Richard Florida

Renowned Economist & Author, The Rise of the Creative Class

Expert on

  • Consumer Trends
  • Marketing
  • Risk Management
  • Economy
  • Innovation
  • Real Estate
 

Fee Range

$45,000–$70,000

Travels from

Canada

Biography

Combining in-depth analysis, cutting-edge trends, compelling personal stories and a touch of humor, it is no wonder Richard Florida is one of the world’s most sought after speakers, alongside luminaries such as Bill Clinton, Bill Gates and Supreme Court Justice, Sandra Day O’Connor. As a leading public intellectual, Esquire Magazine recently named him one of their Best and Brightest. Richard has also been appointed to the Business Innovation Factory’s Research Advisory Council and recently named European Ambassador for Creativity and Innovation.

He is author of the bestselling book, The Rise of the Creative Class, which received the Washington Monthly’s Political Book Award and was cited as a major breakthrough idea by the Harvard Business Review. His previous books, including The Breakthrough Illusion and Beyond Mass Production, paved the way for his provocative insights into how creativity is revolutionizing the global economy. Florida has authored pieces for The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, The Economist, The Harvard Business Review, The Atlantic, The Chronicle for Higher Education, U.S. News, World Report, and more.

CREATIVE CLASS COMMUNITIES: CITY, REGIONAL AND GLOBAL ECONOMIC GROWTH

No longer are cities competing with neighboring cities, rather mega regions are competing globally. Focusing on city, regional, and global economic growth, Richard Florida shares the knowledge that gives community leaders the tools they need to generate greater economic prosperity in their region. In this talk, Florida presents the most current regional economic and demographic data of cutting-edge community-building practices to give you framework to make your community more competitive and vibrant.

INNOVATION, THE CULTURE OF CREATIVITY AND MANAGING FOR IT

Richard Florida ignites new thinking and strategic initiatives on how to manage, motivate and inspire creative people. Drawing from his breakthrough Harvard Business Review article and more than two decades of research and experience on leading edge companies, Florida show teams of executives and managers how to manage.

CREATIVE CLASS CONSUMPTION: MARKETING TO THE CREATIVE CLASS

Who is the Creative Class and why do they matter? They are a consumer group, consisting of scientists, engineers, managers, innovators and people in research and development, as well as artists, writers and musicians are the most educated and demanding consumers in the marketplace. The Creative Class is 40 million strong and makes up 30 percent of the U.S. workforce, with 50% of wages earned. They control nearly 70% of discretionary spending in the US. That is over $500 billion in purchasing power annually. In this talk, Richard Florida presents years of data on who they are, where they are, what they read, what they purchase and the ethos that drives their decisions.

THE DAWN OF THE CREATIVE ECONOMY

Between 1980 and today, even with one of the greatest crises in world history, the United States added 20 million new jobs in the creative sector of the economy. This shift toward a “creative economy” has been the focus of Florida’s research, and, of his keynote speeches. This transition has not only transformed our economy, but, it has transformed our communities. And, it continues to do so even today.