About Us

 

5 Keys to an Engaged and Innovative Culture

5 Keys to an Engaged and Innovative Culture

MiniTrends, a project of Technology Futures, Inc., provides the keys for innovators and entrepreneurs who are interested in growing businesses with an engaged and innovative culture. Through attention to ideation, inspiration, interaction, collaboration, and incorporation, organizations of all sizes can gain from the creativity and imagination of all their stakeholderrs to create strong purpose-based cultures that succeed and thrive.

Concepts that drive us are discussed in the Five Keys to an Engaged and Innovative Culture, the MiniTrends Blog, and our award-winning book MINITRENDS: How Innovators & Entrepreneurs Discover & Profit From Business & Technology Trends.

Let’s talk about how we can help you engage your team to answer your challenges and celebrate your successes. Contact us now to set up a free half-hour consultation.

John Vanston and Carrie Vanston, Co-Directors, MiniTrends ProjectHappy futures,
Carrie Vanston, VP, Commmunications, TFI – MiniTrends
Dr. John H. Vanston, Chairman, TFI
Co-Directors – MiniTrends Project

Purpose/Value Statement: Using maximum engagement of leadership and employees to solve challenges at all levels and to grow innovative cultures and thriving businesses built on foresight, caring, and purpose

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Leadership

Dr. John H. Vanston

Chairman, Technology Futures,  Inc.
Co-Director, MiniTrends Project
Author, MINITRENDS: How Innovators & Entrepreneurs Discover & Profit From Business & Technology Trends.

John H. Vanston, Ph.D., is Chairman of Technology Futures, Inc. (TFI) and an internationally-renowned consultant, educator, and award-winning author in the fields of technology forecasting, minitrends, technology/market integration, and technology management in uncertain environments. He founded TFI in 1978, building the Austin, Texas-based company into a leading authority in custom research and forecasting in telecom and other high-technology industries. His MiniTrends concept, designed to increase creativity, innovation, and success, is summarized in his award-winning book MINITRENDS: How Entrepreneurs & Innovators Discover & Profit From Business & Technology Trends.

Dr. Vanston presents and does workshops, training, and consulting in the areas of ideation, trends-spotting, forecasting, and management to help companies succeed and thrive. A sampling of his presentation include the World Future Society, the Industrial Research Institute, the Association of Strategic Planners, the University of Houston Futures Studies Program,  and the Society of Association Executives. He has worked with such organizations as Boeing, 3M, Chevron Chemical, DuPont, Coca Cola, Kyocer, Exxon, IBM, Kodak, Nortel, Duke Power, Southern Company, Department of Defense, National Science Foundation, National Security Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, Georgia Tech, and the University of Texas.

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Carrie Vanston photo

Carrie Vanston

Vice President, Communications, Technology Futures, Inc.
Co-Director & Blogger, MiniTrends Project
Co-Author, MINITRENDS: How Entrepreneurs & Innovators Discover & Profit From Business & Technology Trends

Carrie Vanston excels at helping individuals and organizations connect and engage their teams to solve challenges and celebrate victories. With ideation, trends-spotting, facilitation, workshops, presentations, and advice, she offers the opportunity to grow innovative and dynamic cultures around purpose and an improved bottom-line. Carrie is a consummate connector, who enjoys bringing like-minded people together to share, learn, and grow. She is co-author of MINITRENDS: How Innovators & Entrepreneurs Discover & Profit From Business & Technology Trends. Recent articles include Texas CEO Magazine and the Austin Business Journal.

Carrie enjoys speaking about the Five Keys to an Engaged & Innovative Culture and other subjects relating to forward-looking,  purposeful cultures. Presentations have included Product Camp; Morgan Stanley’s Investing with Impact Conference; WorldFutures 2013 and 2013 Master Courses; RISE Conference; BiG AUSTIN’S Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development – Latin America Regional Project and Women in Technology Multi-Regional Project; The University of Texas’ SAGE Program; and TFI Technology Forecasting for Valuation Seminar.

Carrie has directed TFI’s popular MiniTrends Conference for the last three years.

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vanston-larry 2

Dr. Lawrence Vanston

President, Technology Futures, Inc.

Dr. Lawrence Vanston is an internationally recognized authority on  technology forecasting for the telecommunications industry. As president of Technology Futures, Inc., he has conducted and managed future-looking studies of the telecom and other high-tech industries for more than 20 years. His current research and consulting interests include broadband, wireless, IP video, VoIP, and convergence. Dr. Vanston’s research reports and forecasts are used and referenced extensively by managers and professionals worldwide. An expert on the impact of technology change on equipment depreciation and valuation, Dr. Vanston frequently testifies in regulatory, tax, and legal proceedings.

Since 1985, Dr. Vanston has been the director and principal author of a number of ongoing reportscommissioned by the Telecommunications Technology Forecasting Group, which is presently comprised of AT&T, CenturyLink, and Verizon. Topics have ranged from Internet access requirements to the impact of wireless communications. The flagship TFI/TTFG publication,Transforming the Local Exchange Network, is in its fifth edition.

Thank you, Larry, for yours and Technology Futures’ continuing support for the MiniTrends Project! We are growing and making a difference one trend at a time!!

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HM 2015 2
Helen Mary V. Marek

Creative Director,
Technology Futures, Inc.
& MiniTrends Project

Helen Mary is intricately involved with all aspects of the Technology Futures, Inc. (TFI) MiniTrends Project. She has lent her talents to the Project’s activities ranging from promotional design to conference graphics to the cover and graphics of the award-winning book MINITRENDS: How Innovators & Entrepreneurs Discover & Profit From Business & Technology Trends by Dr. John H. Vanston with Carrie Vanston. Helen Mary’s expertise includes computer graphics, basic web design, presentation visuals, design and layout, publication graphics and production, corporate identity, photography/photo editing, and displays.

Technology Futures, Inc.Since 1978, Technology Futures, Inc. (TFI) has helped organizations plan for the future with outstanding technology forecasting, trend and leadership management, and strategic market research services in high- technology and telecom technologies. Drawing on proven, quantifiable forecasting methods and strategic applications, the vision of the futurist is combined with the down-to-earth judgment of the technologist to be “Your Bridge to the Future.”

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