Our community is fortunate to have so many brilliant, insightful entrepreneurs and creatives and so many of them have front row, ground level seats that allow them to see emerging trends before the so-called experts, industry leaders, etc. We wanted to create a space to connect members of our community where they could share these insights on trends and opportunities they are seeing.

Diana

One of the biggest trends I’m seeing in the marketing communications industry is authenticity. Today, even the most polished, global companies are expected to speak in a more human, relatable voice. People are no longer impressed by corporate jargon or picture-perfect branding alone — they want to see the people behind the business. Read more>>

Michelle Van Der Water

One of the biggest trends in the home decor and furniture industry is personalization. Consumers no longer want mass-produced, one-size-fits-all solutions—they want products that reflect their unique tastes, lifestyles, and values. This is especially true in the IKEA slipcover space, where people love the affordability and functionality of IKEA furniture but crave a more custom, high-end look. Read more>>

Aaron Velky

One of the biggest trends I’m seeing (and feeling the weight of) right now is what I call “vision without gravity.” It sounds silly, but it’s really important for a leader to pay attention to.

More and more CEOs are building their vision around only themselves—their house on the lake, their freedom, their revenue goals, their exit. And listen, I’m not knocking financial goals or ambition. But when your entire vision is a selfish bucket list objective, you’re missing the point. Vision isn’t a Pinterest board for your ego! No way! If your team doesn’t see themselves in the vision, they won’t fight for it – and you can ask me how I know this (hint: the hard way). They won’t own it. And they sure won’t sacrifice for it. Think about MAJOR companies….people are CLAWING to work for them because of vision, progress, and the way it integrates into their values. Read more>>

DeAndre Daniels

Well some of the biggest trends in my industry, is how fast drones are adapting to the everyday world. So many industries have effectively added the use of drones to everyday operations. Or drones have taken over certain industries all together. For example, you have drones pressure washing buildings. Just five years ago you probably could not have imagine such a thing. Plus pretty soon flying cars will be apart of the national airspace. Read more>>

Sadie Murbarger

A few years ago, wedding photography felt more transactional—couples hired a photographer to document their day, and that was that. But now, something deeper is happening. The newer generations don’t just want a photographer; they want an artist, a collaborator, a kindred spirit who will shape their story with them. Read more>>

Chris Pittman

One of the most common seen trends in the photography industry is the use of film, specifically for portrait photography. Popular film usage can range from 35mm to medium format, point and shoots, and even polaroids.
Don’t get me wrong, when I first started in my career as a photographer there were plenty of photographers who did amazing portraits on film because they were the ones I learned from. However these photographers were knowledge and took time to study and examine the complexity of film, which gives you a much higher appreciation for it. Read more>>

Theo Dixon

Amongst the trends, taking place right now in the industry, the biggest trend happens to be the movement of film outside of America. You see, back in 2023 when the writer and actor strike happened we (the crew) were all a little concerned about the outcome that would present itself either during said strikes or after. That uneasy feeling reigned true because, not one year later in 2024 the labor unions for the crew were renegotiating contracts and were discussing the possibility of striking if certain wages were not increased. Thankfully, no strike commenced however, it did take a toll on the amount of work that films in America. Studios, especially Disney got skittish about filming in America due to the labor cost that come along with it. Read more>>

Chris Skarp

As a baker there are several trends that have been popular the last few years. Heart shaped vintage cakes, smaller wedding cakes with dessert tables, and hand painted decorated sugar cookies just to name a few.
I love creating custom designs for my customers and learning new trends is always fun. Read more>>

Kevin Kim

One of the biggest trends in the gaming industry right now is the explosive growth of UGC (User-Generated Content) platforms like Roblox. With daily active users (DAU) surpassing 90 million globally, Roblox is becoming a major player, especially among Gen Z and Alpha generations. This growth is reminiscent of the early days of the mobile game market in 2010. Just like mobile gaming transformed the industry, Roblox is reshaping how we think about gaming and social interaction. Read more>>

Ebony Small

Small-midsize companies are founded by visionary leaders who want to scale at a speed that eclipses their people resources. Many such companies are now moving to hire fractional leaders to provide executive leadership, implement the systems and structures necessary to scale, so they can focus on ideating and increasing their companies exposure. Read more>>