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
Oscar Monama is a director of Strategy and Marketing for I Am Emerge Pty Ltd which he co-owns. It is a creative agency that creates value for money through creative concepts, derived from observing trends in consumer living and society, while immersing clients brands within consumer’s daily life activities in order to effectively fulfill business […]
Chris Bertish Legacy Project has a string of notable world firsts under his belt. He won the Mavericks Big Wave International surfing event in the biggest and heaviest waves ever recorded in the history of the sport. He also recently became the first person ever to cross any ocean on a SUP board, paddling 7500km’s […]
Matthew Waldman is a New York based artist and designer most prominently known for creating NOOKA Inc. a lab dedicated to exploring universal communication via form, language and fashion. My Definition Of Success | I have a fairly traditional view of success, one based on esteem and stature in one’s field or based on one’s work being […]
Jessica Lawrence is the Executive Director of NY Tech Meetup (NYTM), the largest Meetup in the world and a non-profit organization supporting New York’s growing technology community. NYTM’s goal is to build a sustainable and diverse technology industry that drives economic growth, leads innovation, and creates positive, high-impact change. The organization’s perennially sold-out monthly events […]
Piers Fawkes is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of PSFK.com, a go-to source for new ideas and inspiration for creative professionals. Each month, 1 million creative professionals turn to the site to unearth new ideas that enable product, service and marketing innovation. Piers also hosts conferences and salons around the world, during which he and his […]
Matt Frazier is a marathoner and ultrarunner from Baltimore. His life as an endurance athlete changed when he found that he could run longer and faster on a vegetarian diet. After going vegetarian in March 2009, Frazier qualified for the prestigious Boston Marathon with a time of 3:09:59, more than an hour and a half […]
Every month I select someone out there who is still a bit too young to be concerned about building and leaving a legacy, but who is nevertheless absolutely ‘crushing’ it and Banele Christopher is my pick for this month’s RISING STAR. With a background in strategic communications, he is a Jozi-based entrepreneur and social media […]
David M. Dye works with leaders who want to build energized teams and get more done. In his motivational leadership speaking, consulting, and coaching David shares twenty years experience in the public and nonprofit sectors including service as an elected official and nonprofit executive. Prior to starting Trailblaze, David served as Chief Operating Officer for […]
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