Frans Johansson is an American writer, entrepreneur, and public speaker. He is the author of ''
The Medici Effect'', a book that became the origin for the term "Medici Effect". He is also the author of ''The Click Moment'', a 2012 book that discusses the role of luck and serendipity in personal lives and in business.
He currently serves as the CEO of The Medici Group, a consultancy firm that promotes innovation through diversity.
Johansson is considered an authority on the topics of diversity, innovation, and creativity and has spoken at business events and conferences of each topic.
He has appeared on national media and in publications that include ''
Black Enterprise
''Black Enterprise'' (stylized in all caps) is an American multimedia company. A Black-owned business since the 1970s, its flagship product ''Black Enterprise'' magazine has covered African American businesses with a readership of 3.7 mil ...
'', Diversity Executive, ''
Anderson Cooper 360°
''Anderson Cooper 360°'' (commonly shortened to either ''AC-360'' or ''360'') is an American television news show on CNN and CNN International, hosted by CNN journalist and news anchor Anderson Cooper. Current segments include ‘Reality Check ...
'', and
CNBC's The Business of Innovation.
Early life and education
Johansson was born and raised in
Lerum
Lerum is a Urban areas in Sweden, locality and the seat of Lerum Municipality in Västra Götaland County, Sweden. It had 43 570 inhabitants in 2024.
Overview
Lerum has a station on the Gothenburg commuter rail system and is a suburb of Gothenburg ...
, Sweden.
His father is Swedish and his mother African-American/Cherokee.
As a child he had diverse interests which include fishing and role playing games such as ''
Dungeons & Dragons
''Dungeons & Dragons'' (commonly abbreviated as ''D&D'' or ''DnD'') is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) originally created and designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson. The game was first published in 1974 by TSR (company)#Tactical ...
''.
Johansson earned his bachelor's in Environmental Science at
Brown University
Brown University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. It is the List of colonial colleges, seventh-oldest institution of higher education in the US, founded in 1764 as the ' ...
and then enrolled at
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School (HBS) is the graduate school, graduate business school of Harvard University, a Private university, private Ivy League research university. Located in Allston, Massachusetts, HBS owns Harvard Business Publishing, which p ...
where he obtained his
Master of Business Administration
A Master of Business Administration (MBA) is a professional degree focused on business administration. The core courses in an MBA program cover various areas of business administration; elective courses may allow further study in a particular ...
.
While at Brown, Johansson founded ''The Catalyst'', a science-inspired journal that publishes artwork, prose, and poetry.
Career
After graduating from Harvard, Johansson founded two companies. The first was Dola Health Systems LLC, which manufactures and sells healthcare equipment. The company is best known for bringing the Painometer, a handheld pain assessment, to the market.
He also the founder of Inka.net.
Johansson is the author of ''The Medici Effect: Breakthrough Insights at the Intersection of Ideas, Concepts, and Cultures'', published in 2004 by Harvard Business School Press.
The book was a best-seller and translated in 18 different languages,
[ Harvard Business School professor Clayton M. Christensen stated that The Medici Effect is "One of the most insightful books on innovation I have ever read." It was the foundation for use of "Medici Effect", a term that is now used in various industries.] The book looks at examples of how painters, sculptors, poets, philanthropists, scientists, philosophers, financiers, and architects shaped historical eras of innovation. The concept is that innovation happens when disciplines and ideas intersect.[
Johansson wrote a second book, ''The Click Moment: Seizing Opportunity in an Unpredictable World'', published by Penguin Portfolio in 2012.] The book discusses how luck and serendipity play a large role in success and how to seize opportunities, debunking the 10,000-hour rule and how it should not apply to business.[
Johansson's ideas and principles have led to a public speaking career, appearing at numerous conferences on business and diversity. He has also appeared on national media and in publications that include '']Black Enterprise
''Black Enterprise'' (stylized in all caps) is an American multimedia company. A Black-owned business since the 1970s, its flagship product ''Black Enterprise'' magazine has covered African American businesses with a readership of 3.7 mil ...
'', Diversity Executive, ''Anderson Cooper 360°
''Anderson Cooper 360°'' (commonly shortened to either ''AC-360'' or ''360'') is an American television news show on CNN and CNN International, hosted by CNN journalist and news anchor Anderson Cooper. Current segments include ‘Reality Check ...
'', and CNBC's The Business of Innovation.[ Johansson is also founder and CEO of The Medici Group, a strategy and innovation consultancy firm.]
Bibliography
References
External links
Frans Johansson official website
The Medici Group official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johansson, Frans
Living people
Brown University alumni
Harvard Business School alumni
American male writers
Year of birth missing (living people)
People from Lerum Municipality