In our view there is already a ton of coverage of the trends that ivory tower professors and billionaire fund managers are seeing. What’s the edge in hearing the billionaire consensus view over and over again?

The edge comes from hearing new perspectives and new information like from the wedding planner who has worked with hundreds of couples during the pandemic and has noticed that couples are allocating significantly more of their wedding budgets on “small details” like personalized neon signs and eco-friendly customized digital invitations rather than paper invites. Or the accountant seeing how there’s a huge uptick in ecommerce clients generating revenue from in person popups.

Below, you’ll find some of the most thoughtful entrepreneurs and creatives in across various industries and markets sharing the trends they are seeing.

Twinkle Mohan

One of the biggest trends I’m seeing in the product design industry is the growing use of motion design and data visualization to make digital experiences more engaging and intuitive. It’s not just about presenting data anymore—it’s about making it interactive, dynamic, and easy to understand, even for non-technical users.

I explored this trend in a project I worked on for a home value estimate tool. The tool relied on complex data to provide users with accurate property valuations, but the challenge was making the experience feel approachable and engaging. To solve this, I incorporated animated line graphs that visualized trends over time and made the data feel alive. These animations didn’t just add a layer of visual appeal—they helped guide users through the information, emphasizing key insights in a way that felt intuitive and user-friendly. Read more>>

Emilio Arellano

Everything around us was designed by someone else. Every impactful design was the solution to a problem identified by another person. Take a moment to appreciate your surroundings– visualize the clothes you are wearing, the perfume you enjoy on important occasions, the lighting around you, the chairs in your favorite café, the roads you take on our way to work, the device you’re reading this on, the problem you are currently trying to solve. Everything around us was designed as part of the solution of a problem. In the same way, we are all in a constant creative process – when solving problems, our brains enter a state of play, strategy, and resolution. Often, we don’t even realize these creative processes. Read more>>

Mengyao Hu

I’ve noticed that TikTok is becoming increasingly commercialized. It’s no longer just a simple short video platform to post your funny moment. TikTok is evolving into a powerful commercial platform. Through short videos and live streaming, it’s encouraging more businesses and advertisers to engage, blending commerce seamlessly with content. I started working in the TikTok content agency field for two main reasons. First, TikTok’s success in China revealed its massive market potential. Its live streaming revolutionized consumer habits, offering affordable prices and convenient shopping experiences. Read more>>

Aubrey Talley

The Three Pines dream was envisioned by our owner and local entrepreneur, Holly Crowl. After nearly a year of dedicated restoration work by the Crowl family, community, and friends, we successfully opened our doors in September 2019. Shortly thereafter, COVID-19 changed the business landscape for everyone, and our venue had to adapt. We became a cherished space for guests seeking intimate, private gatherings away from large crowds and busy venues. Our historic property, with its charm and grandeur, alongside our private 3.5-acre grounds, has become a prime location for hosting private retreats and celebrations. Read more>>

Alexandra Schmidt

A huge trend we are seeing in our industry right now are themed, and luxury balloon designs. The demand for high-end, themed decor for weddings, baby showers, and milestone celebrations has grown, often incorporating balloons with florals and backdrops. I love it though because it gives you more room for creativity and luxury balloon styling allows for high-profit margins and niche branding opportunities. Read more>>

Sarah Bertochi

Building sustainability into our business model has been part of our core mission since we launched. Our fabrics are printed with water based eco-friendly inks and we use up-cycled fabrics in the construction of our signature range of bags and accessories. The shop also curates a carefully selected range of vintage home decor. Read more>>

Shena Crawford

One of the biggest trends I’m seeing in the skincare industry is brands stepping away from the traditional, clinical, or “earthy” look of natural skincare. For years, we’ve been conditioned to associate natural products with beige packaging, minimalist labels, and a very soft, spa-like aesthetic. But today’s consumers—especially younger ones—want more boldness, personality, and edge in their skincare. Read more>>

Fergie (rebecca Ferguson)

Over the past year, we’ve seen an array of design trends emerge—some fleeting, others enduring. One I couldn’t escape and that continues to dominate is the use of gradients combined with a grainy texture as backgrounds on social posts, websites, printed media, you name it, it’s everywhere. I don’t think it’s going anywhere, but removing the grainy texture will make it fresh for this new year. Read more>>

Melissa Arnold

I have the unique pleasure of working in both the cigar and wedding / event industry—two worlds brimming with creativity, allure, and individuals eager to make their mark and showcase their talents.

In the cigar world, artisanal cigars are always in demand and hold a special place in any enthusiast’s humidor. Few experiences rival the excitement of savoring small-batch, uniquely blended cigars crafted by industry experts with refined, discerning palates. They offer a chance to discover rare tobaccos, explore new regions, meet up-and-coming blenders, or try an unconventional vitola. Read more>>

Aaron Drumwright

Aww man, the use of AI and editing apps has made things so much easier. There was a time when you had to draw a reference or sift through hundreds of images to find what you were looking for. Now, you can just type in a prompt, and an image or video gets generated instantly. As these tools become more advanced, my fear is that we might lose the ability to distinguish fact from fiction. When a significant amount of your time is spent questioning the legitimacy of an image or video, we’ve got a real problem on our hands. Read more>>

Mackenzie Williams

One of the biggest trends I’m seeing in photography right now is a shift toward imagery that feels raw and unfiltered—flash photography, the film aesthetic, and candid moments are everywhere. People are moving away from overly edited, hyper-curated photos and leaning into work that feels real, imperfect, and full of energy. Read more>>

Sasha Renee

Trends can be an amazing wave to ride or become an elusive bunny that constantly needs to be chased. Some of the biggest trends I see are utilizing AI to replace old workflows or to render art without the technical know how. I guess it’s all how you view it. There has always been arguments around photography being a pure art form which needs to be fixed and revered vs. a medium that can be manipulated with no rules. For me it’s a bit in between. I’m learning how AI can be helpful when editing MANY photos. However, I adore the process of taking a RAW image and applying my editing know how to make my clients happy. Case in point, I photographed a session with a branding client. Read more>>

Jana Cott

Our networked venue managers across the USA are seeing the following two challenges lately: 1) Many couples are cohabitating instead of marrying. Thus, weddings have progressively declined over the past decade 2) As a trend in the United States, more venues are popping up from repurposed buildings or as new builds. Increasing the supply of venues is challenging enough, but combined with decreasing demand for weddings equals an economic challenge in our business field, for sure! We are always concerned for the entrepreneur who calls us asking detailed questions about best practices in a start-up venue like ours when they haven’t first researched the supply and demand in their area. It sounds so sexy, but it’s hard work and a declining profitable field unless you’ve got longevity and a reputation built up. Read more>>