[timandren]

We are the future. We will make a difference. These words sound like corny mission statements or lyrics to an 80's song, but what they represent is a powerful global-business transition that is causing giant waves of change in our world today. This is bigger than just business or economics. This is cultural. When a cultural change occurs, opportunity springs forth.

The difference in our world today rests on a tiny, fundamental shift in who 'We' are. The smart businesses that open their arms to us (the interconnected crowd), will succeed and lead the new economy forward. They will recognize that our culture, as we know it, is changing.

Western civilization has been dominantly 'I-focused' for quite some time. Advertisers have a lot to do with that focus. People responded to the impact of a commercial culture by buying into the idea that personal happiness or accomplishment is based on individual gain, away from the crowd. Their media of choice informed and entertained them, and as usual, advertisers found a way to weave their message into the stream. In addition, pre-internet culture lacked the tools to share opinions and data that are commonplace today.

Websites and mobile phones are rapidly becoming our preferred media vehicle. They are our resources for information, communication and entertainment. Our informed, communicative crowd of people have naturally founded tribes and communities using these tools. The major difference is that much of the information and entertainment comes from the crowd itself and allows many users to bypass corporations and big budget advertisers.

We have recently witnessed the rise of social networks, blogs, podcasts, etc. Contrary to what you may hear, there wasn't a genius sitting at a computer somewhere who invented these out of the blue. Our interconnected crowd demanded them first. We wanted more connection, not less. We wanted our time on the laptop to be shared, not isolated. We were determined to reconnect with our brothers and sisters.

What the crowd wants - the crowd gets. Culture is rolling along and it pays to make sure you're a part of it. Think about the person you know who scorned Facebook, yet months later signed up because they couldn't stand being out of the loop. They almost didn't have a choice in the matter.

Today's businesses must build their infrastructure with this knowledge. They must not only be aware of our connected crowd's wants or needs, but they should also be an active participant where we congregate. Should a problem arise, they also need to have a lightning-fast public relations team that is already a member of our fraternity and can embrace the challenge by responding in a positive, genuine manner.

Great success will come to the businesses that care about you as an individual, not by pushing you to stand out from the crowd, but by encouraging you to embrace being a part of it.

'We' are the future. 'We' will make a difference.