Ashley Deese

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The metaverse is composed of extended reality (XR) experiences.

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The new year has the potential to spark major innovation across various industries. Regardless of a business’s particular niche or industry, there are always exciting developments, innovations or trends on the horizon. As the new year brings a fresh new start, it also brings with it the anticipation many entrepreneurs feel as they look forward to the ideas they hope will become reality in the coming months ahead. The business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council are no exception to the excitement, and below they each share one development or innovation they’re hoping to see come to fruition in their respective industries in 2022.

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These popular trends may have enough staying power to last well into the future. While the Covid-19 pandemic has had its fair share of negative effects, it has also been responsible for a number of positive cultural shifts, especially in the e-commerce space. Stay-at-home orders and social distancing forced consumers online and caused companies to pivot, adapt or fail — and that meant major digital changes were made to the traditional shopping experience.  But while many business owners (and customers) are ready to get back to normal, nine leaders from Rolling Stone Culture Council list some of the pandemic-era e-commerce trends they think will stick around for the foreseeable future and why they’ve been such valuable changes to the retail status quo.

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Offering a top-notch customer experience is more important than ever, but you need the right strategies first. When designing a better customer experience, many organizations today are focusing on convenience. Whether it’s companies finding inventive ways to deliver their products or working to make their customers’ lives easier, convenience has a positive effect on customer satisfaction.  But to make sure you’re delivering the best overall experience, you’ll need to start with a few simple steps. Below, 10 Rolling Stone Culture Council members each shared one thing leaders can do to maximize convenience and create more happy customers.

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As people slowly gather together again, customers will expect new experiences from venues. Entertainment venues were hit particularly hard by the pandemic, and as restrictions lift and venues start opening up again, business owners and patrons alike are understandably excited to get back to a more “normal” routine. But after everything that’s happened, will customers want more of the same or will they expect a few changes? As each business owner makes this determination for themselves, there are a few ways they can adapt or innovate to freshen up their old model and give customers something even more exciting to look forward to. Below, 12 leaders from Rolling Stone Culture Council share some of these strategies and explain why they’re good ways to find new success in the coming years.

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The only certainty about the future of work is change. An important part of an agile work culture is increasing flexibility in order to adapt to the changing needs of your employees. As the pandemic and its effect on the workforce have proven, change is inevitable and it’s important now more than ever for companies to adopt more agile practices and policies. Luckily, agile work cultures aren’t exclusive to any one industry, and any company at any time can start to build one. To help get you started, seven leaders from Rolling Stone Culture Council each suggest one step companies can take to build a more agile work culture and explain why it’s important to do in order to keep up with an ever-changing workforce.

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Set a better example for sustainability in business by starting with your own. With a big social push for environmental awareness, many organizations are looking for more eco-friendly and sustainable ways to run their businesses and produce their products. It’s a win-win situation for the planet and the companies, as conscious customers are likely to go out of their way to buy sustainable products and even spend more if they know a business is environmentally friendly. No matter the industry, every business leader can find ways to make a positive environmental impact. This is especially true of the highly visible culture space, which may influence a broader audience than the average business. For guidance on how to get started, eight members of Rolling Stone Culture Council shared their tips for business leaders who want to set better examples of sustainability.

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For modern consumers, it’s no longer enough to simply sell a product. With the rise of social activism, customers are more interested now than ever in what the companies they support stand for. When you support a cause your customers believe in, you can create a loyal following of fans and do good at the same time. But not every business has a natural lean toward social causes, so how can they find a way to make their brand truly stand for something bigger? Below, members of Rolling Stone Culture Council share their tips for brands that want to be part of a movement and create real change for their customers.

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Succeeding in business doesn’t have to mean all work and no play. If you’re a leader in the culture space, your work likely isn’t confined to the usual 9-to-5 schedule. Industries such as entertainment, fashion and hospitality often lend themselves to hectic or unpredictable work schedules. As a result, it can be difficult to balance your personal life with the demands of your career. As top culture leaders themselves, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council recommend the strategies they use to achieve better work-life balance and carve out time for what truly matters to them.

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Incorporating a digital-first strategy for the first time can be daunting, but cultural organizations should meet their audiences where they are. Or else what is the point?