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.

Donnica Hawes-saunders

One of the biggest trends I’m seeing in public affairs right now is the rise of AI and digital advocacy transformation. Artificial intelligence (AI) and big data are revolutionizing how organizations engage with policymakers, stakeholders, and the public. From real-time sentiment analysis to AI-powered outreach automation, public affairs professionals are leveraging technology to craft hyper-personalized advocacy campaigns that resonate with decision-makers. Read more>>

Yitong Chen

One big trend in the film industry right now is the move away from live orchestral recordings and strong, theme-driven scores. Instead, we’re getting more simplified, signature “sounds” attached to each film. While this approach works from project to project, I can’t help but feel like we’re losing something; the sweeping, majestic themes that used to define movies. And with that shift, we’re also seeing fewer opportunities for the incredible musicians who bring those scores to life. Budgets are shrinking, timelines are tightening, and as a result, more and more music is being made “in the box” with samples and synthesizers rather than real orchestras. Read more>>

Erin Aasland

I’ve been seeing a lot of smaller Wedding Parties, or even just one person per side. And also having the Wedding Party sit during the ceremony, which I kinda love as it gives them the ability to relax and enjoy the ceremony with a better view. Then when grabbing photos of them, they are actually more engaged, vs. when standing up front the whole time. Sometimes the angle of the Wedding Party is so tight that they really cannot see the couple, which makes it hard for them find something to focus on and stay engaged in the moment. Read more>>

Meredith Heim-ziegler

In recent years, the trend of grand, lavish weddings filled with every conceivable trend has started to shift dramatically. Gone are the days of “Keeping-up-with-the-Joneses”, where couples felt pressured to have the biggest, most extravagant celebration to impress their guests or live up to the expectations of social media perfection. With the overwhelming number of Pinterest boards, Instagram posts, and influencer weddings saturating our feeds, it’s no surprise that many couples have started to question whether that’s truly what they want for their special day. Instead, there’s a noticeable shift toward more intimate, meaningful weddings with less emphasis on size and spectacle, and more focus on creating a personalized, unforgettable experience. Read more>>

Felipe Guerrero

The Audio/Music industry is a constantly growing business. I would say that I’ve experienced rapid change not only in how music is created or even taught but in the technology side of sending and receiving audio. Let’s talk about the creative side first. When I first began composing my own music, there was an element of trial and error involved, at least for me there was. I did learn music theory and songwriting structure in school but I would tinker around with guitar sounds, synth patches, and different drum loops for inspiration. Read more>>

Taryn Melgoza

One of the biggest trends I’m seeing in the photography industry is the rise of DIY photography, especially with how advanced phone cameras have become. I hear it all the time—a new mom excited to book a newborn session hesitates when she sees the price. “Maybe I’ll just take some on my phone,” she says. A week later, she messages again: “I tried, but they just don’t look the same. Can you fit us in?”Read more>>

Samantha Raj

One of the biggest trends we are seeing across really everything is the use of AI — and it has impacted pretty much every aspect of marketing.

With the use of tools like ChatGPT, AI image generation services, and more, the marketing industry has felt a sense of shakiness as well as breathed a sigh of relief. On one hand, with just a few prompts, a copywriter can get several options for a campaign in just a few minutes. But on the other hand, whose to say the AI prompt can’t just take that responsibility on and replace the human who charges for it? Or, even worse, are you paying for the work of someone who is 100% relying on AI to do the work for them? Read more>>