At 28, I thought I was building the life I’d always dreamed of. I got engaged, shared it with my audience, and then brought them along on the journey. Over 10 million people watched my “Get Married With Me” video across my platforms. It was one of the most beautiful moments of my life, magnified by the fact that I had built this level of trust and connection with my community.

Every January, I sit down to write my predictions for the year ahead in social media and consumer behavior. And this year, one trend stood out to me more than anything else: the rise of customers as influencers.