One of the most important things we think the media can do is connect small business owners and creatives across industries and markets to give them an opportunity to learn form each other. The insights on trends in particular can be transformative if our communities were better connected and so we’ve tried to create a space where folks can share the trends they are seeing and read about trends other sharp entrepreneurs are seeing.

Jennifer Sturgis

Cruising is exploding in the travel space. With younger generations wanting to see more of the world, and some older generations wanting to travel in retirement, cruising is a great way to see different parts of the world while staying within a budget. It is great for people that may not have ever traveled outside of the country before, or are first time solo travelers because of the security it provides and the ease of navigating the country you are visiting. Read more>>

Megan Hadley

I’ve been working in the wedding industry for about eight years and have seen a major shift in couples choosing a smaller, more intimate celebration. The wedding industry as a whole has become a costly and profitable industry that has couples scraping the bottom of the barrel just to have a decent-sized wedding. Because of this, we see couples having microweddings with 40 of their closest people, or we see couples having elopements where they travel to a stunning location with a photographer and privately say their vows. Especially in Colorado where’s there no shortage of beautiful views, adventure elopements have become a huge part of the industry. Read more>>

Roxanne Flett

One of the most exciting trends I’ve been observing as a home décor influencer and DIY home improvement creator is the resurgence of personality-driven spaces, particularly through color drenching and wallpaper. Both trends are breathing new life into home design, offering ways to make spaces feel more intentional and reflective of individuality. Read more>>

Stephanie Smith

Writers are creating their own platforms and not waiting to be anointed by the publishing gods. To catch the attention of readers, agents and publishers, writers need to have readers. A generation ago, writers appeared in traditional media outlets—writing for newspapers/magazines, appearing on television or at bookstores —to attract those readers. Now, they’re creating their own platforms via Substack or LinkedIn newsletters, Instagram or (for now) TikTok, to promote themselves and their work. These platforms allow any author, whether relatively unknown or experienced, to create a body of work that connects with their ideal reader and create an audience of people ready to buy their works. The more people an author reaches, the more likely they are to be seen as profitable and attractive to traditional book publishers. Read more>>

Rafiq Mahmud Rahat

One big change happening now is how computers and smart tools, like AI, are helping people learn and work faster. These tools can help students figure out how to study better, solve problems quickly, and focus on important tasks. This means they can reach their goals much faster than before. At CSB, we’ve worked on making learning fun and helpful. We use tools that guide students step by step and let them practice what they learn. This has helped many people discover their talents and start exciting careers. Read more>>

Jenna Fowler

One of the biggest trends currently emerging in the botanical industry is the desire for effortless plants and flowers. Gone are the days of the fussy high maintenance plant. Big, bold and easy to care for are the new requirements. Clients are interested in making a statement without having to alter their lifestyle. This desire has pushed the botanical industry to find new offerings meeting both style and lifestyle. Preserved branches styled in oversized floor vases to look like a tree. Low light plants styled in tall vases bringing effortless green to any space. This opportunity allows more clients to bring plants into their homes even if they aren’t there all the time to water. Read more>>

Andrea Pruitt

One trend that is prevalent in the photography world is over-delivering. For the past few years, especially with weddings, a lot of clients are looking for “unlimited photos.” It’s created a certain message that your photographer won’t miss a single moment, and you get every picture back. At first glance, this trend makes sense. Who doesn’t want all of the photos from their wedding or photoshoot? Clients naturally want what they pay for – memories they make, curated by the photographer. When I have partaken in this trend, I have often been surprised at my clients’ favorites. They tend to love the photos that may not have been added to the final gallery. Clients are satisfied to see every reaction, embrace, and laugh from the pictures. Read more>>

Kensee Auld

Biggest trends I see within my industry are actually starting to trend over the entire nation and world. I am in the Western community. Fashion, rodeo, cowboy culture and all things western is taking the world by STORM. Within the western community, people like Bella Hadid, a super model, and Taylor Sheridan, a movie producer and writer, and several western influencers are taking America back to rural roots, dirty boots, and western lifestyle. Clean food, clean beauty products…. they are not coming from the plant, vegan community, they are coming from livestock! The entire nation is trending on Agriculture, western TV shows, Western fashion and western icons. The common citizen is becoming aware that using everything you can from animals is the healthiest option. Just like Beef Tallow! I think the most beautiful part of this, is starting with people unlearning the marketing tactics and lies of big pharma, and several large and well–known companies. Read more>>

 

Lihan Jin

The development of artificial intelligence (AI) is profoundly transforming the architectural industry. In recent years, AI tools related to imagery, three-dimensional spaces, and design have become increasingly sophisticated and are gradually integrated into architectural practices. AI has undeniably enhanced the efficiency and quality of architectural design in many ways. Over the past year, our production of high-quality architectural renderings has significantly benefited from the rapid evolution of AI software. AI can now analyze the spatial relationships within an image, simulate realistic lighting effects, and quickly add contextual elements like plants and pedestrians to visuals. Achieving these results used to require extensive manual work or long rendering times, but AI has dramatically accelerated the process. Read more>>

Brandon Carroll

Trends come and go in the writing industry. Which genre or subgenre is popular changes periodically. Romance is still the best seller, but which type of romance varies. Lately, dark romance is on the rise. This is the most popular genre in book spaces like BookTok. Novels like Haunting Adeline are increasingly popular. Romantic Fantasy is also hugely popular. With dark fantasy, there is a line that seems to have blurred between fantasy and reality. Problematic themes cross over into real life and some just can’t separate that in their real lives, giving unrealistic expectations or leading them to underestimate the danger of a real life criminal because this genre happens to have people with dark pasts that have some kind of redeeming quality to them. Read more>>