Personal Finance Ecosystem in Action

Each individual will experience the Personal Finance Ecosystem differently. Just as everyone has some level of financial well-being, everyone also will experience each element within the Ecosystem in unique ways.

The practical application of the Ecosystem framework to a person’s lived experience is illustrated by the Personal Finance Ecosystem in Action graphic.

We use a fictional individual – Val – to show how the PFE is highly individual and dynamic, with many factors interplaying to influence financial well-being at any given point in time. In this example, exposure to effective financial education is a Catalyst for Change that influences several aspects of Val’s Ecosystem. This ultimately improves their overall sense of financial well-being. In contrast, if Val had lacked exposure to effective financial education, their Ecosystem might look different at any given point in time.

The Personal Finance Ecosystem: from Abstract to Actionable

The Personal Finance Ecosystem comes to life when playing out various scenarios, and what was once abstract becomes highly actionable. For example:

• A person with high levels of financial knowledge might not be able to apply their skill if they do not have access to financial products and services.
• A person with low levels of financial knowledge might not experience a decrease in financial well-being if they are well-resourced.
• Some people might not choose to proactively engage in financial decisions, while others might contend with systemic inequalities that make the path to financial well-being more difficult.

There are myriad combinations of factors – very few of which are static – that contribute to the fluid nature of financial well-being and the personal nature of the Ecosystem framework.