Marissa Andrada

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After a year of rapid AI expansion, businesses should shift their focus toward deeper human connection, creative innovation and sustainable growth. This year has been a year defined by rapid AI adoption, and many leaders are now asking themselves what comes next. While automation and intelligence tools will continue to advance, the coming year offers an opportunity to recalibrate priorities and strengthen the more "human" elements of leadership. Whether it’s the rise of authenticity, a renewed focus on culture or a push toward more thoughtful and responsible tech usage, the conversation is shifting from what AI can do to what leaders must do to achieve sustainable success next year. To that end, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council share what they believe 2026 should be about and how they’re preparing their companies, teams and mindsets for the next chapter.

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Culture doesn’t shift through good intentions alone. These leaders share what real inclusivity looks like behind the scenes. While inclusion is important in any business, it’s especially vital in the culture space, where the work plays a role in shaping trends, sparking conversations and generating overall visibility. When inclusivity is treated as an afterthought, companies not only jeopardize their brand’s place in culture, but they also risk falling out of step with the people they rely on the most: their employees and customers. Employees feel disconnected when their voices aren't reflected in decisions, while audiences tune out if a brand's messaging misses the mark. The most effective companies make inclusion a daily practice by asking the right questions, bringing more voices to the table and backing it up with action. Below, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council share how (and why) to embed inclusivity into the fabric of your business.

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Not every promising offer is the right one for your business. Ask yourself the following questions to help you decide whether it's truly worth your time. Opportunities in the culture space can appear out of nowhere — an event invite, a partnership pitch or a shiny new business venture that seems too good to pass up. However, saying "yes" to everything without pause can stretch your resources thin, distract from your core mission or dilute your brand. Asking yourself the right questions at the right time can help you figure out whether an opportunity truly fits your goals, values and capacity. Below, members of Rolling Stone Culture Council share the smart, honest lines of inquiry they explore before making a commitment.

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Strong cultural networks are built on trust, generosity and authentic connection, rather than transactions. In the culture space, who you know often matters just as much as what you do. But that doesn’t mean relationship-building should feel transactional or opportunistic. The most successful and fulfilling connections are grounded in sincerity, shared values, and mutual support. To that end, Rolling Stone Culture Council members share their best advice for growing positive connections in the culture space. Whether you're an artist, entrepreneur, producer or creative executive, your career will benefit from cultivating genuine relationships that go beyond surface-level networking.

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Great service leaves a stronger impression than any discount or marketing campaign. Here’s how to offer it. Exceptional customer service doesn’t happen by accident — it’s the result of intentional decisions that prioritize listening, empathy and responsiveness at every level of a business. When done right, customer service builds lasting trust, drives referrals and gives your brand a competitive edge. Consistently delivering a high level of service takes more than just good instincts; it requires clear strategy and follow-through. Below, Rolling Stone Culture Council members share the specific steps they’ve taken to prioritize standout customer experiences.

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Those companies unwilling to change may find it difficult to keep up with evolving customer needs. The only true constant in the culture space is change. With fast-moving trends, quickly shifting consumer behaviors and often unexpected global events, the culture space can be difficult to navigate if you’re not willing to roll with the punches. The ability to pivot, rethink their strategy and embrace change often separates thriving companies from those that fall behind. If businesses want to succeed in this industry, they’ll need to make adaptability an important part of their strategy and company culture. To help, 11 business leaders from Rolling Stone Culture Council describe the importance of adaptability in their own companies and offer up their best tips for successfully implementing it into your own organization.

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Learning to slow down amid so much momentum can be a challenge in and of itself. The world of entertainment, media, fashion, the arts and more can be an exhilarating place to start a business. But owning a business in such a fast-moving, innovative industry can also come with its own set of challenges, and startups can often find themselves navigating a complex web of trends, gatekeepers and shifting audience expectations.  To survive, it can help to consider the paths of the businesses that have already made it, having successfully overcome the struggles many entrepreneurs find themselves grappling with each day. Here, nine Rolling Stone Culture Council business leaders discuss some of the most common obstacles new businesses in their fields face and how they recommend leaping successfully to the other side.

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The right advice from the right source can propel your business toward success. As an entrepreneur or business leader, it’s easy to get overwhelmed by advice from others (who may or may not be qualified to give it). Too many opinions can often leave you feeling confused and unsure if the choices you’re making are the right ones or if they’ll turn into mistakes you’ll later regret. And this uncertainty can be devastating to leaders who need to feel confident in the decisions they make for their company and their team. This is why it can be so helpful to have a resource to turn to when you need reliable advice on leadership or business decisions. Whether you’re a seasoned business pro or a new leader just dipping their toes in the industry, the business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council have eight tried-and-true places you can look for guidance on your leadership journey.

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Think you're ready to lead? These real-world lessons might surprise you. Stepping into a leadership role for the first time can be as daunting as it is exciting. While many new leaders focus on achieving results, the most impactful lessons often come from what isn’t in the handbook — like how to build trust, recover from failure and communicate with clarity. Knowing these lessons from day one can make the difference between simply managing and truly leading. To that end, Rolling Stone Culture Council members share the leadership tips they wish they had known from the beginning, and why those lessons would have made all the difference to how they lead now.

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Discover the most impactful strategies for empowering your employees. Empowered employees are more engaged, more creative and more committed to your company's mission — but that culture rarely builds itself. It often stems from small, yet intentional leadership habits that signal trust, encourage professional growth and make room for employees' ideas. Below, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council share the actions they've taken that have had the greatest positive impact on their employees. From conducting regular "heart checks" to leading from behind, here are their secrets to success and why they've worked so well.

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The world is shifting and being fueled by the RTO runway where offices are no longer just workplaces but places for self-expression and transformation.

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Inspiration may not always come from the most obvious of places. Creative inspiration can sometimes be a difficult resource to come by. It’s often difficult to think of ways to innovate, navigate challenges or simply make needed decisions when your creative well has run dry. And those in naturally creative industries such as art, music, film and more can also struggle with the constant need for new ideas.  At times like these, savvy business leaders will often have places they can turn to to spark ideas and out-of-the-box thinking — but these places may not always seem the most obvious places to start. Here, nine members of Rolling Stone Culture Council share the unique places they find inspiration and how that helps them lead — and create — in a positive way.

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Being intentional with social media can help you build the connections you need to succeed. With professional platforms like LinkedIn — and even more casual ones like Instagram and X — offering a vast pool of potential collaborators, clients and industry influencers, it’s never been easier to reach a wide audience and build your network. However, it takes more than just a well-maintained profile to leverage these platforms effectively. Understanding how to engage authentically and strategically can be the key to transforming virtual interactions into real-world opportunities. Whether you’re a casual social media user or are looking for simple ways to refine your approach, the business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council have key advice for any professional in the culture space looking to use social media to supercharge their networking efforts. Discover how to strengthen vital network connections and advance your career by being more intentional with your social media presence.

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Feedback can be hard to listen to, but it’s almost always valuable. Whether it's from fans, critics or team members, criticism is unavoidable as a business leader. Especially in the culture space where so many businesses are built around trending interests and tastes, receiving feedback on your business or yourself as a leader is understandably inevitable. However, learning to handle criticism with grace is a learned skill that's not always easy to do when you’re passionate about your project. Here, the business leaders of Rolling Stone Culture Council reflect on their experiences with criticism and offer up 12 tips you can use to better handle criticism as a leader while staying grounded in your vision.

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Is your audience excited about what your company is doing? When it comes to planning an event or product launch, there are a lot of moving parts. Logistics around planning the occasion itself, getting the word out and ensuring you have all the resources you need for it to go smoothly can be a complex puzzle to solve — but one of the most important aspects of planning is getting people excited. Building “hype” around your big event or announcement is key to generating customer interest and buy-in for what you’re offering. Without it, you may not achieve the end result you were after. Building excitement isn’t always easy, so to help, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council offer 10 of their best tips — including insights into what’s worked well for them — for generating hype around a company event, product launch, piece of news and more below.

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Here are three key takeaways from the world of fashion that have shaped my leadership style — and can elevate yours, too.

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Without a focused approach, it can be all too easy to get lost in a sea of useless information. With new platforms, a multitude of media options and endless content being produced each day, those hoping to keep up with the latest trends or news may have a difficult time finding a single source they can rely on. This is especially true of business leaders in the culture space, who must not only keep up with the trends but stay ahead of them to better target and influence their customers. While simply hopping on social media or your chosen news outlet is one way to stay in the know, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council have a more focused approach. Here, they each offer up one specific resource they turn to to help them keep up with industry trends, news and updates and why it’s so useful to their business.

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Making a few small changes can have a big impact on employee happiness overall. With employee retention at the forefront of many leaders’ minds this year, finding ways to ensure their teams are happy, healthy and heard is likely on the top of their to-do lists for 2025. One of the most effective ways to improve employee retention is to create a better work environment for them to thrive in. Whether that means better lines of communication, increased flexibility or a more supportive atmosphere, there are a multitude of ways to create a space where employees want to work. As business leaders themselves, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council have cultivated work environments all their own, and below, they discuss what’s worked well for them as well as ways any business leader can create a better environment for their employees in the new year.

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No business is ever a total failure if you’ve learned something from it. It’s a sad reality that many businesses will fail — in fact, around 18 percent of businesses tend to fail within their first year of operation. However, a failing business doesn’t have to be a total loss for an entrepreneur. There are often many valuable lessons to be learned from a failed business — whether it’s your own or another brand’s. The key is figuring out what those lessons are and how you can apply them to your next business venture. As leaders in the culture space, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council have seen many businesses come and go. Below, they share the notable lessons they've learned from the failure of a business and how that has impacted how they lead now.

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Discover how you can foster a diverse and inclusive network of peers to drive inspiration and growth. In the culture space, diverse perspectives are more than a "nice to have" — they’re essential for fostering continuous innovation that resonates with your audience. Building an inclusive network of peers can guarantee access to a wide range of ideas, experiences and viewpoints to enrich your work and inspire growth. However, creating such a network doesn't happen without intentionality and effort. To help, the members of Rolling Stone Culture Council share their expert tips on developing a diverse network to help broaden your perspectives and impact.

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Sometimes, breaking the rules leads to the biggest breakthroughs. For many entrepreneurs, taking an unconventional approach — whether in strategy, hiring or growth tactics — has led to invaluable lessons and unique successes in their businesses. But choosing to go against the grain isn’t without risk, as each choice shapes the path forward in surprising ways. Below, Rolling Stone Culture Council members share moments when they challenged traditional advice. Through the lessons they learned along the way, they offer practical insights to inspire bold steps on your own entrepreneurial path.