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Flux: 8 Superpowers for Thriving in Constant Change
There’s an epidemic of change exhaustion, yet more change and uncertainty are ahead. When – and how – will this ever improve? Being adaptable and flexible have always been hallmarks of effective leadership, well-being, and a fulfilling life. But in a world of ever-more change, an ever-faster pace of change, and relentless uncertainty, flexibility and resilience can be stretched to their breaking points. The quest becomes how to find calm and lasting meaning in the midst of enduring chaos.
A world in flux calls for a new mindset, one that treats constant change and uncertainty as a feature, not a bug. In this talk, April Rinne helps you open this mindset — a Flux Mindset — and develop eight “flux superpowers” that flip conventional ideas about leadership, success, and well-being on their heads. You’ll learn to see change in new ways, craft new responses, and ultimately reshape your relationship to uncertainty from the inside out.
Whether you’re leading a team, strengthening your culture, inspiring engagement, sizing up your own career, reassessing your priorities, or simply want to show up more fully in the world, opening a flux mindset and activating your flux superpowers will keep you grounded even when everything around you is shifting. You’ll learn to see that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel… and it’s not an oncoming train.
Key Takeaways
Beyond the Ladder: The Future of Talent & Careers
What does the shape of a successful, meaningful career look like in today’s workplaces full of change – and how can you (and HR) design your best one? Across the professional spectrum, people are reassessing what they want from their careers – and lives. This has led to unprecedented job-hopping (without the stigma), freelancing, quiet quitting, and career pivots as well as exhausting debates about hybrid work. And this was all happening before the breakneck ascent of generative AI and the uncharted territory it entails. Taken together, it’s a lot.
One of the keys to future-ready professional development and sustainable, thriving work cultures is to rethink the shape of our careers. The one-way, up-or-out 20th century “career ladder” isn’t just creaky. It’s breaking. For talent and HR alike, this has profound implications – and represents a new world of opportunity for more useful career shapes and dynamics.
April Rinne has been working on “career portfolios” for more than 25 years, including her own. She helps organizations change how we think about work and individuals unleash their best, full selves. This isn’t about outsourcing one’s job or hiding side hustles. Rather, a portfolio approach is about seeing talent and career development with a fresh lens. Whether you’re running a Fortune 100 company, series A (or E) startup, venture capital fund, accelerator, association, think tank, or government, it’s a key tool for talent acquisition, retention, and thriving organizational cultures. It’s how to identify and nurture all of the skills on a team. Moreover, a career portfolio is essential for success in a world in which skills are evolving and changing fast. Creating your career portfolio is also one of the 8 Flux Superpowers in April’s bestselling book Flux.
Note: This talk is a perfect fit for “career weeks,” team L&D, HR gatherings, and Future of Work summits.
Visit April’s Career Portfolios resource page to learn more.
Finding Certainty in an Uncertain World
Just because the future looks really chaotic doesn’t mean your approach to it has to be. For leaders everywhere, success hinges not only on understanding the macro forces that will affect your business and team, but even more so on how you see these forces: Your mindset towards change and uncertainty and your tolerance of the unknown. Imagine the time, effort, or resources you could’ve saved if you’d seen the full implications of smartphones back in 2006, hybrid work back in 2015, the covid pandemic before it hit, or generative AI today? Today, you can develop this vision – these superpowers and savviness – moving forward. Not only can you: Given the relentless pace of change, it’s safe to say you ought to!
April Rinne’s gift is to see key shifts early amid chaos and disruption, and to help leaders and teams navigate the unknown in ways that catalyze inner peace, growth, and future-fit perspective. As the world’s leading Humanist Futurist, April speaks with both head and heart. Drawing on nearly 30 years of experience in 100+ countries as well as insights from her bestselling book Flux: 8 Superpowers for Thriving in Constant Change, she’s your #1 guide to today’s uncertain world. She helps you see what you’ve been missing, overcome your stumbling blocks, and boost your capacity to harness uncertainty to your advantage. With your team and for your organization, you’ll learn how to stop fighting uncertainty, transform not-knowing into wisdom, and be the flux – ready and excited for whatever changes are ahead.
Key Takeaways
The Economy & Business Models in Flux
Fifteen years ago, the sharing economy — including companies like Airbnb, Lyft, Turo, and TaskRabbit — was seen as an impossible dream. Who would ever stay in a stranger’s home or get in their car? Often called “access over ownership,” these business models have exploded far beyond the mainstream. Today the sharing economy includes many billion-dollar businesses and is positioned among a universe of “new economies.” The digital economy encompasses the platform economy, gig economy, and attention economy. The circular economy, donut economy, experience economy, subscription economy, BOGO (buy-one-get-one) economy, and trust economy share some common principles — yet each is unique and evolving in its own ways.
And this economic transformation has only just begun. More disruption and uncertainty lies ahead. How might people live, work, learn, collaborate, create, invest, and plan for this tangly, thorny future? How might capitalism itself change? And of course, how should you and your organization prepare? In this talk, April Rinne will take you on a global tour of what’s possible, what’s likely, and what it all means. April has kept a front-row seat to these shifting dynamics for the past 25 years. She was in the vanguard of unlocking access to finance and mobile money long before smartphones existed. Later, she was one of the earliest voices in the sharing economy, advising startups and policy makers on responsible innovation and growth. Today, as the pace of change has quickened, she’s stayed ahead of the flux — quite literally, as she wrote the bestselling book Flux: 8 Superpowers for Thriving in Constant Change — and she’ll help you do the same. Channeling Mr. Miyagi and Brene Brown, April will help you anticipate what’s ahead, expand your universe of opportunities, and — rather than fighting change — be the Flux.
What the World Can Learn about Happiness from the World’s Happiest Country
How might we learn from Finland about happiness, a skill they seem to possess in abundance? April’s Finnish roots put her in a unique position to share wisdom from the land of sisu — inner strength — and satisfaction.
For the past six years running, Finland has been ranked the happiest country in the world. In this talk, April guides you through Finland’s culture and pillars of happiness, drawing on her personal Finnish heritage, global perspective, and unique experiences as a Finnish happiness coach and advising the Finnish government. Prepare to be surprised, refreshed, inspired to visit Finland — and grow happier!
Event Moderator, Facilitator, Host, Interviewer, Emcee
In addition to her inspiring and insightful keynotes, April is frequently invited to moderate and interview panels and roundtables, facilitate workshops and lead open space sessions. She is known for catalyzing new conversations, emerging ideas and bringing fresh perspective wherever she goes. From kickoff to closing, April has led a variety of such conferences and convenings as The Collaborative Economy Canada Tour, the Cape Town Sharing Economy Think Tank, Singapore & The Sharing Economy, World Tourism Day Summit - Happiness 360 and Reinvent’s Future of Work series. Several of these engagements were first-time events for their host organizations, industries or locations. Often asked to collaborate on structuring for the day or event, April is happy to assist meeting planners with creating a truly immersive and memorable experience for your next meeting.
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Finding Certainty in an Uncertain World
Just because the future looks really chaotic doesn’t mean your approach to it has to be. Success hinges not only on understanding the macro forces that will affect your business and team, but even more so on how you see these forces: Your mindset towards change and uncertainty and your tolerance of the unknown. Imagine how much time, effort, or resources you could’ve saved if you’d seen the full implications of smartphones back in 2006, Airbnb and Uber in 2010, remote work in 2014, or the covid pandemic in 2019? Today, you can develop this vision — these superpowers and savviness — moving forward. Not only can you: Given the relentless pace of change, it’s safe to say you ought to!
APRIL RINNE’s gift is to see key shifts early amid chaos and disruption, and to translate this vision in ways that help people and businesses find peace, catalyze growth, and flourish. As the world’s leading Humanist Futurist, April speaks with both head and heart. Drawing on nearly 30 years of experience in 100+ countries as well as insights from her bestselling book Flux: 8 Superpowers for Thriving in Constant Change, she’s your #1 guide to today’s uncertain world. She helps you see what you’ve been missing, overcome your stumbling blocks, and boost your flux capacity (aka your “fluxiness”) to harness uncertainty to your advantage. She’ll show you how to transform not-knowing into wisdom and tools for a brighter tomorrow. As an individual, team, or organization, you’ll learn how to stop fighting uncertainty and rather be the Flux — ready and excited for whatever changes are ahead.
Humanist futurist April Rinne offers an actionable plan for organizations looking to leverage new tech like AI and ChatGPT
As the world’s leading Humanist Futurist, APRIL RINNE helps better understand how we see, think about, and forge positive relationships with change. As tools like ChatGPT change workplaces by the day, organizations are turning to experts like “change navigator” Rinne to help them make sense of what this new tech means for them, their teams, and their bottom line.
For every potential risk with adopting new AI tools, there are a myriad of rewards, and Rinne is a trusted expert on how AI and automation will impact individuals and companies across industries and geographies. The Flux author brings a human dimension to the conversation around AI and automation, helping groups prepare for an uncertain, “fluxy” future.
Watch April Rinne’s TEDx Talk on navigating our uncertain future >>
April Rinne is a sought-out expert on responsible leadership, from ESGs to DEI
World Economic Forum Young Global Leader APRIL RINNE shines a light on how we harness business for broader social and environmental good, from ESG investing to DEI impact work. Named one of the “50 Leading Female Futurists” in the world, April has served as the advisor of choice for a range of public and private sector organizations, from Airbnb, Nike, Intuit, as well as Amsterdam Sharing City, Sharing City Seoul, Welcoming International, and more.
Rinne decodes the positive social implications of responsible leadership and how teams and individuals can thrive in a world in Flux. A global thought leader on the new circular economy, sustainability, and workforce innovation, she consistently receives glowing reviews, such as: ”April is absolutely incredible. Meaningful, authentic and builds relationships with every word” (Allen & Overy) and ”The most successful management session we’ve ever had!” (Acuity Insurance)
Top 50 female futurist April Rinne is a global authority on the new economy – helping leaders make sense of the circular economy for over a decade
While the term circular economy is just breaking through into mainstream conversation, APRIL RINNE has been sought-after for her expertise on the subject for over a decade. The circular economy is the framework where sustainability meets business. Addressing issues like climate change, biodiversity loss, urbanization, and pollution, the circular economy offers a refreshing and rewarding way to make a positive impact across industries, especially when it comes to reducing wastes and costs (fun fact: cement gives off more carbon emissions than airplane travel!). Closely related to the Sharing Economy and part of the New Economy, April headed the Sharing Economy Working Group (part of the Circular Economy Initiative) at the World Economic Forum and makes energizing, eye-opening connections between these alternative systems and her Flux Mindset.
A global authority on the New Economy, April has been named one of the “50 Leading Female Futurists” in the world. As she writes in her bestselling book Flux and illuminates in uplifting keynotes, the concept of flux is about thriving in a world of constant change. Using her flux-y framework, individuals and organizations are empowered to create innovative and responsible solutions and work together to thrive in a world in flux. As the Social Innovation Generation raved, “How do we make sense of a world of intense and accelerating change? April Rinne is a brilliant thought leader operating at the nexus of technological change, new economy, and social impact. She is able to unpack the confusing signals and share perceptive insights that allow us to make practical strategy.”
Global citizen and change navigator April Rinne receives rave reviews at every kind of event
Whether speaking at industry associations or universities, The World Economic Forum or government roundtables, APRIL RINNE consistently receives stellar feedback for her transformative insights and keen analysis on navigating change and uncertainty, finding clarity in the face of ambiguity, and learning how to see differently. Beyond her thoughtfully tailored remarks, the Flux author engages in generous Q&A sessions and takes extra time to connect with participants following her riveting and uplifting keynotes. An internationally heralded futurist thought leader, Rinne’s work has taken her to over 100 countries, and she provides a global perspective on how to hone a team, culture, and mindset that enables individuals and organizations to thrive – even when they don’t have all the answers.
Rinne is praised by attendees and event-planners alike for her tremendous passion, vast knowledge, and the empowering impact of her keynote addresses. Recent rave reviews include:
April Rinne advises top leaders in a range of sectors: how to translate uncertainty into opportunity
Global citizen APRIL RINNE shares substantive insights on disruptive innovation, shedding light on how businesses can translate uncertainty into opportunity – at every level of the organization – through her uniquely humanist framing. Named to Forbes’ “50 Leading Female Futurists,” Rinne is an in-demand and visionary advisor for companies such as Airbnb, Nike, and Intuit, helping organizations see differently – identifying new insights and sources of value, both today and on the horizon. She also served as Head of the Sharing Economy Working Group for the World Economic Forum, and was recently nominated to the prestigious Silicon Guild, "a community of non-fiction writers and thinkers who support, unlock and amplify humanistic values."
Rinne reimagines how we work, collaborate, and invest in a world where the pace of change is rapidly accelerating in her book Flux: 8 Superpowers for Thriving in Constant Change. Sought out to speak everywhere from the Institute of Food Technologists to TD Ameritrade to the Aspen Institute, she shares perspective-altering insights on how to hone a workplace culture focused on personal and professional growth, clarity, and comfort with ambiguity. Rinne receives out-of-this-world reviews for her uniquely tailored remarks: “Rinne is a brilliant thought leader operating at the nexus of technological change, new economy, and social impact. She is able to unpack the confusing signals and share perceptive insights that allow us to make practical strategy.” (Social Innovation Generation)
Watch April Rinne’s TEDx Talk “How to navigate our uncertain future” >>
Read April Rinne’s latest piece for Harvard Business Review >>
April Rinne Talk & Book Purchase: Inspire your team with a 'Flux Mindset' to help them adapt to a world that’s constantly changing
APRIL RINNE is an expert on the new digital economy, and therefore, she is an expert on the essential new leadership skill required for success: resilience. Rinne synthesizes her knowledge in her talks and book Flux: 8 Superpowers for Thriving in Constant Change. Rinne shows you how to open a "flux mindset" and develop your "flux superpowers," enabling leaders and their teams to see change in new ways and develop new responses. These superpowers will keep you and your organization grounded even when the landscape is constantly shifting around you. The book received a lot of buzz, including in Forbes, Fast Company, McKinsey & Company, the Next Big Idea Club's Fall 2021 Best Books list, and Men's Journal's Best New Books of of 2021 list. Rinne has written many articles on the topic of Flux for various outlets, including Harvard Business Review, Next Big Idea Club, Inc., Thrive Global, CXO Magazine, Leadership Excellence, Porchlight Books, and more.
You can find all the press about Flux on Rinne's Flux Press page >>
Programming Idea: What better way to acknowledge the flux in returning to work and activate your team’s resilience than with a talk from April and common read of her book? HWA can facilitate a bulk purchase of Flux to be distributed to your employees not only as a memento of the event, but also as a tool to hone a shared skill across your organization: resilience in a constantly changing world.
April Rinne has been weaving her own story about how to thrive amid flux, personally and professionally, for as long as she can remember.
Today April is an acclaimed speaker, thinker, advisor and writer. She is known today for her many keynotes each year to business, industry, investment, policy and educational audiences around the world, and for her role as a bridge: between startups and governments, between developed and developing countries, between those excited about change and those resistant to it. She is also an impact investor, mental health advocate, yoga teacher and insatiable handstander. April's handstands underscore her upside-down perspective on the world: they help her see differently, stay flexible, and bring joy (and occasionally amazement) to others. Earlier in her career served as a global development executive, microfinance lawyer, and hiking and biking guide.
April holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School, an M.A. in International Business and Finance from The Fletcher School at Tufts University, and a B.A. in International Studies and Italian summa cum laude from Emory University. She is a Fulbright Scholar and studied at Oxford (University College; one full academic year), the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, and the European University Institute (the EU’s premier graduate institution; one full academic year). In 2011 the World Economic Forum named her a Young Global Leader; she has attended Davos multiple times as well as WEF summits worldwide.
But April’s CV and educational pedigree don’t begin to capture April’s story, her perspective, and her understanding of the world. Both of her parents died in a car accident when she was 20, which threw her into a world of flux. She put the expected path on hold to deal with the aftermath, ultimately letting go of how she thought her own future might unfold. Rather than the Ph.D. her parents expected, or the Wall Street analyst position society expected, she spent several years leading hiking and cycling tours from Puglia to Patagonia, which in turn provided enough income to travel widely (and alone) from the Golden Triangle to the Darien Gap. From there, her unconventional journey took off.
April spent the first half of her career focused on global development and financial inclusion. She was very early to the world of impact investing. She led microfinance teams on four continents, wrote microfinance legislation, was in the vanguard of mobile banking innovation, and created new investment vehicles for the world’s underserved before Muhammad Yunus made microfinance a household term.
When the digital economy and smartphones began to take root, April shifted her focus to how these new platforms could help build more inclusive business and more robust opportunities for income generation. The second half of her career has focused on how this “new” economy and the future of work will play out worldwide, advising numerous startups, established companies, governments, policy makers, financial institutions, educational institutions, think tanks and others along the way.
Taken together, April’s breadth of experience and exposure to other cultures and ways of life provide her with an enormous lens through which to see change. On the one hand, she is as comfortable at Davos as she is talking with microfinance borrowers in an urban slum. On the other hand, she has seen how – regardless of age, income, or background – humans genuinely struggle with navigating the unknown. She is convinced that the disciplines of a Flux Mindset can help. So does Thinkers50, who have recognized the Flux mindset as a "Breakthrough Idea."
April brings a practical perspective and a global worldview. She has lived with, advised others on, experimented, researched, prototyped, traveled long and far to experience, speak with and learn from others about how to embrace flux.
My Speaker List
