Why it’s important to be on trend in the next 10 years. Less water, more online, young entrepreneurs, cyber security and the death of email.
10/06/11: Why it’s important to be on trend in the next 10 years. Less water, more online, young entrepreneurs, cyber security and the death of email.
Talk about spontaneity and living life to the full; I’ve just flown to LA for a crazy weekend to attend the MTV awards on Sunday night, partying with the Twilight cast and Jennifer Aniston at the after party at Soho House. The new brat pack are emerging and the awards were dominated by Twilight and Harry Potter – millionaire actors and actresses - all under 25 yrs old.
On the flip side to fun and frivolity – I also attended the Global Green awards http://www.globalgreen.org/ on Saturday night in LA with Eric Schmidt, Global CEO of Google and a host of celebrities including Orlando Bloom, Miranda Kerr, Mark Ruffalo, Kyra Sedgewick and Kevin Spacey to champion sustainability and unite to make a difference on the planet.
I heard strong messages. Within 10 years we will have access to 30% less water than we do now – which means we will be paying even more for utilities – turning off the tap as you clean your teeth will be second nature. Water will be the new oil! Water recycling is now a big industry in the USA with LA in particular currently reviewing more efficient ways to re-use water. 80% of the city’s water is imported. In Australia, a growing amount of industries are using grey water (recycled water) as means to pioneer the conservation of water. In preparation for this trend, one of my colleagues Barry Porter from market leader Nubian Water Systems is directing his business and technology here and abroad, to allow us to drive the recycling of water domestically and commercially.
What I enjoy most about travelling abroad is getting the flip side of trends, issues and news. I had my regular dose, even for just 48hrs of being immersed in the Northern hemisphere - a breath of fresh air and exposure to issues that are far less obvious to us or get less air time here in the Southern hemisphere.
The top trending prediction for 2012 is no surprise - online business and the rise of the internet in effecting the way we live, make purchases and do business. No matter your business or its industry; if it doesn’t have an online presence, with open communication and opportunity for exchange of information and comment, plus a strong social media presence - it is in danger of falling behind.
The impact of Facebook, twitter, groupon, freelance.com on your business is evolving so take note.
The CIA is actively using Facebook now to track crime and surveillance because they can lift information about individuals, their ages, likes, dislikes and what they spend their money on at a click. Advertisers know they can find their exact target audience by advertising on Facebook so goodbye to the White pages and service advertisements while websites such as www.freelance.com allow people to find the skills they need in seconds. Via freelance.com, you can effectively outsource to someone on the other side of the world without leaving your office.
The dark side to this is internet security and the fact that our information is so open to hackers. As proven by the Sony scandal last month where over 100 million users had their data stolen. Cyber policing is the new social prominence and trend as we increasingly live our lives online. Also, individuals are more in charge of their personal brand than ever as business and public figures adapt to use the mediums properly, rather than posting something they will live to regret – ref US politician Anthony Weiner!
The trend towards pro-disclosure is worth taking note; there are no secrets any longer. However slowly it may be happening, we are seeing trend changes in government action driven by pressure for more disclosure. Activists such as Julian Assange, the take up of Facebook, are all occurrences that will drive accountability by governments and individuals. There is no doubt the rules of disclosure are changing.
The rise of the young and unconventional entrepreneur. There is a trend emerging of more young people inspired to take risks and follow the Richard Branson dream. Many of our clients are young, but only in years. We are now in a world where significantly more young people are driving their own agenda in business. Even my children are investigating starting their own businesses and taking charge of their own destiny. Think the world’s youngest billionaire, Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook. When we consider that some of the most successful, new businesses in the world; Facebook, YouTube, Wordpress (just to name a few) have founders under the age of 30. Young, ambitious entrepreneurs with great mentors are creating practical and successful business strategies – the sky is quite literally the limit. ‘Youngtrepreneurs’ are generating businesses on an increasing scale.
Top future trends:
- The death of email
- Desire for simplicity and for people to be DIY-ers
- Reliance on social media as a source for news and information
- The death of broadcast news
- Skin-thickening boot camps to toughen up kids for the 21st century
- Gender blurs as women take power in the office and more men choose to be financially cared for by their female partners
- Buyers moving away from big brand names
- Baby boomer couture – a move towards fashionable knitwear!
- Hi-tech toddlers using flat screen touch pads as an alternate to books and toys
So while I’ve been racking up air-miles with United and come back with boosting ideas to my businesses - what’s trending locally in your business world?
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