What is futuristic? Discover what it means to be futuristic beyond just technology—learn how futurism means anticipating future customer needs, values, and desires while embracing innovation, foresight, and strategy. Explore how leaders and organizations can stay resilient, adaptive, and impactful in a fast-changing world.
What is the future of Generation Alpha? Born every minute and numbering in the billions, a new generation is quietly beginning to exit the playground and enter the marketplace. They are Generation Alpha, the cohort born between 2010 and 2025, and their oldest members are now entering their teen years. More than just the successors to Generation Z, they are catalysts poised to trigger profound shifts in culture and commerce. As we look toward 2025, understanding the values, behaviors, and expectations of these digital natives is not just foresight—it is a strategic necessity for any brand, institution, or leader aiming to remain relevant.
After over a decade at Microsoft, Narmeen Samad knew she had more to give the world than what fit neatly inside a corporate role. With 15+ years of experience spanning global enterprises, small/medium businesses, and entrepreneurial ventures, she’s the rare blend of strategic thinker, technical problem-solver, and creative curator.
Her career arc has been anything but linear — and that’s exactly her strength. She’s built coffee stands, advised non-profits, earned her MBA, and become certified in everything from image consulting to human-centered design to earning her PMP. Fluent in Urdu and equally fluent in an array of technology platforms, Narmeen moves seamlessly between human connection and technical precision. Her approachable, endearing personality makes her not only a trusted advisor but also someone you genuinely enjoy working with.
When she joined our Futurist-in-50-Days, Strategic Thinking, and Permissionless Consultant programs, Narmeen wasn’t starting from scratch — she was refining her aim. She wanted clarity on her consulting direction, confidence in her positioning, and a toolkit to bring her vision to life.
“The training gave me a framework and walked me through it step-by-step, including figuring out what my offerings would be.”
The programs helped her crystallize the services she most wanted to deliver, articulate her value proposition, and map out the operational backbone of her consulting business.
Today, Narmeen is the founder of Samad Consulting, helping leaders build their PMO capabilities, streamline operations, embrace change, and automate workflows with precision and heart. Drawing on her deep PMO leadership experience, she knows how to navigate complex, high-stakes projects while keeping teams aligned and momentum strong.
She’s equally at home mapping a business process in Smartsheet as she is coaching an executive on personal branding. Her clients get more than deliverables — they get transformation.
For anyone considering their own leap into consulting, Narmeen’s advise? Get started. Action is better than perfection.
“When you’re starting out, you have a lot of ideas in your head and you want to go everywhere. These programs streamlined my thoughts and gave me a process. So I’d say start and things will come to you. I would recommend taking all three courses – and it didn’t matter the order”
You can watch my full interview with Narmeen above, where we unpack her leap from corporate to consulting, the unique value she brings to clients, and her advice for anyone on the edge of their own next chapter.
Goodluck in your next Chapter, Narmeen! Looking forward to continuing our work together!
Lindsay Angelo is the founder of Futurist-in-50 Days, helping individuals elevate their leadership skills by mastering strategic foresight. She's also a practicing and award-winning Strategist, Futurist, MBA and TEDx speaker. She launched her consultancy six years ago with the goal of helping purpose-driven brands drive growth and impact. Since then, she's more than tripled her prior earnings while advising entrepreneurs, think tanks, celebrities, and Fortune 500 companies while creating a nomadic lifestyle rooted in travel, family, and community. Named a Woman to Watch and Global Innovation Leader, Lindsay has delivered over 100+ keynotes and is the creator of a signature blueprint for driving brand growth and impact.
Mark Warnick knows the power of curiosity. As a seasoned engineer and innovation leader, he’s spent the last 15 years pushing the boundaries of technology and creativity at USAA—earning 26 patents in the process. But recently, Mark felt a shift: he wanted to stand up an internal foresight consulting team within USAA.
The pet industry isn’t just booming—it’s pointing to something far bigger. What was once a niche retail category is now a cultural and economic force reshaping how we live, heal, and connect. From AI-powered feeders to pet memorial rituals, the pet space is offering early signals about the next evolution of consumer behavior, emotional intelligence, and even human identity. As a Futurist focused on well-being and the future of consumer behavior, the pet industry is top of mind. It’s one of the clearest frontiers where wellness, ethics, and emotional need converge—offering a lens into what people truly value and where we’re collectively headed.
Dogs have been our companions for thousands of years, but the story of their domestication has evolved through distinct phases. Today, we're entering a third wave of domestication, driven by changing lifestyles and shifting pet trends. This new era focuses less on physical traits and more on behavior, health, and emotional intelligence – reflecting a growing demand for dogs that can thrive in modern, urban environments.
Sea level rise is no longer a distant threat in Miami—it’s a daily reality, with streets in Brickell flooding during hurricane season and historic buildings in Miami Beach slowly eroding from saltwater intrusion. Storm surge, tidal flooding, and declining water quality are undermining both the coastline and public trust in outdated infrastructure, while saltwater threatens drinking water supplies. Yet amid these challenges, Miami has an opportunity to lead. Nearby Fort Lauderdale is already piloting adaptive infrastructure, hinting at a future where Southeast Florida becomes a global model for ocean-conscious urban design. What if Miami’s magic wasn’t just in its growth, but in its ability to rise—literally and figuratively—with the water?
Over the past several years, New Yorkers have had to confront not just a pandemic—but long-standing gaps in public safety, affordable housing, and public transportation. These issues didn’t begin with COVID-19, but they were brought into sharp relief by it. Now, they demand bold vision—and equally "bold action." Where does New York go from here? The answers are taking shape in bold, emerging shifts across the city—signals that hint at a new kind of urban future built on creativity, care, and collective resolve.
