hidden back room space with a secret password, and drink some Prohibition-era history along with your cocktails.

My bet in 2025 is that private intimate dinners will be the hot new focus for events and you will see all types of companies sponsoring events for their target audience, not just big tech companies. 

CES this year had a Yahoo Changemakers dinner with Alicin Reidy Williamson and Emily Ketchen in highlight with amazing Gen Z thought leaders/talent with Lenovo.

As part of Lenovo's Work for Humankind they've done amazing social impact work across the globe and convening changemakers like Michael Vito Valentino, Shayma Al-shiri, Sam Falb, Zach Carter, Sanya Chaudhry, and Jules Terpak.

I am hosting a dinner with Foundess for NYC Tech Week (link at the end) as my 1st dinner (and fully sponsored), which showcases what people are willing to sponsor.

The Social Sip Revolution: How Coffee Parties Are Changing How We Connect

Stepping into my first Coffee Party Toronto event virtually on IG was like discovering a whole new world of daytime socializing. The energy was contagious – world-class DJs spinning tracks while baristas demonstrated brewing techniques and people mingled over specialty roasts with the same excitement usually reserved for nightclubs.

This innovative concept began in 2021 when a group of Toronto baristas and coffee shop owners wanted to create something fresh. "A fresh, vibrant way to connect" that didn't rely on late nights or expensive, alcohol-centric venues was how Matthew Campoli, the driving force behind this venture, described it.

What makes Coffee Party Toronto special:

• Sober-focused gathering with nightlife vibes

• Unlimited coffee, tea, and pastries in one ticket price

• Surprise treats at each event (sometimes even gelato!)

• World-class DJs creating high-energy atmosphere

• Educational elements like origin discussions and brewing demos

The formula clearly works. Within just four months of launching, one of their King Street events drew an astonishing 1,100 attendees! Coffee Party has already expanded to Miami, with more North American cities in the pipeline, though Toronto remains its spiritual home with monthly events honoring its origins.

The global coffee community movement:

• Vancouver emphasizes supporting neighborhood roasters

• Chicago's collectives create spaces for authentic connections

• Melbourne's university CAFE club hosts competitive latte art showdowns

• Each city adds its own unique cultural elements to the concept

What's fascinating is how this movement has spread globally, each community adding its own local flavor. The revolution isn't limited to coffee either. Matcha has created its own community spaces, with Toronto's specialty shops gaining viral TikTok fame for their vibrant green offerings.

Beyond coffee – other beverage communities:

• Matcha meetups provide tranquil alternatives to coffee's energy

• Seattle's workshops focus on traditional preparation techniques

• Portland hosts casual gatherings centered around matcha enjoyment

• Boba parties blend education with innovative flavor exploration

Even boba has joined the party scene! Yuzu pioneered this concept in NYC, partnering with established shops like Boba Guys in neighborhoods with significant Asian American populations. Their events feature exclusive flavor innovations and educational components where participants learn about tapioca preparation and tea sourcing.

Brands are also starting to add coffee to their business models:

Why these gatherings resonate with our generation:

• Tangible, real-world connections in an increasingly digital world

• Alternatives to alcohol-centered socializing

• Instagram-worthy experiences that are still authentic

• Learning opportunities wrapped in social experiences

• Supporting local businesses and communities

In our increasingly digital world, these beverage gatherings offer exactly what many of us crave – meaningful connections centered around shared passions. They provide a welcome escape from screen-based interactions while still being endlessly shareable on social platforms.

For a generation seeking authentic experiences and sober socializing alternatives, the beverage party movement is proving that sometimes, the most meaningful connections happen over something as simple as a perfectly crafted cup.

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Vibe Coding: How Gen Z is Revolutionizing Software Creation

Today we're diving into something that's completely transforming how we build software: the rise of vibe coding. And spoiler alert: this isn't just about making developers' lives easier – it's about democratizing software creation in ways we've never seen before.

I had many conversations with tech founders about the next paradigm shift in software development. The consensus? We're entering an era where coding becomes accessible to everyone, not just engineers. Let me break down why this matters and where we're headed.

First, let's outline what makes this moment so revolutionary:

The Democratization of Code Creation

• Most code will soon be written (or generated?) by non-engineers

• Think of how video creation evolved: from professional studios → everyone with a smartphone

• Similar to how TikTok transformed video, AI is transforming code

Why This Matters Now The most fascinating part? The complete shift in who gets to create software:

• Command Line → Visual Interface We're currently in the "command line days" of vibe coding – still technical and intimidating for most. Soon, we'll transition to vibe designing in a visual paradigm where you:

• Show the AI design outcomes you want

• Let it generate everything else underneath

• Never need to see or learn a programming language

• Community Building Through Code
The explosion of vibe coding is creating entirely new communities and subcultures. We're seeing Discord servers where teens share their AI prompts for generating apps, TikTok channels dedicated to showing off AI-created websites, and virtual hackathons where participants bring ideas, not coding skills.

There's a whole vibrant ecosystem emerging around the shared experience of creation without traditional barriers.

I'm seeing three major trends reshaping software development:

1. The Disposable Code Revolution Traditional software development valued reusable code libraries. Vibe coding flips this completely:
   • Code becomes a disposable commodity

   • Less reuse, more generated-on-the-fly solutions
   • Creating new projects becomes easier than editing existing ones
   • Open source libraries may become less important

   

   https://x.com/chrisbarber/status/1906421807474987224

2. Post-Modern Software Design As millions of new creators build software with no prior knowledge:
   • "Trad UX" and design standards give way to fragmented approaches
   • New patterns emerge (like TikTok did to filmmaking)
   • We'll move beyond buttons, modals, and scrollbars
   • Software experiences become unrecognizable before coalescing again

   

   https://x.com/AnnieLiao_2000/status/1907182355183513984

3. Shifting Bottlenecks When anyone can build software, competitive advantages change dramatically:
   • Consistent creativity becomes crucial
   • First-mover advantage matters less than scale
   • Distribution and network effects become even more important
   • The best creators are those who consistently generate new ideas

What This Means for Gen Z This isn't just another tech trend – it's a complete reimagining of who gets to build the future:
• Entrepreneurship becomes even more accessible
• The gap between idea and execution shrinks dramatically
• Creativity trumps technical knowledge
• Building becomes a form of self-expression

let’s not just mention vibe coding, but vibe community building like Marvelous

PS - Are you building something exciting with vibe coding? DM me your story for a chance to be featured in our next newsletter! ✨

Waitt, is that all? No part 2 will be coming out shortly (so you all can digest this 1st).

Look forward to future of work, creator, healthcare, consumer, and more 😏

Other Thoughts

• Bullish on solo 1-person teams.Now is the best time ever to build something on your own. I think we're going to see a lot more 1-person solo founder teams scaling to significant revenue without growing headcount

GenZtea IRL Events

We are planning for fall 2025 & NYC Tech Week & getting sponsors for upcoming events.

Subscribe to Luma for upcoming events & if interested in sponsoring or partnerships email [email protected]