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Overview

In this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, John Jantsch interviews Michael Tchong, innovation expert, futurist, and founder of Uber Trends. Named “America’s most influential trend spotter” by Daily Telegraph, Michael has helped brands like Apple, Amex, and Mercedes-Benz anticipate seismic shifts in technology and consumer behavior. Michael breaks down the difference between fleeting fads and true “Uber Trends,” shares his process for pattern recognition and trend validation, and explains why transparency, instant gratification, and user experience are core forces reshaping marketing, business, and culture.

About the Guest

Michael Tchong is a renowned innovation expert, sought-after speaker, and the founder of Uber Trends. He’s been recognized as America’s top trend spotter and has guided Fortune 500 companies in anticipating and capitalizing on shifts that drive consumer behavior and technology. Michael is the author of “Ubertrends: How Trends and Innovation Are Transforming Our Future,” founder of the Uber Trends Academy, and a passionate advocate for leveraging deep trend insight for competitive advantage.

Actionable Insights

• Uber Trends are massive, value-shifting waves that reshape society and spark dozens of subtrends—unlike shallow fads, they create lasting change.
• Pattern recognition and connecting data “dots” is the key skill for trend spotting; analyzing headlines, reading research critically, and tagging patterns are daily habits for Michael.
• Time compression, instant gratification, and “TBD” (too busy disorder) are core Uber Trends affecting everything from TikTok to retail hours—businesses must adapt to shorter attention spans and higher expectations.
• User experience and transparency are essential for future-ready businesses; consumers demand seamless journeys, clear pricing, and visible customer support.
• The explosion of martech and AI tools signals a “great martech displacement”—disruption is coming from nimble new players, not industry incumbents.
• Marketers and business owners should focus on finding pain points tied to Uber Trends and build innovation around solving them (not just chasing the latest app or fad).
• Trendspotting is a skill anyone can build: Read widely, analyze patterns, maintain a trend database, and be skeptical about research and survey data.
• The future belongs to those who can connect systemic shifts to actionable business ideas—turning trend insight into competitive advantage.

Great Moments (with Timestamps)

• 01:09 – Uber Trends vs. Micro Trends
  Michael explains his framework and why only a few shifts truly change society.
• 03:18 – What Makes an Uber Trend?
  Massive, value-shifting, and “changes people,” not just culture.
• 04:42 – Pattern Recognition and Connecting the Dots
  Why trend spotting is about data analysis and seeing the big picture.
• 08:31 – Turning Trends Into Business Innovation
  How leaders can build around pain points and lasting shifts, not fads.
• 10:25 – The Great Martech Displacement
  Why 40,000 new AI apps are disrupting traditional marketing tech stacks.
• 13:19 – User Experience as the Ultimate Differentiator
  Why transparency, customer support, and frictionless journeys are the new competitive edge.
• 15:15 – Transparency, Pricing, and the Self-Led Buyer Journey
  Marketing must adapt as buyers expect everything to be visible before talking to sales.
• 17:14 – Spotting Trends Early—and What Michael Missed
  Reflections on time compression, instant gratification, and what’s next.
• 20:14 – Habits for Marketers Who Want to Spot Trends
  Michael’s daily reading, trend database, and tips for separating signal from noise.

Insights

“Uber Trends are not fads—they’re massive, value-shifting waves that actually change people, not just society.”

“Pattern recognition is the heart of trend spotting. It’s about connecting the dots and seeing the big picture among all the noise.”

“Time compression, instant gratification, and higher expectations are pushing businesses to deliver user experiences that are fast, transparent, and frictionless.”

“The martech world is being disrupted—not by incumbents, but by nimble new AI players who understand the next wave.”

“Anyone can learn to spot trends—read widely, question research, maintain a database, and always look for actionable patterns you can build a business around.”