What's Hot, What's Happening and What's To Come

What's hot, what's happening and what's to come.

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Action Plan

Are you surprised that technology lies at the heart of the trends we’re highlighting for the year ahead? Probably not. But that doesn’t mean we’ve become blasé about the endless stream of innovation transforming our work, homes, recreation and health. Rather, constantly evolving technology has become fully enmeshed in every aspect of our lives, to the point where we expect nothing— not the food we eat, the clothes we wear, the media we consume—to be like it was just a handful of years ago. Everywhere we go, we demand to be fully charged, fully hydrated and fully up to speed with what’s going on.

So, what’s the biggest change right now? We’re no longer just letting in new technology and seeing where it takes us; we’re shaping it in ways that allow us to take action. We don’t go out to eat—we make meals come to us. We don’t passively watch world events unfold—we experience them for ourselves. When we get hacked, we fight back. Even resistant-to-change farmers are taking control: No longer at the mercy of the natural elements, they’re harnessing big data to maximize crop yields and increase productivity.

What does this mean for entrepreneurs? Always ones to take their destinies into their own hands, they must get even more aggressive. Our choice of trends reflects that stance. New markets are ripe for the taking. Consumers are demanding ethical and sustainable behavior—and entrepreneurs have to give it to them. Leadership roles are morphing as business owners empower others to make decisions so they can focus on big-picture strategy. Financing is available from surprising new sources. Who will grab it?

Passive acceptance is so yesterday. Proactive is the new black. So seize the intriguing resources now available to you, and make 2016 the year you take action. —CAROLYN HORWITZ