The OJ Simpson murder trial. Pixar’s Toy Story. Mel Gibson’s Braveheart. What do they have in common? They launched during the winter of 1995. So did I. It was January 1995 when I opened the doors of my consulting practice. I had one client signed before I walked into my...
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What I Read on My Summer Vacation
You know how it starts. You decide sometime in May that you’re going to read a novel or a memoir, and before you know it…poof! It’s August and you’ve read nothing on your list. This summer was different—deliciously so. Among my favorites: Flash Count Diary by Darcy Steinke Go Ahead...
Resolutions, Self-determination, and What Makes a Change Stick
I’ve been setting and forgetting resolutions my whole life. Like most people, I’ve had mixed results. Like the year I got incredibly fit and lost 40 pounds after I turned 50. Or the time I found a beautiful little house in a good area that I could actually afford. Or...
Jawline Busts Myth of GenZ Influencers
“Influencer” is the GenZ term for almost famous and it’s a ferociously competitive arena. The digital culture can’t seem to shake the metaphor of virality. And influencers, on the face of it, enjoy viral fame. We romance the idea that someone posts a video and wakes up famous. Maybe it’s...
The Rising LGBTQ Tide and Millennial Voters
I don’t usually cover politics. I prefer to write about people and things that change the culture. Spring means commencement speeches, and often politicians pop up to give them, including Vice President Mike Pence. I love following college graduations because they offer a rare snap shot into what’s trending as...
You Think You’re Self-Aware? Why Personas Are A Bigger Deal
These days, the concept of the persona is very real. Personas offer building blocks toward becoming a more whole person–as long as you know what they can, and can’t, do for you. The viral wonder boy band BTS (Bangtan Sonyeondan) recently kicked off a new album cycle for Map of the Soul:...
Envisioning a Way Forward—Trend Report 2019
Every year, I bury myself. Not literally. I burrow into consumer data and devour breaking research and corporate forecasts. I interview experts and focus group moderators. My desktop is a jumble of notes and Post-Its. But there’s a method to the madness. Tracking the tremors before they turn into trends...
The Inner Life of Trends: Meaning, Motivation and What’s Morphing in 2019
Since moving to the woods last year, I’ve picked up a mild obsession: Looking up words I can re-purpose to describe 21st-century situations. This has become an important part of my work as a hunter of social phenomena. I want to associate new trends with an existing word — awesomize,...