Robyn Waters is founder and president of RW Trend, LLC, a trend consulting company based in Minneapolis, MN. She brings over thirty years of experience tracking and translating trends into sales and profit to this venture. Throughout the retail world she is described as an Ambassador of Trend, a Champion of Design, and a Cheerleader of Possibilities. Fast Company magazine featured her as one of the top twenty 'Creative Mavericks' in their June '04 Masters of Design issue.

Most recently, Robyn was Vice President of Trend, Design and Product Development for Target, a $48 billion upscale discount store based in Minneapolis that customers love to refer to as Tarzhay. Under her direction the trend and design team traveled the world tracking and translating trends into unique product designs that enhanced Target's upscale brand image of "Expect More, Pay Less." One of Robyn's core values is the belief that good taste and great design don't have to be expensive.

Robyn is the author of the book The Trendmaster's Guide: Get A Jump on What Your Customer Wants Next, a practical and fun handbook designed to simplify and demystify the art of trend tracking. Each letter offers an insight into navigating the unknown and a helpful hint to prepare you for what's next. She's also a contributor to The Big Moo: Stop Trying to Be Perfect and Start Being Remarkable, an "unprecedented collaboration of 33 of the world's smartest business thinkers," in the company of Tom Peters, Malcolm Gladwell, Alan Webber, and Seth Godin. Her latest book, The Hummer and the Mini: Navigating the Contradictions of the New Trend Landscape explores the contradictory nature of today's consumer and examines ways to make sense of the trend/countertrend landscape.

Starbucks featured her trend philosophy on their coffee cups around the world the summer of 2006 as part of their "The Way I see It" campaign. Author's Quote #110 summed up Robyn's "trend from the inside out" philosophy: "Trends are signposts pointing to what's going on in the hearts and minds of consumers. These days, if you want to be "on trend," it's more important to figure out what's important, not just what's next."

Prior to joining Target, Robyn directed the Fashion and Trend Merchandising departments of several top department stores in the United States, including Jordan Marsh of Boston, McRae's of Jackson, Mississippi, and Donaldson's, Minneapolis.

Robyn graduated Magna Cum Laude from Mankato State University with a BS degree in Business Administration, Marketing, and Textile and Clothing Merchandising. She studied International Business Policy at the University of London, Birkbeck College, London, England.

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