Now trending

There seems to be a trend for trends these days.

People want to know: What’s hot? What are other people reading, watching, doing? What’s the latest style, thinking, innovation?

Who are the trendsetters...and, maybe more important, who are the ones deciding what is or isn’t a trend?

Here are just a few of the many trendy places to help answer these questions:

• TrendHunter.com – It's a TV series, a magazine, a website, and “the world's largest, most popular trend community.” It bills itself as “source of inspiration for industry professionals, aspiring entrepreneurs and the insatiably curious.”
• Trendwatching.com, “an independent and opinionated trend firm, scanning the globe for the most promising consumer trends, insights and related hands-on business ideas.” It offers free monthly trend briefings and also a premium service that includes a trend database, annual trend report, and industry trend reports.
• Deloitte offers its free annual technology report – Tech Trends 2013: Elements of Postdigital – examining the “ever-evolving landscape of technology put to practical business use.” Ten trends were selected that Deloitte believes can have an impact on business over the next 18 to 24 months.

This short list doesn’t even begin to touch on all the trends in fashion, music, home improvement, paint colors, baby names, health care, or vacation spots. But those trend spotters are out there, too.

It's your choice whether to go with the flow...or to set your own path. Who knows? Maybe you've got some great ideas worth emulating. Maybe you will be the next trendsetter...or the next trend spotter.