Diane Hessan, CEO of Communispace, a US company that does consumer market research, recently shared insights about consumers at the Milken Institute’s Annual Global Conference for global thought leaders. One of her comments was that consumers have found mental strength through the economic crisis.

Says Hessan: “Consumers are empowered and clear about what they are doing. People know where they spend money and how they define value for themselves. These consumers are very clear and very intentional. They do research and feel they have learned a lot.”