My two daughters were eating breakfast and watching Curious George before school this morning (I know, I know... I shouldn't do this, but sometimes it's the only way to get food in them and get out the door in the morning.) Anyhow, all of a sudden my four year old excaims, "Dad, you have to see this! It's so cool! Can you rewind the TV?" Of course, this tv doesn't have Tivo, but pausing/rewinding tv shows has become 'normal' to her. After trying to explain to her that this tv isn't able to rewind, she doesn't disappoint, pulling out the question all four year olds love to ask... "why not?"

Good question.

I tell this story because millenials will soon be asking the same question of every company that doesn't embrace the power of community. Whether it's for innovation, market research or customer support, community is fundamentally changing the way millenials (and hip gen y and gen x'ers) converse with corporate America. It won't be long before this conversation is the norm...

Millenial #1 - "Just take a look on their community forums. I'm sure one of their customers has had this issue before."

Millenial #2 - "I looked. They don't seem to have a community."

Millenial #1 - "Huh? Why not?"

Good question.