Coffee Break With Game-changers, Presented By Sap

The Buzz 1: “The alcoholic beverage industry is not known for being stagnant. Significant changes and surprising trends emerge every year…The best-selling cocktail of 2019 was the Old Fashioned. Sake is no longer just popular in Japan. Craft beer is no longer just a niche. Whisky, high-end spirits, and ready-to-drink are gaining popularity. Wine is going beyond the bottle. Buying alcohol online is becoming more popular.” (linchpinseo.com) The Buzz 2: “2021 is likely to be a transition year for the US beverage alcohol category, predicts online retailer Drizly. Pandemic trends will persist amidst a slow return to pre-COVID life, while up-and-coming categories such as RTDs and mezcal will continue to grow.” (www.beveragedaily.com) We’ll ask Lisa Allen at Wine Insite, Mary Guiver at Whole Foods, Andrew Rodbell at Post Meridiem Spirits, and Nicolette Conran at Omaha Brewing Company for their take on The Future of Beer, CBD Beverages, Hard Seltzer and Tech: Drink Up!

The Buzz 1: “Nobody brings the creepy better than women mystery and thriller writers. The literary world has always been a bit of a good ol' boys club, but since Anna Katharine Green, ‘the mother of the detective novel,’ published The Leavenworth Case in 1878, right up to the Gone Girl frenzy, women writers have excelled in the genre.” (Erin Enders, www.bustle.com/articles/58552-11-female-mystery-writers-to-start-reading-now-because-these-suspenseful-stories-are-too-good-to) The Buzz 2: “Women’s murder tales have always been at least a little more psychologically acute than the guys’. Even in the so-called golden age of detective stories, the 1920s and ’30s, when the emphasis was on elaborate puzzles, the motivations of the culprits in Christie and Dorothy L. Sayers were usually more plausible—and nastier—than they were in Carr or Rex Stout or Ellery Queen…Later, while male pulp writers were playing with guns and fighting off those wily femmes fatales, women like Highsmith and Dorothy B. Hughes and Margaret M

The Buzz: “The word entrepreneurship has been defined as the 'discovery, evaluation and exploitation of opportunities' but until just a few years ago, saying you were a young entrepreneur was a creative way to say you were in between jobs. Today, entrepreneurs are the modern day rockstars. The story of how Mark Zuckerberg hacked The Crimson at Harvard is a legend amongst millennials. Hustling and side-hustling is no longer just a way to make more money, it can be incredibly fun. There are so many insanely valuable resources available to entrepreneurs for free these days, you no longer need to ‘take the plunge’ to be an entrepreneur. You can just barely dip your little toe and test the waters. All you’ll lose is the time you invest. It’s not that entrepreneurs didn’t exist before the word claimed the desire of the public, but society now sees a greater value in being your own boss.” (www.futureofeverything.io/ask-thought-leaders-whats-future-entrepreneurship/ June 2017 by Nick Hastreiter) We’ll ask Don DeLoach

The Buzz 1: “Bicycle, bicycle, bicycle. I want to ride my bicycle, bicycle, bicycle... I want to ride it where I like.” (Queen, Bicycle Race) The Buzz 2: “When my legs hurt, I say: ‘Shut up legs! Do what I tell you to do!’” (Jens Voigt, German former professional road bicycle racer) The Buzz 3: “Cyclists see considerably more of this beautiful world than any other class of citizens. A good bicycle, well applied, will cure most ills this flesh is heir to.” (Dr K.K. Doty, 19th century New Yorker and cycling evangelist) German baron Karl von Drais created a steerable, two-wheeled contraption in 1817, known as the “velocipede,” “hobby-horse,” “draisine” and “running machine.” He is widely acknowledged as the 'Father of the Bicycle'. The bicycle – a self-propelled, human-powered mode of active transportation – has transformed lives. If you’re willing to pedal, a bike provides self-reliant, practical, affordable, eco-friendly transportation as well as freedom and adventure, allowing you to go where you want, when y

The buzz: “Ten years ago, e-books made up less than 1 percent of the trade book market, yet they now make up 40 to 50 percent of units sold…In genres like fantasy, romance, and science fiction, traditional publishers have lost their former iron grip on the industry…Successful major authors are even choosing to self-publish.…As smartphone ownership expands internationally, so will the market for e-books.…Books could take advantage of the capabilities of digital devices by offering color, interactivity, connectivity, share ability, and new features we can’t even imagine yet.” https://izzardink.com/future-of-self-publishing/ We’ll ask publisher Eddie Vincent, novelist Ursula Wong, ghostwriter and novelist Jeff Deck, novelist Barbara Eppich Struna and indie novelist Dale T. Phillips for their take on The Future of Self-Publishing: A Real Page-Turner!

The buzz: Stress has been defined as a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances – or as the non-specific response of the body to any demand for change. In her verywellmind.com article, When Stress Is Actually Good for You, Elizabeth Scott, MS, observes, “We rarely hear people say, ‘I’m really feeling stressed. Isn't that great?’ But if we didn't have some stress in our lives—the ‘good stress’ variety—we'd feel rudderless and unhappy. If we define stress as anything that alters our homeostasis, then good stress, in its many forms, is vital for a healthy life. Bad stress can even turn into good stress, and vice versa.” With ‘good stress’, our pulse quickens, hormones surge…it keeps us feeling excited about life. Adrenaline junkies know that too much good stress can become bad. Acute or ‘bad stress’ comes from quick surprises that need a response. Chronic stress comes from repeated stressors that feel inescapable and can result in negative physical and

The buzz: “Most people think of hackers as young techno-thugs who pound Moutain Dew and tap at their computers stealing data, crashing websites, or sending spam about Viagra. But there are good hackers, too, top-security professionals that governments and companies hire to protect them from the bad guys. And among these, there are a select few who don’t specialize in the technical side of breaking into computers, but rather the messy, human side…fast talkers who convince unsuspecting people to let them into machines and secured physical locations. The best are so good, they not only get what they want, they make it so their targets feel better for having met them.” Human Hacking by Chris Hadnagy, 2021. Welcome to the world of social engineering or human hacking, the psychological manipulation of a person by a malicious attacker into performing actions or divulging confidential information for the purpose of information gathering, fraud, or system access. Good news: Social engineering can help you regain confi

The Buzz: During 2020, video was the “king” of media types. Americans were Zooming into work meetings, logging into online classrooms, FaceTiming friends and family, and streaming entertainment more than ever. Binge-watching and gaming were up 25 percent and 75 percent, respectively. Americans spent an average of 42 minutes a day viewing digital video on their phones last year, compared to 23 minutes on computers. [Connie Chan: https://a16z.com/2020/12/07/social-strikes-back-video/] But this began way before COVID. Since 2015, video streaming has risen 13 percent year-over-year. Now, we’re about to enter a new era of video-first products beyond entertainment and gaming. If video 1.0 phase was laid-back, video 2.0 will be more interactive and participatory, with users engaging with the platform, giving direct feedback on the content, and shaping the experience in real time. How did we get to this moment? The first era was television – controlled by big budgets and lead time to produce 30 or 60 minute shows. In

The Buzz: In 2013, Terry Heick wrote, “While learning by no means requires technology, to design learning without technology is an exercise in spite—proving a point at the cost of potential. And it’s difficult to forget how new this is…Fifteen years ago, a current high school sophomore was born. So was Google.” www.teachthought.com/the-future-of-learning/30-incredible-ways-technology-will-change-education-by-2028/ Heick predicted that by 2024, learning simulations will begin to replace teachers in some eLearning-based environments. Truly mobile learning will support not just moving from one side of the classroom to another, but from a learning studio to a community, physically or through a Google+ or Skype-like technology. Personalized learning algorithms will be the de facto standard in schools that continue the traditional academic approach. The daily transition from eLearning and face-to-face learning will more elegant, but…will create “migratory ripples” as families move in response to educational dispari

The Buzz: According to FutureWineExpo.com, “Just a decade from now, the wine industry is likely to look a lot different than it does now. A number of important factors – including the rise of China as the next great wine nation, the global impact of climate change, and the wide-scale embrace of technological change by growers, winemakers and retailers – are making it highly likely that the way we drink and enjoy wine will continue to change at a rapidly accelerating pace.” 10 Ways the Future of Wine Is Changing Faster Than You Think: “Winemakers and grape growers are embracing innovations like drones and robots in the vineyard. The impact of climate change on the wine industry. Sustainability and the popularity of eco-friendly wines. New taste trends. Innovations in packaging and bottling. The rise of the “beverage wine”. Blended vintages and new winemaking trends. New retail wine concepts. Technologically augmented bottles. Blockchain-based authentication of fine wine.” [https://futurewineexpo.com/en/blog/in

The Buzz: The first modern ‘detective story’ is considered to be The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe. First published in the April 1841 issue of Graham’s Magazine, the short story is about an amateur detective who sets out to solve the murders of a mother and daughter within a locked room of their apartment. (https://www.biblio.com/blog/2020/01/a-brief-history-of-mystery-books/#) The first mystery novel: Wilkie Collins’s The Woman in White (1859). The Moonstone (1868): the first detective novel. The Woman in White is a gripping tale of murder, madness and mistaken identity that is so beloved it has never been out of print. The Moonstone set the standards for the detective novel formula – an enormous diamond is stolen from a Hindu temple and resurfaces at a birthday party in an English manor, and with numerous narrators and suspects, the story weaves through superstitions, romance, humor and suspicion to solve the puzzle. According to MasterClass.com, “When it comes to twenty-first century America

Throughout recorded human history, people have figured out how to use the latest “technology” to scam, con or hack others for their own benefit. William Chaloner (1650–1699): Serial counterfeiter and confidence trickster proven guilty by Sir Isaac Newton. Gregor MacGregor (1786–1845): Scottish con man who tried to attract investment and settlers for the non-existent country of Poyais. Cassie Chadwick (1857–1907): Canadian who defrauded banks out of millions by pretending to be the illegitimate daughter and heir of Andrew Carnegie. Joseph Weil (1875–1976): Chicago’s infamous Yellow Kid posed as bank presidents, inventors, millionaires, and scientists. “I have played more roles in real life than the average actor ever dreamed of.” Frank Abagnale, Jr. (born 1948): U.S. check forger and impostor turned FBI consultant, who impersonated a PanAm airline pilot, a doctor, a lawyer, and a teacher to illegally make over $2.5 million. The 2002 movie Catch Me If You Can is based on his autobiography. Is there a term for t

The Buzz 1: “Don’t it always seem to go That you don’t know what you’ve got Till it’s gone.” (Big Yellow Taxi, Joni Mitchell, 1970) The Buzz 2: “I would be proud to partake of your pecan pie.” (Harry Burns (Billy Crystal), When Harry Met Sally, 1989 film) The Buzz 3: “Covid-19 revealed the everyday activities many people take for granted until they’re no longer for an option—like eating out in a restaurant…more than 70,000 restaurants across the U.S. have permanently closed. Restaurants had to quickly pivot to curbside pickup and delivery and adjust their menus and staffing in hopes of staying afloat…to find new, creative ways to serve customers.” [www.forbes.com] We'll ask your food futurists Kerry N. Brown at SAP, Chef Chris Hall at Unsukay, Lisa Allen at Wine Insite, and Chef Andy Gonzales at Steinbeck’s & The Companion for their take on The Future of Dining: Restaurants, Menus, Takeout, Delivery and AI.

The Buzz 1: “You care more about that car than you do about most people.” [Thelma (Geena Davis) to Louise (Susan Sarandon) in Thelma & Louise (1991) The Buzz 2: “A driver don't pick the cars. Mmm-mm. Cars pick the driver. It's a mystical bond between man and machine.” (Bernie Mac as Bobby Bolivia in Transformers,2 007 film) The Buzz 3: “The next few years should be exciting. We’re in the midst of an electric vehicle onslaught and seeing a flood of new EV pickup trucks. We're also watching more supercar and hypercar debuts than ever before.” [www.motor1.com/car-lists/future-cars] Fast-forward to 2025. Will you own, lease by the hour, day, season or year, share, borrow, or be cargo in a vehicle that moves you from point A to point B? As the automotive industry literally shifts gears and accelerates, concepts like ICE, BEV and AV are grabbing headlines and the steering wheel as mainstream options for your future transportation comfort, speed and safety. Whether you're driving or simply along for the ride, wi

The Buzz: “The Fourth Industrial Revolution…a fusion of advances in AI, robotics, IoT, 3D printing, genetic engineering, quantum computing, other technologies…collective force behind many products and services that are fast becoming indispensable to modern life.” [salesforce.com] Every industrial revolution has had a profound impact on how we live, work and relate. The first industrialized our world with steam and water. The second electrified it. The third computerized it, setting the technology stage for the fourth and an unprecedented pace of transformation. What’s in it for you? Advances that often seem like a sci-fi movie. GPS systems that recommend the fastest route. Netflix’s personalized recommendations for you. Voice-activated virtual assistants that answer your questions, play your music, find recipes, tell corny jokes, bring you the news. We’ll ask Marty Groover, John Gretter, Derek Dyer and Don Young for their take on The Future of the 4th Industrial Revolution: What’s In It For You?

The Buzz 1: “During the Revolutionary War, women served the U.S. Army in traditional roles as nurses, seamstresses and cooks for troops in camp. Some courageous women served in combat either alongside their husbands or disguised as men, while others operated as spies for the cause. Though not in uniform, women shared Soldiers' hardships, including inadequate housing and little compensation.” [www.army.mil] The Buzz 2: “The U.S. military has been one of America’s most progressive institutions…But it also embodies a traditional, conservative, and in some ways “macho” culture…There is so much further to go and addressing these issues of gender equity will not be easy.” [brookings.edu/essay co-written by retired General Lori J. Robinson] We’ll ask Colonel Deb Lewis, Major General Suzanne P. Vares-Lum, former US Army officer Donna Matturro McAleer and Chief Warrant Officer Five Phyllis Wilson to predict The Future of Women in the Military: Mental Toughness Required?

The buzz 1: “Women earn about half of science and engineering degrees, but they make up less than 20 percent of people employed in those fields.” (mckinsey.com) The buzz 2: “Women are missing out on entrepreneurial success, making up just 17% of IT specialists in the UK. Worse still, a new survey shows that the number of women in the tech sector has barely moved over the past 10 years despite an industry-wide push. When tech has never had it so good, where are the women?” (theguardian.com) The buzz 3: “Women who have decided to pursue a career in computer science…credited early exposure to programming as the greatest factor in their decision to become engineers. Conversely, a lack of early exposure to computer science was the primary deterrent for women who leave—or never join—the field.” (themuse.com) We ask SAP's Maria Villar, NTT DATA's Theresa Kushner, Treeverse's Einat Orr and VMware's Radhika Rangarajan to predict The Future of Women in Tech: How to Level The Playing Field?

The Buzz 1: “Social media can also be a powerful tool for your professional life…It can also be full of pitfalls. More employers and recruiters now regularly check candidates’ social media profiles before hiring them, and screenshots of status updates and tweets mean your electronic words can live forever, even if you delete them later…it’s not just your own posts—your activity, including those stealth “likes,” can come back to haunt you, too… every post you’ve liked, commented on, or shared, in addition to any posts you’re sharing to your feed.” [themuse.com] The Buzz 2: “Creating a personal brand on social media…it’s about what you stand for and what people should expect when they see you’ve posted a new piece of content.” [digitalmarketinginstitute.com] We’ll ask Loic Simon, Lindsey Boggs, Jonathan Pogact and Sylvia Lachkar to predict How Your Personal Social Brand Could Help or Hurt Your Future Career, Business, Influence, Reputation and Life.

The buzz: In a 2017 ISACA survey, only 53% of surveyed business technology professionals believe their organization’s leadership is digitally literate. The other 47% don’t think their leaders have a solid understanding of tech and its impacts or are unsure. (helpnetsecurity.com) Despite better AI, easier app developing, and robots joining the workforce, there’s still a huge disconnect between non-technical CXOs and their tech teams, even in Silicon Valley. If you are a non-techy entrepreneur or CXO, how do you ask for technical solutions or hire engineers if stack, back-end or RAM are gibberish to you? Executives need to develop technical intuition and systems-thinking to be proficient at technical communication and ability, says Aman Agarwal, Sanpram Transnational founder and CEO. We’ll ask Aman, Dr. Sharon Jones, John Lester and Justin Bouldin to predict whether speaking tech will be a basic business requirement on The Future of Digital Literacy: Will CXOs Have to Talk Tech?

Buzz 1: “Time spent in conversation is never wasted.” [Insidious: Chapter 3] Buzz 2: “I had a really long talk with a squirrel one time, longer in fact than I can with most people.” [Charlie’s Angels] Buzz 3: “Do you always begin conversations this way?” [The Princess Bride] If you’re hoping to gaze into a crystal ball to see what 2021 holds for your company, your industry and the world, we’ve got the next best thing. You’ll hear predictions on the technologies, strategies, and trends that can help you grow and compete better in 2021 and beyond, from ten panelists on our 2020 series, Think Tank: Conversations in a Digital World. Added to the prognosticators who participated on Parts 1 through 6, today’s episode brings our total to more than 70. Pour a cup of Joe, Earl, or Dom, and join us for Technology Revolution: The Future of Now 2021 Crystal Ball Predictions – Part 7 live. Working together, let’s make 2021 a great year!