Our PR Director, Michelle Smytheman, is passionate about helping emerging professionals in the communications industry and teaches at the University of the Sunshine Coast. As part of an assessment task this year, there have been some excellent blogs written by first-year students about emerging business trends. We are proud to share their work.

By William Dunphy

You may have noticed that there has been a sharp increase in the number of content creators and influencers recently.  There are currently more than 45 million professional content creators as well as over 162 million amateur creators in 2024. But this surely cannot happen by coincidence so why has content creation become so big? Due to technological advancements, posting online has become a lot easier. 60.42% of the world owns at least one smartphone.

Our PR Director, Michelle Smytheman, is passionate about helping emerging professionals in the communications industry and teaches at the University of the Sunshine Coast. As part of an assessment task this year, there have been some excellent blogs written by first-year students about emerging business trends. We are proud to share their work.

By Vanessa Ledbury

Amidst Covid-19’s constraints, a wave of trends took over the world—endless TV binges, whimsical diets, and impromptu online splurges. Amongst this, a heartwarming shift unfolded: with falling birth rates and Millennials postponing milestones, pets stepped in, becoming cherished companions in the absence of traditional family roles.

According to researchers like Dr. Rita Eichenstein, a paediatric neuropsychologist at Cedars-Sinai Medical Towers in Los Angeles, human beings have an innate desire to love and reproduce. However, in this digital era where social medias substitute real relationships, humans are lonely. 

Our PR Director, Michelle Smytheman, is passionate about helping emerging professionals in the communications industry and teaches at the University of the Sunshine Coast. As part of an assessment task this year, there have been some excellent blogs written by first-year students about emerging business trends. We are proud to share their work.

By Yarin Barrett

Wellness travel has become an important part of the global tourism industry. The main aim of this form of travel is to promote physical and mental well-being.

The COVID-19 pandemic has seen people reassess their thoughts on health tourism. Factors such as a highly stressful workplace and fast paced living with a desire to slow down and simplify life have seen the emergence of wellness tourism as part of the growing wellness industry. One of the main reasons wellness travel has become an emerging trend is because of the increasing awareness of health, stemming from the rising occurrence of chronic diseases. This emerging trend is set to boost the wellness industry worldwide.

Our PR Director, Michelle Smytheman, is passionate about helping emerging professionals in the communications industry and teaches at the University of the Sunshine Coast. As part of an assessment task this year, there have been some excellent blogs written by first-year students about emerging business trends. We are proud to share their work.

By Marissa Leijen

Has your feed on social media been consumed with “Top 5 Side Hustles to Start” or “Easy Ways to Make Money”? From drop-shipping, online surveys, and freelancing to delivering food, side hustles are becoming more popular especially online. The hashtag #sidehustles is number 15 of the top hashtags in the financial service category on the popular social media platform, TikTok. With over 3,000 videos posted within the last 120 days, the emerging trend has likely appeared on your “For You” page. So, what has got everyone wanting to start a side hustle?

Our PR Director, Michelle Smytheman, is passionate about helping emerging professionals in the communications industry and teaches at the University of the Sunshine Coast. As part of an assessment task this year, there have been some excellent blogs written by first-year students about emerging business trends. We are proud to share their work.

By Ksenia Lozbina

With the constant talk about the rising cost of living and the economy’s unpredictability post-global pandemic, it’s no surprise that ‘side hustles’ are becoming more mainstream. The emergence of “side hustles” isn’t just a trend, but a direct response to the need for self-reliance in these uncertain times.

If you’re anything like me, a thirty-something-year-old female juggling part-time online work whilst back at uni (again), you’ve probably noticed the explosion of YouTube videos, articles, and Insta posts promoting this lifestyle and various avenues you can take to “gain freedom” and take control of your life. Usually whilst sipping a coffee somewhere in Indonesia…

“The Actual Easiest AI Side Hustle of 2023 ($307k)” or “How I did over $945,000 My First Calendar Year on ETSY” are just some of the click-worthy YouTube headlines I’ve come across lately that make side hustles seem not only tempting but also apparently incredibly lucrative.

Our PR Director, Michelle Smytheman, is passionate about helping emerging professionals in the communications industry and teaches at the University of the Sunshine Coast. As part of an assessment task this year, there have been some excellent blogs written by first-year students about emerging business trends. We are proud to share their work.

By Emma Scanlan

Although awareness of environmental issues has become more prominent, only 15% of Australians are familiar with the term “circular economy”. The circular economy has emerged as a powerful trend that has become intertwined with the theoretical concept of sustainable marketing. In this blog, we will explore the emerging trend of the circular economy, its principles, and how it links to the relevant marketing theory of sustainable marketing.

Our PR Director, Michelle Smytheman, is passionate about helping emerging professionals in the communications industry and teaches at the University of the Sunshine Coast. As part of an assessment task this year, there have been some excellent blogs written by first-year students about emerging business trends. We are proud to share their work.

By Ella Warters

Step into a realm where the attraction of limitless beauty products and the excitement of shopping intersect, giving birth to a captivating trend: beauty hauls. With over 2.5 billion views under #beautyhaul on TikTok, it ponders the existence of ethical consumption all together. 

While the fashion industry has embraced the sustainable fashion movement, the social and environmental consequences of overconsumption within the cosmetics sector remain understudied and largely ignored by corporations, content creators, and consumers alike. According to a recent survey, the average person spends 722 USD per year on makeup and skincare. Excessive consumption often stems from societal pressure, advertising, and consumerism all together and is now causing detrimental effects to the planet and society. 

Our PR Director, Michelle Smytheman, is passionate about helping emerging professionals in the communications industry and teaches at the University of the Sunshine Coast. As part of an assessment task this year, there have been some excellent blogs written by first-year students about emerging business trends. We are proud to share their work.

By Aliesha Boonman-Burns

Hey there, eco-conscious readers! Welcome to a world where resources never go to waste, where old things get a new lease on life, and where the way we consume is transformed. There’s a game-changing trend on the horizon that’s all about turning things around (quite literally)! We’re diving into this exciting concept of a circular economy, and trust me, it’s not just another buzzword. Get ready to discover how the circular economy is the superhero we’ve been waiting for, swooping in to make our world more sustainable. Stick with me as we break down the idea behind it and unveil how it’s set to create a brighter, greener future for us all.

Our PR Director, Michelle Smytheman, is passionate about helping emerging professionals in the communications industry and teaches at the University of the Sunshine Coast. As part of an assessment task this year, there have been some excellent blogs written by first-year students about emerging business trends. We are proud to share their work.

By Michelle Watts

For many Australians alcohol is a key part of the way they socialise, celebrate and connect.  With a pub on most corners and a strong emphasis on mateship drinking is deeply entrenched into the Australian culture.

In 2016- 2017 Aussies drank the equivalent to 186 million litres of pure alcohol, an astronomical amount one would think but according to the ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics ) it was the lowest amount recorded since the 1960’s and Australian’s Youth are leading the charge towards abstinence.

The research has shown that patterns of alcohol use are influenced by familial connections, passed down for generations. Although Recent data suggests that many young people are drinking less than their parents or grandparents did or are choosing to abstain altogether lending to the idea that young people are more informed, health conscious and engaging in less risk taking behaviour whilst living a more meaningful lifestyle.

Our PR Director, Michelle Smytheman, is passionate about helping emerging professionals in the communications industry and teaches at the University of the Sunshine Coast. As part of an assessment task this year, there have been some excellent blogs written by first-year students about emerging business trends. We are proud to share their work.

By Charisma Faber

In March 2021 nearly half (48%) of Australians surveyed either have or are planning to start a side hustle. This upcoming trend has turned the heads of many Australians wishing to transform their passions into profit. Side hustles have been around since the 1950s when they were referred to as moonlighting, it is an opportunity to generate a second income and progress towards financial freedom and independence.

Although this concept has been around for many years it has gained popularity since the covid-19 crisis, due to many individuals working from home people discovered how their laptop could work for them to create an additional employment opportunity outside their full-time job. A side hustle gives the individual more freedom and control over what they do, when they do it and how many hours they devote to it.