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Caregiving is the invisible cornerstone of our economyand its in crisis. Recent data from Pivotal, an organization founded by Melinda French Gates to advance social progress, reveals staggering statistics: 67% of caregivers face personal financial strain due to caregiving responsibilities, often accruing credit card debt. 82% of voters agree that policymakers should prioritize investments to ease caregiving for families. 65% of caregivers report that caregiving benefits would influence their job decisions. Unpaid caregiversthose who leave paid work or drastically reduce their hours to care for loved onesoften shoulder immense responsibilities with little to no institutional support. Recent data suggests that 44.58 million caregivers in the U.S. perform the equivalent of an estimated $873.5 billion worth of labor each year. With that much money at stake, this is far more than a personal issue; its a structural challenge impacting our economy, workforce, and well-being. At Catapult Design, we see caregiving as more than a policy challenge; its an opportunity for design innovation. By centering on caregivers lived experiences, we can design inclusive solutions that ease their burdens and restore dignity to this vital, yet often-invisible labor force. Unpaid care work, including childcare, elder care, and household management, contributes an estimated $10 trillion annually to the global economy. However, that staggering number isnt reflected in GDP calculations. Many caregivers, predominantly women, often give up paid employment, career advancement, and financial independence, creating cascading impacts on their mental and physical healthparticularly when caregiving responsibilities include supporting individuals with significant health challenges. This isnt just a policy issue. Its a systemic challenge with far-reaching implications for economic stability, workforce resilience, and social equity. Caregivers need human-centered solutions At Catapult Design, we believe caregiving requires not only policy reform, but also innovative, systemic solutions. Human-centered design (HCD) offers a way to reimagine caregiving by centering the real needs of caregivers. HCD is a collaborative, empathetic approach to problem-solving. It prioritizes listening to and learning from the people most impactedin this case, caregivers. By understanding their lived experiences, we can create practical, inclusive, and scalable solutions that not only address immediate challenges, but also support long-term equity and dignity. In a recent project, Catapult Design addressed two issues caregiver often faceburnout and financial instability. Through deep engagement and co-creation, we identified solutions ranging from improved operational tools to peer-support networks. Small changes like these had a significant impact, reducing stress and increasing retention. The findings of this project underscore a key principle: Caregivers must be active participants in designing a world that works for them. Their insights are essential to creating systems and tools that reflect their realities and aspirations. 3 ways to address the caregiving crisis For employers, policymakers, and community leaders, recognizing and supporting caregivers is both an ethical and economic imperative. Insights from our work at Catapult Design highlight three ways HCD can address the caregiving crisis: Make caregiving visible. In our projects, weve seen how platforms that share caregivers stories can help elevate their contributions and shift societal perceptions. Amplifying these voices encourages recognition and investment in support systems. Reduce barriers. Our work has shown that even small interventionslike improved scheduling tools or accessible financial support systemscan reduce stress and make caregiving more manageable. Foster collaboration. By involving caregivers directly in design processes, we ensure that solutions are tailored to their real needs and have community buy-in, which leads to more sustainable and impactful outcomes. Moving Forward Caregiving isnt just a personal challengeits a societal one, deeply tied to economic stability and equity. By focusing on the real needs of caregivers, HCD can help create innovative, inclusive, and dignified solutions that alleviate burdens and recognize caregiving as a critical component of our economy and society. Were actively working on this issue and are eager to collaborate with those who share our vision. Angela Hariche is CEO of Catapult Design.
Category:
E-Commerce
Every day we wake up to new problems. Climate change. Hate crimes. Genocide. Terrorism. Assassinations. Corruption. A new war. An endless war. Government break downs, shutdowns and letdowns. The world produces a lot of bad news, around the clock. I am in the purpose business. I go to work every day wanting to make the world a better place. So I live in the tension between what is happening and what needs to happen. And, over the years, what this business has taught me is that every time the world gets worse, the need for purpose gets stronger. Ask yourself, will the world need more or less climate action tomorrow than it needed yesterday? What about five years from nowwill we need a more urgent climate response than today or less? My guess is more. And its not just climate. Ask the same question about every other issue you care about. Will gun violence get worse or better as we loosen gun safety laws? Will income inequality increase or decrease? An increasing demand for purpose Things will get worse, and the need, the demand for better will increase. And, as your Econ 101 professor surely explained, necessity drives demand, and demand drives supply. So, as the situation gets worse, the demand for purpose increases and the supply of purpose is likely to increase along with it. Think about it like this. In the market for goods and services, consumers of all ages are more likely to support brands with purposebuilt on sustainability, fair prices, good business practices, and positive contributions to society. People are willing to pay more for these products and services, and their willingness to engage with these brands over others increases each year. And so, more brands will continue to invest in purpose because there is increasing demand for it in the market. In the labor market, the same holds true. With each passing year, the labor force expresses stronger desire to work for companies that respect their individuality, support their community, act as good stewards of the environment, pay fair wages, provide good benefits, and make them proud to tell their friends and families about. This isnt likely to change any time soon. And, finally, in the market for public goods and servicesthe market for things we want our government to buy and do for usAmerica is getting the civics lesson we all wish we had in 10th grade. Thanks to DOGE, we are learning that our government isnt full of bureaucrats draining our coffers. Its actually full of brilliant scientists, hard-working park rangers, nuclear security professionals, dedicated public health experts, and literally millions of others doing things we take for granted. And its true, most Americans do take these things for granted and rarely think about thembut that doesnt mean we dont want them. We do. I actually think we want more of these things than we realize, and between now and 2026, we will find out exactly how much more. An increased demand for a market response Customers, employees, and citizens around the world are increasingly demanding that brands make better products, with better methods that deliver better outcomes for everyone involved in the process. Businesses would do well to recognize this demand for what it isthe manifestation of the invisible hand of the market expressing itself to force a market response. The response the market is looking for isnt for companies to run away from the necessity of the momentits to step up to it. To meet the moment with all the power and might the corporate world loves to preach about. Smart businesses and investors shouldnt be asking themselves whether purpose is dead. The real question is, how do we radically scale purpose so it can actually meet the demand of our times? Drew Train is chief executive officer of OBERLAND.
Category:
E-Commerce
Street food is a global phenomenon that’s bringing lots of innovation to the food world. PepsiCo’s biggest innovation is creating a network of entrepreneurs in the Mexican street food market. PepsiCo Global CMO Jane Wakely shares how the brand is doubling down on organic behavior and making it a big growth driver.
Category:
E-Commerce
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