Corporate America is a hot mess.
I say that from a distinct vantage point. Having worked closely – and made good friends – with people up and down the ladders of behemoth companies, I’ve gained a candid view of how they tick. Meanwhile, as a lifelong entrepreneur who’s known nothing but startups and growth-stage businesses from the inside, the Fortune 500 often feels like a foreign country – or planet.
There’s certainly a lot to envy about big company life. The resources, the 401(k) match, and the instant cred that comes with a famous logo on your conference badge are things I’ve never known first-hand. Everyone returns your emails. Vendors grovel at your feet.
Must be nice. I still wouldn’t trade places right now.
Many of my friends in these companies – from the rank-and-file to the C-suite – are stuck in operational purgatory. Boards and shareholders are demanding growth and innovation, while corporate climates and bureaucracies foster precisely the opposite. An epidemic of layoffs, reorgs, and revolving executive chairs has rendered everyone scared of their own shadow. Risk doesn’t pay. Heads stay down. Ideas stay bottled.
The brightest and most innovative people seldom ascend in environments like these. Those best at survival, at internal politics, at managing up, tend to flourish – skills which are nearly always orthogonal to inventiveness, risk-taking, and a growth mindset. The problem compounds, as those who are rewarded with promotions and power lead teams who live somewhere between uninspired and resentful. As our data consistently shows, nothing makes people unhappier in their jobs than having a boss they don’t respect.
Consequently, the most coveted talent inevitably becomes the greatest flight risk. I’m watching it unfold in real-time, losing count of the number of client-side friends who’ve quietly whispered to me, “I’m looking.” A logo-studded party of brand execs I attended recently felt more like a job fair. People are as frustrated as I can ever recall.
To be fair, there are exceptions. Some corporate cultures are better than others. Some are great. Plenty of courageous, imaginative people have reached the top of their respective orgs, often because they have the uncanny ability to balance risk-taking with political instinct and strategy. They’re unicorns.
The overwhelming majority of companies, however, are stuck in a pernicious cycle of apprehension. And, with a tightening white-collar job market, tariffs potentially rocking the economy, and a federal government breaking any number of once-reliable norms, this era of uncertainty may be far from over.
Fortune favors the brave.
Here’s what we’re seeing:
The consumer confidence freefall tapered off this week. After one of the worst drops we’ve ever seen in the first half of January, our Economic Sentiment Index had an ever-so-slight increase in the latest reading, buoyed almost entirely by an improved long-term outlook for the U.S. economy. Views on the housing market continue to be the biggest drag on optimism, no doubt exacerbated by signs interest rates won’t be falling as soon as hoped. Nonetheless, consumer spending has remained remarkably resilient, for now.
People seem to support labor unions, unless they strike. In our 3 Things to Know this week, we looked at the bouncy ups and downs of organized labor support among U.S. adults, which has fallen about 8% since last September (though still at 49%, versus 21% who oppose unions). What’s noteworthy is how support seems to dip following the announcement of major strikes. We also looked at the airline perks people find most attractive and found lots of variances by income group. Wealthier flyers want upgraded seats, while lower-income flyers want travel insurance and better luggage allowances. Finally, we learned that – by a margin of over 2 to 1 – Americans believe people should have to buy something in a store or restaurant to use the Wi-Fi, seating, or restrooms. Agreed.
We need to talk more about the accelerated pace of tech adoption among older Americans. It’s time to accept that technology is no longer merely a young person’s game. Across industries, Americans aged 55+ are embracing tech products at rates rivaling younger demographics, from banking to television to healthcare. Smart TV ownership among these older Xers and Boomers has increased by over 25% since 2021, while over 55% use online videos to research products before they buy them. Even the number of 55+ adults who use ChatGPT doubled between 2023 and 2024. If you aren’t designing your products or marketing strategies with these trends in mind, you’re doing it wrong.
At the other end of the age spectrum, Donald Trump scored a lot of points with Gen Z by delaying the TikTok ban. Among the full U.S. population, only one-third of U.S. adults cared all that much about Trump’s move, with 20% viewing the administration less favorably and 13% more favorably as a result. Democrats, of course, hated it. No surprise, TikTok users have a much better view of Trump, while adults aged 18-24 increased their positive vibes toward the President by a full 2 to 1. It’s worth noting, however, that user growth on TikTok has been relatively stagnant for the better part of a year.
If you’re trying to sell cars, sponsor women’s sports. I wrote last week about the continued growth of women’s sports fans, particularly the WNBA. For marketers, it’s not just a quantity game either. The psychographic profile of women’s sports fans is an attractive one for brands across most retail industries – and the auto category is one of the biggest. Fans of women’s sports are 3½ times more likely than the average U.S. consumer to be in the market to buy or lease a new car in the next 90 days. They over-index in caring about the brand reputation of the car they buy (over price). Toyota and Honda are their most favored brands. See more here.
***Lastly, if you’re an HR exec, leader, manager, or otherwise interested in the mindset of today’s employees, you should join our webinar next Friday. With our partners at idealis, we’ll share the latest findings from our Pulse of the U.S. Workforce report, with a particular emphasis on politics in the workplace—from the impact of internal and external political agendas to the conversations around the water cooler. It’s important. Register here.
More awesomeness from the InsightStore:
- The 7 big trends in beauty buying for 2025;
- The biggest differences between Uber and Lyft riders;
- Gen Z almost never buys anything without reading online reviews.
The most popular questions this week:
Do you believe a strict routine is essential for success?
Do you prefer at-home workouts or going to the gym?
Who do you want to win the Super Bowl?
How frequently do you drink coffee?
What’s your favorite comfort food?
Answer Key: I hope not; Gym; None of the above; Every day like clockwork; Tito’s.
Hoping you’re well.
JD
