Predicting the future demands today, is one step to future proofing your business. 

When Henry Ford made cheap, reliable cars people said, ‘Nah, what’s wrong with a horse?’ He made a huge bet and it worked.

While today it is essential to listen to your customers - their problems (and deliver solutions they want), as well as the experience they want with a business likes yours, there's more...

Customers can’t always tell you what they want, you have to anticipate it. This needs some imagination and experience with the global mega trends, trends in the market and customer behaviours and your industry you work in. 

With the rate and speed of change today, as a busy business owner keeping up to date, aware of  riding the waves of change, can be difficult and can take significant time. Yet there are ways to speed up and stay across key trends without sacrificing sleep or your sanity! 

Here's a few quick tips to make keeping in touch and up to date easier and more entertaining - so it's not a chore.

1. Find and follow experts. Today it is easier than ever before to connect and follow people that are leaders in various areas of business, your market and industry. Through social media and other collaborative information sharing platforms, you can even be choosey! If you don't know where to start - ask your network or put a shout on social - people are more than happy to share who they've found useful. Make sure you find people that resonate with your personality, so you get information in a way that suits your style of learning and with the level of detail and enthusiasm that works for you.
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3. Network and collaborate locally. I find that some of the most informative and practical information sessions are informal and collaborative round table topic discussions and Q & A sessions. These events are low cost and provide an interactive platform for everyone to learn from everyone. You know you're not going to be sold to, everyone is there for the same reason to give and receive value through sharing of experiences and real life lessons, and to take away some practical advice, tips and possible solutions for you to implement in your business. Everyone contributes. If you can connect into a learning network of this nature, where you're connecting with people not only on your level, but higher - you can gain valuable mentoring and solutions, without the lengthy and sometimes costly personal experience.
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5. Schedule in key events and conferences. I attend two to three hefty learning conferences and events every year. This fast tracks my knowledge and gives me great perspective for planning forward in my business. These events can be 1 or 2 days or even longer. I recommend in this make sure one is focused on future trends, with a futurist or forward thinker that is looking 10 years forward. It is essential today to take advantage of such events to leapfrog your learning! You don't need to do all the research yourself and by tapping into and collaborating with businesses and leaders that are doing this, you can short circuit the hefty research and personal learning journey.
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7. Have a coach or mentor. Coaches and mentors work with many different people and businesses. In their day to day role, they are constantly exposed to a variety of businesses and situations. They're seeing problems and supporting people through solutions and learning at a much faster rate than a single business owner. This compounded and diversified learning, knowledge and experience provides a valuable resource that will save you time, money and angst!