Hidden Gems: Meet Rana Florida of The Creative Class Group

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rana Florida. They and their team shared their story with us below:

This globe-trotting innovator has many titles – CEO, Author, Editor, Cultural Curator. Rana Florida’s perspective on business and life is a fresh new take, breaking the traditional corporate mold. As Chief Executive Officer of the Creative Class Group, Rana Florida manages new business development, marketing, consulting, research, and global operations, serving such diverse clients as Meta (Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram), BMW, Converse, IBM, Cirque du Soleil, Audi, Zappos, and Starwood Hotels – to name just a few. 

As former Vice President of Marketing for HMSHost, the world’s largest airport developer, she brings to this leadership role more than two decades of experience in corporate strategy, communications, and marketing. Prior to that, she was Vice President of Communications for Disney on Ice and Disney Live! Through Feld Entertainment. Alongside the world renowned urbanist her husband, Richard Florida, she helped found and launch CityLab, a new digital platform for The Atlantic where she also worked on events and programming for The Aspen Ideas Institute and Bloomberg. 

She’s a media-savvy corporate powerhouse and best-selling author. Well, known as a writer on business and leadership – for Fast Company, Inc.com, the Huffington Post, and the Miami Herald – Rana has also served as a guest business analyst on The Today Show. and MSNBC’s, The Cycle has been a Fox News contributor for several years. She has been featured in the The New York Times, Vogue Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Market Watch, CNN, and The Globe and Mail. 

Her one-on-one high-profile business interviews have covered notables – from President Bill Clinton and First Lady Michelle Obama to Andre Agassi, Nelly Furtado, Tory Burch, and many more. 

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I loved growing up in Michigan, surrounded by a huge supportive family and great schools. Michigan has a great quality of life, beautiful green spaces, and gorgeous seasons. It is a community which puts family and education at the forefront, and I appreciate those values. I enjoyed my work for the City of Detroit, working under Mayor Archor for the Detroit Zoo, Nature Center, and Aquarium. In addition to my role as communications director, my sisters and I had a long-running internationally syndicated advice column called the Motown Lowdown in the Detroit News with a partnership with Fox 2 (WJBK). I also loved serving on the board for the Founders Junior Council at the Detroit Institute of Arts. When I was offered a job in Washington, DC, it was a huge gamble to leave my career, friends and family behind. But as the saying goes, risk and failure are always big opportunities for self-reflection and growth. 

Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m CEO of The Creative Class Group, a global advisory firm composed of expert researchers, academics, and business strategists founded by my husband, world-renowned urbanist Richard Florida. Our proprietary data and research gives companies and regions leading insights to achieve growth and prosperity. 

The Creative Class Group provides communities, economic developers, and real estate developers with the research and tools needed to implement competitive strategies for sustainable economic prosperity. CCG specializes in a wide range of research and planning techniques that guide understanding of the creative economy. We view our clients as experts in their field and partner with them to add value, whether by helping them identify the world’s most creative places for investment or to help them identify their target customers. We’ve been fortunate to work with some of the world’s most remarkable companies, from Microsoft to Zappos. We helped BMW launch their Ideas Class ad campaign and helped Starwood Hotels on location and regional creativity measures for more than 15 global locations. We helped identify the world’s most creative neighborhoods for Cirque du Soleil to pitch their tents. We served as Le Méridien 100, an advisory group of cultural innovators who are striving to enhance the overall guest experience at Le Méridien Hotels worldwide alongside Chef Jean Georges and other creatives. We advised the property developer Edens on their Union Market project in Washington, DC, and helped Air Canada with their Growth of Cities campaign. We helped Art Basel launch Art Basel Cities and advised We Work on their Cities Global Initiative. We worked with Converse to help position their Jack Purcell brand to the entrepreneurial Creative Class. From Japan to Dubai to Singapore, our clients span the globe. 

The companies that approach us all have an ethos of creativity in their DNA. 

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
Purpose. A purpose-driven life not only helps others, it has a huge positivity impact on yourself. It fosters a greater sense of interconnectedness and belonging. Pursuing a purpose often involves stepping outside your comfort zone, taking on new challenges, and learning from experiences. This continuous growth leads to a more enriched and meaningful life. 

That’s why I love my work and my philanthropic endeavors. I have served on committees or on boards for the following organizations, The United Nations Global Network on Digital Technologies and Sustainable Urbanization for UN-Habitat, The Olympics Committee, Canadian Freestyle Ski Association, Silver Art Projects, The National Ballet of Canada, St. Mike’s Hospital Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit, Luminato Festival, Travel & Leisure Rebel Awards, Le Miami, Best Buddies Canada, Let Grow, The Design–Exchange, Isabella Blow Foundation, Girls E Mentorship, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Airports Council International, Council for International Visitors, and The Founders Junior Council of the Detroit Institute of Arts. Discovering your purpose can lead to a stronger sense of identity and self-worth. It allows you to better understand who you are and what you stand for. And believe it or not, having a purpose can help alleviate stress and anxiety and help you find meaning for your life.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.creativeclass.com  and www.ranaflorida.com
• Instagram: @rflorida
• Facebook: ranaflorida
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rana-florida-41929920/
• Twitter: ranaflorida

Image Credits
Ted Belton
Thomas Bollman
George Pimentel