Ideas
Explore the world's #1 largest database of ideas and innovations, with 460,592 inspiring examples.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,240 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 321,086 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Consumer Insights
Uncover major shifts and emerging opportunities with our exclusive PRO research.
Trend Reports
Discover why 1,240 brands rely on our AI-powered Trend Reports to get better, faster insights.
Newsletter
Join 321,086 subscribers who rely on our weekly newsletter to keep up with need-to-know trends and insights.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Trend Reports
Get fast, customized trend reports, presentations and deep dives 20x faster than traditional research.
Plans
Get started today with a free consultation, our self-serve tools, or a dedicated program.
Articles & Magazine
Get inspired with our 4,210 innovation strategy articles, keynote, videos and innovation tools.
Innovation Awards
Trend Hunter’s Innovation Strategy Awards recognize the best innovation tactics gathered from our interviews with some of the world's most notable business leaders, authors and change makers.
Advisory & Services
Accelerate innovation and ignite disruptive thinking with our award-winning programs and research.
Innovation Assessment
Enhance your innovation potential with a deeper understanding of your unique innovation archetype and how your organization benchmarks.
FuturistU
Prepare for the years ahead with 100+ lessons, tactics, tools and frameworks with our full learning database.
Innovation Books
Join 20,000,000 people getting better and faster with our New York Times Bestselling books and keynote videos.
Jeremy Gutsche
Ignite your event or virtual event with our CEO, a NY Times Bestselling Author and one of the top innovation keynote speakers.
Our Team of Speakers & Virtual Presenters
Inspire your group with our most popular speakers on innovation, trends, change and futurism.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Custom Masterclasses
Join the world's leading brands who leverage our custom programs to accelerate innovation.
FuturistU 5-Day Program
Become a Futurist with our immersive 5-Day program at Future Festival World Summit.
Online eLearning
Learn the fundamentals of futurism and trends with 100+ online courses about innovation.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
Contact
Get in touch to learn more, ask a question or submit a tip.
About Us
Learn more about Trend Hunter and how we accelerate innovation.
Follow-Us
Join our 3,500,000 social media followers, on the cutting edge.
How to Hunt
Learn more about how to hunt megatrends, ideas, patterns and opportunity.
FAQ
Get answers to common questions about Trend Hunter.
Community
Stay on the cutting-edge with the help of the Trend Hunter community.
Team
Meet the team trusted by hundreds of leading businesses worldwide.
Jobs
Find opportunities to accelerate your career with the #1 Trend Firm.
News
Catch up on noteworthy Trend Hunter news and media mentions.
Join
Build a portfolio and put your trend-spotting abilities to the test.
Advertising
Supercharge your marketing by partnering with Trend Hunter.
Portfolio
Visit your public portfolio and browse your past articles.
Add a Trend
Write up an article and showcase your trend-spotting skills.
My Trends
Edit your articles and see how they stack up on the leaderboards.
Settings
Edit your profile, connect your social media accounts, and more.
Add a trend, customize your dashboard, or track topics.
Future Festival
Innovation Events
Join the world's top innovators at our in person events.
Free Webinars
Learn to innovate through chaos, navigate the new normal and maintain work culture from home.
Custom Training & Events
Bring the Future Festival experience directly to your team or co-hosted custom event.
Search our database of 460,592 cutting edge ideas.

Daniel H. Pink, New York Times Bestselling Author (INTERVIEW)

— April 22, 2008 — Business
Daniel H. Pink is the bestselling author of A Whole New Mind.

I was fortunate enough to get a copy of his latest book, The Adventures of Johnny Bunko, The Last Career Guide You’ll Ever Need. After devouring the book, I wrote a review on Trend Hunter.

It turns out, Dan is a fan of Trend Hunter too! He jokingly accused the site of being a threat to his work and “a massive loss of productivity over the next several months” before likening the site to a time machine.

“My browser already has buttons for FORWARD and BACK. Reading Trend Hunter is like having a button for FUTURE. It allows me to see what’s going to happen next. Amazing.”

I was thrilled to connect with Dan again to ask him a few questions.

In the interview, he gives the inside scoop on the inspiration behind the The Adventures of Johnny Bunko which will be available for sale April 2, 2008.



How do you spot trends as an author?

By trying to be as eclectic as possible.  I try to read widely, everything from literary novels to mysteries to business magazines to political journals to academic reports, and look for connections. It’s also important, I think, to communicate, whether by email, in person, or on the phone, to a wide variety of people. Talking with only the usual suspects can become an echo chamber.


What’s the key to breakthrough innovation?


IMHO, there are three keys: 
1)  A sense of curiosity
2) A willingness to make mistakes
3) The capacity to combine two things that nobody ever thought of combining


How would you define cool?

I know something is cool when I immediately want to tell someone else about it.


How do you reset yourself to be creative (ie. do you have any rituals?)
I run.  As much as I can.  Nothing is better for clearing the head and letting the mind wander.


If you had a magic pair of chopsticks, what would you ask?

That I could survive on only three hours of sleep per night.


What inspired you to write for young adults entering the modern career world?

I talked to students at lots of colleges and universities and found they were operating under the same false premises that I had 25 years ago.  For example, many of them had these carefully laid out plans for the first ten years of their careers.  I had to explain to them that—sorry—there is no plan.  Life is too complicated and unpredictable and exciting for that kind of intricate planning.


Would this book have inspired you in your early 20s, or do you think it’s a book of the times?

I *definitely* could have used this book 25 years ago.  In fact, in some sense, it’s a letter to my younger self.  These are six lessons I learned on my own, sometimes the hard way, that I wish I’d had known when I was a pup.


Do you think there is a North American manga market for boomers?

Yes.  In Japan, manga is for everyone—from kids to salarymen to seniors.  There’s no reason that can’t happen here in North America. In fact, it’s probably inevitable.


Could you imagine manga TV shows for English-speaking adults?

Sure. Look at the success of animated programs like the Simpsons or King of the Hill. Or just turn on the Cartoon Network during its Adult Swim segment.  Then think about how easy the Internet has made it to distribute programming.  Again, it seems just a matter of time.


Are you planning any other manga books?

For now, I’m working on another, more traditional, book and waiting to see how people respond to Johnny and his adventures.  But these characters have more stories in them.  And careful readers will see hints in the book of where the story might go.

 

 

Trend Themes
1. Eclectic Reading - Embracing diverse sources of information to spot connections and trends.
2. Curiosity-driven Innovation - Encouraging a sense of curiosity, embracing mistakes, and combining unexpected concepts for breakthrough innovation.
3. Manga for Adults - Expanding the North American manga market and exploring opportunities for manga TV shows for English-speaking adults.
Industry Implications
1. Publishing - Publishers can capitalize on the trend of eclectic reading by offering a wide range of books and content that cater to diverse interests.
2. Innovation Consulting - Innovation consultants can promote curiosity-driven approaches and help companies foster a culture that encourages innovation and the combination of different ideas.
3. Entertainment - Entertainment companies can tap into the potential of the growing North American manga market and explore new avenues for manga-based TV shows for adult audiences.
6.3
Score
Popularity
Activity
Freshness