As Chief Executive Officer of the Creative Class Group, Rana Florida TLP manages new business development, marketing, consulting, research and global operations serving such diverse clients as BMW, Converse, IBM, Cirque du Soleil, Audi, Zappos, and Johnson & Johnson – to name just a few.
She brings to this leadership role more than two decades of experience in corporate strategy, communications, and marketing, having directed global strategic communications for HMSHost, the world’s largest airport developer, as well as having executed marketing initiatives for such premier brands as Disney and Starbucks and events experience working with The Atlantic, The Aspen Institute and The Knight Foundation.
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People who are great at what they do, have a singular drive and focus; they are dedicated and work very, very hard. They eliminate distractions and stay the course.
When I see experts work, whether it’s a scientist in his lab, an author deep in his thoughts, or a creator in studio, it truly is a one-of-a-kind experience seeing a genius in their zone.
I’ve always been curious, hungry for more information. In fact researchers say the most important question a toddler can ask is Why?
It shows that they are inquisitive and want a deeper understanding. I’m always hungry for more information. On the hunt, I read anything I can get my hands on.
I remember as a child after devouring the adult rags my father had laying around such as Time and Newsweek, I would read the packaging on boxes, the back of medicine labels, practically any household item I could get my hands on.
Then I discovered the bookstore and would lock away for hours in my room, racing cover to cover on a stack of books.
Always be excellent. Why settle for second best? Strive for excellence.
To take risks. When I wrote my book upgrade, I interviewed a wide range of successful people. From President Bill Clinton to First Lady Michelle Obama, to tennis champ Andre Agassi to fashion designer Tory Burch and so many others.
I found one common theme throughout all my interviews. They were not afraid to take risks. Most successful leaders, thinkers and innovators inherently understand that new opportunities and rewards come only after taking risks. Facebook’s motto is “Move fast and break things,” meaning, it’s okay to take a chance on several things at once. Curiosity is stifled in a risk-free environment.
If workers are afraid of getting laughed at for their ridiculous ideas, any number of important inventions won’t ever see the light of day. Our society and workplaces need to encourage more risk-taking. Innovative leaders understand that not every risk yields success, but they also don’t reprimand their teams for taking risks. They encourage them to think their ideas through and assess their potential consequences.
I always try to tackle my fears head on, I force myself into uncomfortable situations daily, whether it is the fear of public speaking, going on live television, dealing with conflict and more. I was even afraid of heights, so I decided to go skydiving and landed in a tree but I conquered my fear and moved on.
Fear can stop us from accomplishing so much in life, whether it is fear of the unknown, fear of being judged, fear of failure etc. But how boring would life be if you just played it safe all the time?
My father ingrained in us as children, the motto, “If you’re not going to do it right, then don’t bother doing it at all.” Meaning don’t do a half-jacked job, it won’t benefit anyone. His wise words always stuck with me.
There’s so much that inspires me. Anything creative, books (fiction and non-), films, independent and mainstream blogs, magazines, travel, food, intelligent and curious people.
When I interviewed President Bill Clinton he told me that his first lesson on leadership came at the age of 13 from selling comic books at a local grocery store. Earning his own way gave him confidence. He told me, “From that day on, I never doubted that I could support myself.
I learned to make sure I understood what was expected of me and do it, to be friendly with and helpful to customers, and to talk contracts. From that first job through more than a dozen other things I’ve done to earn money, I never doubted that I could make a living.
That knowledge played a huge role in shaping my identity and building my confidence. The dignity, security, and sense of empowerment that comes with knowing you’ll be able to support yourself and your family is as important to the strength of a society as its economy.”
It seems as if this celebrity-crazed generation feels entitled to get rich and be famous without any skills, special talent or expertise. I can tell you, that it doesn’t happen without persistence and lots and lots and lots of hard work
Taryn Lock is the Executive Director of Read to Rise, the NGO she co-founded with her husband Athol Williams. Having now interviewed them both on The Legacy Project I formally declare this couple as one of South Africa’s most special jewels. What hearts and passion they have for a better South Africa. In 2013, Taryn […]
Mike Ruiz is a world renowned celebrity and fashion photographer, director, television personality, former model, spokesperson, creative director, and actor working with an impressive list of clients including beauty and fashion brands like L’Oreal, Schick, Dark and Lovely and Garnier along with a host of A-list celebrities including Kim Kardashian, Betty White, Katy Perry, and […]
As a graduate social entrepreneur from TSiBA Education, founder director of a social enterprise – Nebula, I possess a variety of skills and 5 years’ experience in facilitation, coaching and organisational development. Combined with a deep-seated passion for social change, I thrive on working with like-minded individuals who are committed to personal growth and creating […]
As host of National Geographic Channel’s Emmy-nominated series, Brain Games, Jason Silva Legacy Project will guide you through the twists and turns of your grey matter. Through a series of man-on-the-streets and experiments, Silva will be joined by top experts in the fields of cognitive science, neuroscience and psychology, who will give you the “why” […]
Maria Popova is a reader, writer, interestingness hunter-gatherer, and curious mind at large. She has previously written for WiredUK, The Atlantic, The New York Times, and Harvard’s Nieman Journalism Lab, among others, and is an MIT Futures of Entertainment Fellow. I Am Driven By | The yearning to learn how to live, how to lead […]
Vera Songwe serves as The World Bank’s Country Director for Senegal, Cape Verde, Gambia, Mauritania and Guinea-Bissau. She is also a non-resident senior fellow at the Brookings Institute with the Global Economy and Development and Africa Growth Initiative. Dr. Songwe holds a Ph.D. in Mathematical Economics from the Center for Operations Research and Econometrics from […]
Rachel Goble grew up in an interconnected and multicultural world. Whether traveling to Central America with her family to survey land for the founding of a non-profit or trudging through the Sierra Nevada mountains as her parents sought to awaken Christians to our role as creation’s caretakers, Rachel learned early that the world’s peoples and […]
A Boston native, Asha began playing violin and viola at age six and is a graduate of the New England Conservatory Preparatory School where she studied privately with Boston Symphony Orchestra members Michael Zaretsky and Edward Gazouleas. In 2004, Asha moved to Los Angeles to pursue a full-time music career on her electric 7-string Viper […]
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