Field Note 07: Jean & Carl Walk Into a Bar -Old Money Meets Young Money

Hello everyone,

It’s been a minute! I hope you’ve managed to catch some downtime this month. For those of you down south, scrolling through feeds while the Northern Hemisphere has been baking on Mediterranean beaches, I see you! Don’t worry, your summer’s coming.

If you remember **Field Note 04: The New Generation of Wealth & What They Really Want**, I defined “Young Money” and “Old Money.”

Here’s a quick refresher:

• Old Money: Those born into plush life, now inheriting serious wealth (and dodging those inheritance taxes, let’s be honest).
• Young Money: Those who made millions seemingly overnight via crypto, AI, or a startup that exploded while I was still figuring out TikTok.

These personas have been on my mind a lot since then. So much so that I pulled out two real-world examples to anchor my research.

Meet Jean and Carl:

Carl “Young Money” Runefelt

Age: Late 20s

Nationality: Swedish

Self-made via crypto & digital ventures

Role: Crypto influencer, investor, entrepreneur, and supercar collector

Cultural Positioning: Maximalist, spectacle-driven; luxury as performance and personal branding

Style & Communication: Hyperactive online across Instagram and YouTube; bold fashion; high-octane events; visually striking supercars

Lifestyle & Interests: Owns a Bugatti Veyron; attends high-end car events; travels globally; deeply embedded in the digital creator economy

**Philosophy: **Live loud. Wealth is your stage for access, adrenaline, and visibility

Jean “Old Money” Arnault

Age: 27

Nationality: French

Family: Youngest son of Bernard Arnault, CEO LVMH

Role: Director of Marketing & Development, Watches at Louis Vuitton

Cultural Positioning: Legacy custodian. Luxury as heritage, not spectacle

Style & Communication: Discreet public persona; low-drama; prefers curated events over social media fanfare

Lifestyle & Interests: Passion for horology, art, finely engineered objects; exclusive gatherings with elite peers; likely has access to family supercars

**Philosophy: **Preserve and elevate. Wealth exists to protect and evolve the family legacy

Carl and Jean walk into a bar (probably a juice bar)… and now what?

That’s exactly the question I’ve been exploring. Together with some of my luxury clients, I’m investigating how to satisfy the tastes of both personas:

• How do you attract each through communications, content, and experiences?
• What does a single experience look like that resonates with both simultaneously?
• Or do we go further and segment: Jean receiving a hand-delivered, beautifully crafted invitation, while Carl gets an interactive WhatsApp tease designed for immediacy? Individualised communications, but invited to the same final experience.

Just this morning, NXGN released a White Paper, “The Rise of Next Gen Luxurians”, an insightful read that echoes my point:

I don’t have all the answers yet. But I’m experimenting, mapping new personas, and testing ideas that go beyond just Jean and Carl. In the coming weeks, I’ll share more of this research on how to engage in ways that build not just reach, but community. For now, I’ll leave the seed with you and I’d love to hear your thoughts. Email me, text me, or send the post pigeon!

Changing Lanes (and Accelerating)

Those of you who’ve been following along know how passionate I am about translating trends and theory into real, measurable results. Over the quieter weeks of summer, I reflected. Preaching about luxury and high-net-worth engagement is one thing, delivering the experiences and strategies is another.

Here’s what’s coming next from NEON NAVY and I:

We’re Going to Get Together. 🍸​ I’m cooking up something special. A stylish networking get-together where all you brilliant minds come and swap ideas, insights, and maybe even a few secrets… all over a perfectly mixed cocktail. Think of it as Field Notes IRL. Smart, fun, and just a touch mischievous. Before I roll out the red carpet, I need your input. Help me pick the perfect city and vibe so we can make this first gathering unforgettable.​

The Riviera Rush — A Private Driving Escape. 🚗💨💨​ Yes, it’s happening. The Riviera Rush is a curated driving tour for UHNWIs, produced by **NEON NAVY**. South of France, May 2026. This is where my strategic and experiential expertise meets the ultimate test. Want in? Hit reply, and let’s chat. I warn you, it’s going to be intense.

What I’m Into Right Now:

📚 The Psychology of Money, by Morgan Housel

Currently Working On:

The Painted Pitch, by Storyhouse World INC: The Painted Pitch transforms 5-a-side football fields across Africa into permanent, artist-designed community hubs, fusing contemporary African art, sport, and youth empowerment into a living cultural movement.

Here’s some more information on this amazing project:

​ STORYHOUSE_PAINTEDPITCH_OVERVIEW.pdf ​

Sound interesting? Drop me a line and let’s explore the possibilities together.

Thanks for reading everyone!

Zantelle

Originally published at https://zantelle.kit.com.