Econ Icon was founded to make economics more approachable for the average person, recognising that while economic forces shape everyday life—from the cost of living to national decisions—many feel excluded by how complex the subject often seems. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, the average adult scores just 45% on basic economic literacy tests. A TIME article also reveals that only one-third of adults globally understand key concepts like inflation and compound interest, while the World Economic Forum reports that nearly half of people struggle with essential financial knowledge. These figures highlight a widespread gap in understanding something that impacts everyone. Econ Icon seeks to bridge that gap by simplifying core economic ideas into clear, concise insights—helping more people feel confident navigating the economy without needing to study it in depth.

Given the economic decisions that shape all aspects of our lives, including voting and climate change, addressing the need for economic literacy is not just a goal—it is urgent. The International Monetary Fund has reported that over 70 million people have been pushed into poverty worldwide due to global inflation since 2021 and there are too many who do not understand how this change has occurred, nor how to respond as individuals. The OECD has found that students who are more financially literate are likely to have more stable and resilient long-term financial futures. Econ Icon has taken the first step toward empowering readers of any age, but especially for younger readers, with a working knowledge of how markets and institutions, and policies come to be; allowing them to better engage with the world, ask better questions and ultimately make better choices that benefit themselves, and society more broadly.

At Econ Icon we think that economics should be accessible to everyone if not just academics and professionals. Economics impacts us every day but many people feel economics is beyond their understanding or very complex and abstract from what they see and feel. Economics impacts the price of oranges at the grocery store, job availability, the interest rates you pay to the bank, and the decisions that government make. That's why we created Econ Icon. To make economics easier and see how economics affects the world we live in. Our mission is to break down complex and complicated topics in to easy engaging content that allows readers to critically think about the topic and be informed.

We achieve this through publishing straightforward, student-written articles that explore global events through an economic perspective—whether it’s inflation, unemployment, climate finance, or a shift in the housing market. We also take current business and stock market news and break it down into plain English, by making headlines less daunting or confusing. From articles explaining why oil prices are rising, to articles unpacking central bank policies, Econ Icon provides a backdrop to current events and some insight into how economics is shaping the world around us. It is our hope that this mix of simplicity and accuracy, will spark curiosity and grow economic confidence in readers regardless of their past experiences. In that, Econ Icon hopes to create a generation of economic observers who not only follow the economy, but understand it.

Econ Icon isn’t just some other explainer site or economics blog—it’s a platform built by students, for students. What makes Econ Icon different is we think complex ideas can be explained clearly without sacrificing meaning. While most financial publications either seem to be for experts or, as some economists are known to do, are too technical, Econ Icon aims to emphasize clear, relevant, and engaging content. Our style of writing is relatable, and jargon-free, while still holding accuracy and analytical thinking as a priority. Each article we produce aims to give readers the information to understand what’s occurring—but also to understand what the significance of it all is.

We also bring an perspective as students. We understand what kinds of questions young people tend to have and what they struggle with when they try to understand economic issues. Whether it's unpacking government budgets, taking a look at interest rate increases, or bridging pop culture with economic theory, we make them feel real. With Econ Icon, learning economics doesn't feel like homework-it feels like making sense of the world. That's the impact we hope to provide.