Inforum, Sphere Trending Unveil Report Focusing on 'The New Mom'

DETROIT, Aug. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Inforum, Michigan's leading network for professional women and Sphere Trending, a cutting-edge consulting and forecasting firm based in Waterford, Mich., have released "The New Mom," the second installment of their four-part "Women in 2010" series of reports that explore trends affecting women in the second decade of the 21st century.

Maxine Lauer, CEO (Creative Examiner of Opportunities) for Sphere Trending said the report highlights the ways in which being a mother in 2010 has evolved as today's women find creative ways to balance her career, her life and her family.

"It is not only the best of times for the mom of today, but it's also the most stressful," Lauer said. "She is benefiting from decades of evolution into equal status in the home and workplace, which has led to a whole new category of mompreneurs as well as businesses devoted to solutions for the working mom."

Key findings from the report, include:

• Moms Have Power: The mom of this millennium is the fastest-growing demographic in the business sector, challenging the traditional ways business has been done and not afraid to create new solutions.
• Moms are Creative and Demanding: Today's mom is unlike any of previous generations; she is more highly educated and more likely to be employed. She demands more from products that affect the health and wellness of her family and is more creative in finding ways to save money on what she wants.
• Moms are Savvy Web Users:  Forty-three percent of women are actively using the web seek advice from blogs and other social media outlets. That provides opportunities for businesses to increase awareness through local efforts, social media, mommy bloggers and tech conferences designed just for women.

For a free downloadable copy of the report, click here.

"The New Mom" follows the earlier release of "Women in 2010: The New Workforce," a high-level overview of the key trends affecting working women, their employers, their co-workers, their families, and those seeking to sell products and services to them.  

Terry Barclay, President and CEO of Inforum and Inforum Center for Leadership, said the "Women in 2010" series is part of Inforum's ongoing effort to give women the tools they need to lead and succeed.

"Mothers today face the same challenges all parents have faced on the road to bringing up happy, healthy children," Barclay said. "But added to that are unique stresses and opportunities brought on by their roles as bread-winners and co-breadwinners, the rapid rate of cultural and technological change, and a world in which so much information is readily available. This report helps put in context how moms are reacting to what they face.

Future "Women in 2010" reports, scheduled to be released over the course of the year, will be:

• "Women in 2010: The New Consumer," a deeper dive into the female consumer.
• "Women in 2010: The New Homeowner," a look at how women are changing the homeowner marketplace.

About Inforum

Detroit-based Inforum is one of the largest and most prestigious business forums for women in the nation, with more than 1,800 members from a broad cross-section of Michigan's business community.  The mission of the organization is to strengthen the business environment by creating opportunities for women to lead and succeed. Founded as the Women's Economic Club in 1962 in Detroit, Inforum has affiliates in Grand Rapids and Lansing, Michigan.  For more information, visit www.inforummichigan.org or call 877.633.3500.

About Sphere Trending

Sphere Trending, based in Waterford, Mich., is a consulting and forecasting firm that specializes in trends affecting our environments, through a deep understanding of consumer needs and desires, societal changes, technological innovations and retail landscapes. Sphere Trending then combines these macro trends with design trends to bring innovative strategies to market.

Sphere Tending's clients include Fortune 500 companies as well as other companies involved in the retailing and manufacturing of flooring, building materials, arts and crafts, tabletops, electronics, indoor and outdoor furniture, and other household consumables. To learn more about Sphere Trending and its offerings, please visit www.spheretrending.com.

SOURCE Inforum