My name is Amy Daroukakis, I provide global businesses, agencies and innovative start-ups with strategic insights (culture, category, citizen, company) and emergent trends to inform product/market direction, shape their future-forward content and connect with their ideal audience. I work remotely for clients Globally and blend work, inspiration, and life between London, Athens, and Berlin.

Over the last 15 years, I have travelled to over sixty countries, lived in six, and worked across six continents on categories ranging from couture to curry to cars for brands including LVMH, Airbnb, The V&A Museum, Unilever and Google. In addition, I've worked with innovation labs and accelerators across Europe, mentoring the next wave of start-ups within the tourism and hospitality sector.

I believe in the power of community, varied ideas and nudging forward a much-needed [inclusive] conversation in the world of Trends and foresight. Quarterly, I co-host the London chapter of Futures Friends, bringing together 75+ fellow curiosity seekers in person! In addition, I'm part of a Global collective that gathers the latest paywall-free Trend Reports [200+ and counting for 24] to enable fair + open access.

New for 24: [Podcast] The Culture Connectors: Captivating Conversations with trend forecasters & culture catalysts.

No matter the project or topic I start with a databank of observations culled from 15 years of talking to people, looking at supermarket shelves, reading and observing shifts in citizen (consumer) behaviour, their preferences and interests. I combine that with talking to your internal stakeholders (to understand your brand and competitors), connecting with your customers and interviewing category experts. That's then paired with sourced stats and figures along with tangible (culture, category, citizen, company) examples to support your internal decision-making process.

What this looks like as a deliverable varies based on your needs, time and budget.

No matter if you're a Strategy Director or Brand Manager, I understand your time is valuable and limited so I'll work with you in tandem. You'll receive timely and relevant insights to fuel your strategic initiatives, new product exploration or future communication. Open to any brief, I've advised brands from Target, Facebook and Volkswagen on everything from potential partners to how to tackle uncomfortable messaging during a brand crisis.

Agencies: Seeking concrete support and examples to fuel stimulus for internal/client brainstorm sessions, creative teams, strategy departments, new business pitches and/or topical white papers to strengthen client relationships.

Brands: those looking for outside inspiration and a current viewpoint into what is going on in culture, your competitors and citizen (consumers') lives. This can be delivered through innovation workshop stimulus, curated monthly content and/or via a quarterly inspiration session with leading-edge citizens, key influencers and/or category experts.