As we close out 2024, instead of making predictions, I want to share the one big takeaway that will shape my approach in 2025: trust. Whether it’s trust in business, in others, or in ourselves, it’s the anchor we all need to navigate the changes ahead.

“We’re entering a decade of deconstruction spurred on by changing consumer values, AI’s explosive growth, and the relentless speed of change,” said Mark Curtis, global sustainability lead for Accenture Song.

This resonated deeply with me. In 2025, trust won’t just be a buzzword; it will be the foundation for building resilience, driving change, and fostering collaboration in both business and life.

Here’s What We’re Talking About Today:

Audience Insights & Future Trends

Trust will be the word on everyone’s lips in 2025 - or at least it should be.

📊 Key Insights:

• Trust Drives Decisions: 62% of people say trust is a key factor in choosing to engage with a brand (Accenture Life Trends 2025).

• More Than Credentials: Empathy and personal vulnerability build trust more effectively than qualifications or expertise (Trusted Advisor Associates).

• Motivated Teams Thrive: 79% of employees who highly trust their employer feel motivated to work (Deloitte).

• Balance Builds Success: 63% of successful transformations balance team health with performance, focusing on trust and understanding motivations (McKinsey).

💭 A Thought: How can US businesses build trust when they have contractual policies like “employment at will”? The disconnect between human needs and corporate norms is a tension in the current environment.

💡 Takeaway: Trust isn’t optional, it’s foundational. Whether you’re a leader, an employee, or a business owner, ask yourself:

• Is trust built into your culture, policies, and leadership approach?

• Do you trust the people you work for - and will they earn that trust when it matters?

Case Study: Business’s Putting Trust Front and Center

Why I Chose This:

I’m spotlighting two start-ups that embody trust, not just because I’m working with them, but because I genuinely believe in their founders and missions.

⭐ The Start-Ups:

• Relate: This company helps professionals enhance credibility, reliability, and intimacy with clients while reducing self-orientation. Their tools are designed to improve stakeholder engagement and build trust-based business performance.
  

• TRUST: A next-gen influencer marketing platform connecting businesses with creators. TRUST shifts the narrative from paid promotions to rewarding genuine partnerships.

📊 The Data:

• Creator Economy Boom: The creator economy will approach $500 billion by 2027 (Goldman Sachs). But trust is critical: How can we be sure creators value authenticity over quick paydays?

• Power of Authenticity: Customers trust recommendations from influencers they follow more than ads pushed by algorithms (Time Magazine).

• Trust as a Differentiator: 91% of customers say they would buy from a company they trust (PWC).

🪞 My Reflection: The biggest mistakes I’ve made in business came from trusting the wrong people—or worse, ignoring the ones I did trust. These businesses remind me that trust isn’t bought; it’s earned, tested, and proven over time.

💡 Takeaway: Every partnership or collaboration should pass the trust test. Ask yourself:

Behind the Scenes: How I Realised Trust Was A Missing Ingredient

I wasn’t getting the engagement I wanted on LinkedIn. Why? I wasn’t building trust.

When I turned to someone in my community for help, they gave me this simple but powerful advice:

Trust Content Matters: Share your “why,” your values, and your purpose. Show up consistently and let people know who you really are.

💡 Pro Tip: Use the Trust Equation to evaluate your own trustworthiness:

• Credibility + Reliability + Intimacy – Self-Orientation = Trust
  Are you showing up, staying consistent, and putting others before yourself?

A Little More Depth: Trust as the Anchor for Navigating Change

Trust isn’t a soft skill - it’s a survival skill in a fast-moving world.

The Trusted Advisor Trust Equation teaches us that:

• Credibility and Reliability build the foundation.

• Intimacy (being real and vulnerable) deepens relationships.

• Low Self-Orientation (focusing on others, not yourself) makes trust sustainable.

💡 Takeaway: As we enter 2025, trust will be your greatest asset. Build it intentionally, not as a buzzword, but as a strategy that drives real human connections.

Mood Board

Call to Action (CTA)

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Final Reflection

Trust isn’t just a buzzword or value; it’s the foundation for reinvigorating humanity in business. As we wrap up 2024 and prepare for the changes ahead, let’s embrace trust as our guiding principle.

Who do you trust to have your back heading into 2025?