1. Short Drama Apps: The Next Netflix?
- Mini Dramas: Apps like Drama Box and Real Short are revolutionizing entertainment with 90-second episodes of soap opera-style content. These apps are free but monetize through in-app purchases to unlock episodes.
- Market Potential: The top four apps are generating between 150Mto150Mto350M annually, all from China. There’s a huge opportunity for American or other regional companies to replicate this model.
- Why It Works: These apps cater to what people actually want—quick, addictive, and trashy content—rather than what they should want (high-quality, premium shows).
2. Rucking: The New Fitness Trend
- What is Rucking?: Walking with a weighted vest or backpack. It’s a low-intensity workout that burns more calories than regular walking.
- Why It’s Growing: It’s accessible, especially for older adults who already walk. Brands like GoRuck are capitalizing on this trend, turning it into a lifestyle brand with $50M+ in revenue.
- Opportunity: There’s room for a lower-cost, more accessible brand to undercut premium players like GoRuck.
3. Plastic-Free Everything: The Next Health Fear
- Microplastics: The next big health scare is microplastics, and companies are already responding with plastic-free alternatives for clothing, kitchenware, and baby products.
- Market Opportunity: Just like Honest Company capitalized on natural baby products, there’s potential for a plastic-free brand to dominate this space.
- Recycling Myth: The hosts debunked the recycling myth, arguing that most plastic isn’t actually recycled. The focus should be on reduce and reuse.
4. Nervous System Work: The New Leaky Gut
- Parasympathetic vs. Sympathetic: The nervous system has two modes—fight or flight (stress mode) and rest and digest (calm mode). The trend is about resetting your nervous system to improve health, decision-making, and creativity.
- How to Reset: Techniques include breathwork, cold plunges, saunas, and even fringe methods like electromagnetic therapy (which one host tried and found surprisingly effective).
- Market Potential: Products and services that help people calm their nervous systems are poised to grow, especially as stress levels rise.
5. Biohacking Plants: The Future of Food
- AI + Biohacking: AI is revolutionizing science, particularly in predicting protein folding (thanks to AlphaFold). This has huge implications for creating new drugs and improving crops.
- Why Plants?: Biohacking plants is safer and faster than biohacking humans. Companies like Aolly are already working on creating crops that are more resistant to bugs, grow faster, and are more nutritious.
- Opportunity: Startups that combine AI and biohacking to improve food production could be the next big thing.
6. AI Social Networks: The Next Big Thing
- AI-Generated Content: The next wave of social networks will likely be built around AI-generated content. TikTok was the first to use AI to curate content, but the next step is AI creating the content itself.
- AI Music: Platforms like Sunno and Golden Age Hip Hop are already creating AI-generated music mashups that are gaining millions of views. The future could see AI-generated music becoming mainstream, with users curating and even minting their own tracks as NFTs.
- Market Potential: The next big social app could be one where users interact with AI-generated content, whether it’s music, art, or even influencers like Lil Miquela (an AI-generated Instagram influencer making millions).
7. The Power of Trends
- Riding the Wave: Success in business often comes from riding the right trends. The hosts emphasize that timing and market conditions are often more important than genius strategies.
- Actionable Advice: If you’re an entrepreneur, look for trends that are still in their early stages but have clear market pull. Being early to these trends can lead to significant opportunities.
Notable Quotes
- On Trends: “The most important thing is finding the right wave to surf. Often, it’s the market conditions that create success, not just your own genius.”
- On Recycling: “Recycling is a scam. It’s all about reduce and reuse. The blue bin is just a feel-good solution that doesn’t actually solve the problem.”
- On AI Music: “The next big social app could be one where AI generates the content, and users curate and mint their own tracks as NFTs.”
This episode is packed with insights on emerging trends that could shape the next decade. Whether you’re an entrepreneur looking for the next big opportunity or just someone who likes to stay ahead of the curve, these trends are worth paying attention to.
Share the Inspiration!
If you enjoyed these insights, please share this newsletter with friends or colleagues who might find it valuable! Your support inspires us to continue delivering actionable takeaways for your success.
Thank you for being part of our journey! 😊
