Distinguished Blog - Market Insights
Market insights and industry news.
From the Runway to the Closet: Insurance for Luxury Handbags, Couture Clothing
The luxury handbag and couture clothing markets have become a booming industry for collectors and investors. The global market for designer handbags was valued at $72 billion in 2022 and is projected to reach $100 billion in 2027, according to Business of Fashion. The global couture clothing market was estimated at more than $11 billion…
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Flood Commissions on the Chopping Block
Floods are the most common natural disaster in the U.S. and also the most costly, according to FEMA. The House of Representatives is voting this week to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), which expires Dec. 8. BUT we urge you to tell your representative to VOTE NO on this bill, which would slash the…
It’s Time for a Revolution in Employee Motivation
TED talker Dan Pink is promoting a right-brain revolution in the business world. He challenges listeners to rethink how businesses motivate staff. Pink makes a strong argument for intrinsic versus extrinsic rewards. But how well would this approach work in traditional workplaces, and how can we incorporate his ideas into our own companies?
Move Over Martinis, the Three-Click Lunch is Here
Mobile apps, online ordering, and automated kiosks—what’s a restaurant’s best bet for adding tech? More and more eateries in the hospitality industry are paving the way for an automated future—one where sales increase, costs go down, and customers are happier to skip a line and some in-person wait time. New restaurant technology is becoming a…
What Hotels Can Learn from the Success of Airbnb
Imagine you’re making vacation plans to explore a new city or country. Picture a comfy bed, a suggested guide to the city left on the bedside table, an eat-in-kitchen and a bathtub to soak in…Did you picture a hotel room or someone’s empty apartment? The hospitality industry is continuing to consider consumer preferences as Airbnb…
Crowdfunding: Giving Individuals A Piece of the Real Estate Action
Crowdfunding is turning the real estate investment sector on its head: It allows a group of investors to pool their money together to fund real estate transactions. On-line platforms connect individuals to commercial real estate investments across the United States, making it easier for them and real estate companies to raise capital as compared to…
Workin’ the “Work-at-Home” Jam
Work it, baby! Millennials are moving up in industry, baby boomers are set to retire, and the number of companies that facilitate work-from-home jobs is on the up and up. In fact, it’s been growing for decade. Ten years ago, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 19% of the workforce did so from the comfort…
How Tourism May Be Affected by the Travel Ban, Extreme Vetting, and Stronger Dollar
A confluence of events could have a real impact on tourism and the hospitality industry in the United States. There is the proposed travel ban of six countries by the Trump Administration, consideration of extreme vetting of foreigners entering the U.S. by the government, and a strong dollar that may dampen the spirits of visitors…
Givers Gonna Give, Takers Gonna Take
Are you a giver or a taker? Finding the balance between giving and taking is more important in the world of business than you might imagine. Recent research from organizational psychologist and Wharton prof Adam Grant is changing the way leaders view their workforce.
Robot-Hotels in Your Future?
Could robot hotels be in our future? In Nagasaki, Japan, the future arrived last year and is planning to clone itself exponentially. The Henn na Hotel, staffed by 140 robots (and a half dozen “flesh and bloods” like you and me), takes care of guests’ needs from check in to check out via robotic assistance….
How Hotels Are Handling the Ban-the-Box Movement in Background Checks
More than 150 cities and counties in 25 states across the country have adopted what is widely known as “ban-the-box” laws so that employers consider a job candidate’s qualifications first, without the stigma of a criminal record. More jurisdictions are also adopting policies in addition to ban-the-box, such as incorporating the best practices of the…