Amber Mac

We obsess over innovation. But innovation is overrated. If you look at the smart companies that are prized for “innovation,” you see that they are actually masters of “adaptation”—of knowing when to adjust, when to speed up, and when to capitalize. It’s not about being first; it’s about being flexible. In this thrilling new talk, Amber Mac looks to leading organizations, many of which she covers for Fast Company, to explore the practice of relentless adaptation. Is your company taking advantage of disruptive new technologies, or simply being disrupted by them? From the C-Suite to marketing to customer service and beyond, a newly adaptive corporate culture, defined by digital technology and bold leadership, is fundamentally changing business. And Amber Mac has had her ear to this fertile new ground for years. Fusing new concepts like crowdsourcing and gamification to a timeless strategic framework, this big picture talk sheds light on how to adapt, and how to win, in our fast-forward economy.

While we’ve obsessed about millennials for almost a decade, it’s time to shift focus to the next generation. Generation Z (people born between 1995 and 2010) is an economic powerhouse that represents a quarter of our population—and is growing. They buy differently, engage differently, connect differently, and think differently. In this talk, Amber Mac explains how to break down your digital strategy into four simple steps to reach this next audience: Rethink Mission, Rethink Work, Rethink Platform, and Rethink Communication. From the Internet of Things to big data, personal privacy to digital security, online marketing to social leadership, she incorporates today’s leading tech trends into a rich multimedia presentation. As the author of a recent book that focuses on this generation and a frequent innovation expert on Bloomberg, Fast Company, CNN, and other outlets, she understands firsthand why companies in all industries must fight to adapt to reach this post-millennial group successfully.

A decade ago, we saw our first warning that digital technology might rule us, and not the other way around. In 2007, hardcore Blackberry owners experienced what was quickly coined “phantom vibrations”— pesky little alerts going off in their pockets or purses, even when their devices weren’t anywhere nearby. Since those days, much has happened. Platform giants like Facebook and Amazon have come to affect nearly a quarter of the world’s economy. And while digital provides plenty of great opportunities, there are also plenty of dangers, too. In many ways, the digital economy could also rightfully be called the “distraction” economy: according to a 2016 Microsoft report, our average attention span has dropped from 12 to 8 seconds, and that means lost employee productivity for businesses, relationship issues for families, and physical accidents due to loss of concentration. Throughout this timely keynote, Amber Mac will discuss today’s distraction risks (such as procrastination) and distraction rewards (such as autonomy) that define our new reality. And as a digital productivity expert for organizations like Fast Company, she’ll also share the best remedies that can put us back in the driver’s seat with digital tech so we can better manage the distractions of today, and tomorrow.

Need a charismatic and authoritative host for your event? Beyond her dynamic keynotes, Amber Mac is also a seasoned emcee and moderator, comfortable leading Q&As with diverse guests in any setting. Drawing on her wealth of knowledge and palpable comfort with audiences, as a host, Amber Mac ensures a fun, focused event with her trademark ability to provide sparkling commentary and effortless flow.