1. More and more opportunities will be available for people who are professionals in what they do – the economy was so fat for a number of years that it didn’t matter what you did, you were guaranteed to get business. I often joke that you could write your phone number on the side of your car or truck with a magic marker and you would get business. Not so much anymore. Like it or not those days will not be back for a long time. Now that the field has changed, you must change. No longer do generic messages work. Only people who are pros in their fields will thrive. The rest will struggle. In tough times, people want solutions that work. And the cream rises to the top.

2. Facebook will continue it’s quest to become the new internet – Facebook is one of the few social media sites that gained substance and traction. More and more people are going there AND sticking. It is still not a dominant source for making money as usually when marketers move in people move out. It is a great place for people to share information and experiences.

3. Over 40 crowd will begin to hang up on social media – especially sites that are nothing but mindless chatter. Smaller private social networks will pop up and fill the void. The thrill and initial buzz of sites like Twitter will go away and people will want more than incessant chatter. They will join sites that cater to their specific needs and desires and connect to other like-minded individuals.

4. The Economy Will Still Suck – the Government says we are out of a recession. I still see a lot of business owners and people struggling. There are more neg-am loans coming due.  More than 36 MILLION Americans now dependent on a program once scorned as a failed welfare scheme. Instead of being alarmed by this shameful fact, the Obama administration is actually proud of it. Who pays for all this? Government is bailing out companies and printing money at will – doesn’t there come a point where your debtors call in their debts? The opportunites and rewards are for who control costs, market wisely, measure results and are established experts in the areas they serve.

5. The Ability to Niche Your Business Will Be The Fastest Way to Wealth – there are so many generalists in the world and in your industry. When money tightens, people want to hire those that are not just good, but those that are the best and can provide results. The tighter you niche your business, the easier it will be to eliminate competition and have more leads than you can shake a stick at.

6. More and More Websites Will Flood Onto a Blog or WordPress Format – gone are the days of high end HTML sites and flash sites. As the world has shifted to focus on the internet, having a site that Google likes is key. WordPress and Blog sites will increase your online presence. If you are looking for a new site, look for a WordPress or similar site.

7. More People Will Grow Disgruntled With The School System and Look For Alternatives – Bureaucratic programs encouraging teachers to forgo real learning in return for a paycheck tied to inane standardized testing, hours of homework, dry lifeless textbooks, crushing independent spirits and breeding passive, dependent, obedient conformists will cause more people to consider alternatives like homeschooling, charter schools, and private schools.

8. Many New Businesses Will Start Up. Health, Fitness and In-Home Nursing Care Facilities Will Continue to Raise – unemployment at high levels, companies laying off  people and not hiring all lead to massive competition for jobs. Many won’t be able to find them and will be forced to look for other ways to make money. Hence starting their own business. We are at the dawn of the age of the entrepreneur. When this country was founded, the Indians weren’t hiring. Now it has come full circle.

9. Online Videos Will Be Mainstream – if you are not using videos, start!

10. Canada Will Win Gold Medal in Men’s and Women’s Hockey at The Olympics – Hey, I’m Canadian, hockey is our game, and the Olympics are in Canada… do I need to say anything more about this one?!! :)

Make 2010 a prosperous year for you and your family.

Be great eh!

Chris.