Raukatari Music Therapy Centre
Words: Suzanne McNamara
Photography: Blink Ltd
As the founder of academyEX, Frances Valintine is at the forefront of rethinking how we learn and work. A serial entrepreneur, educator and future-focused thinker, she has built a career around challenging convention and helping people prepare for what comes next. We caught up with Frances to find out what a typical day looks like for someone whose work is all about the future.
My alarm goes off...
at 5.20am on weekdays and at sunrise on the weekends.
My work day begins...
at my laptop, in one of three locations: my home office, my work office or a cafe. I love a mix of social shared spaces for learning and quiet spaces for thinking.
My typical day...
is a juggle, validated by my ever-chaotic diary. I divide my day between research, meetings, planning, and conversations focused on some of the most complex challenges of our time. A significant commitment in my week is engaging with people who are working hard to navigate change from technological advancements, geopolitics, climate change, demographics and new economic models.
My current job ...
is a mix of inter-connected roles and responsibilities, including as the founder and Chair of academyEX, and Chair of our Australian learning group; co-founder of a social enterprise called Love Heart, focused on social learning for the over 50s; Board Chair of the Auckland Theatre Company; and Board member of the University of Silicon Valley, the Hi-Tech Trust, the Committee for Auckland, the Auckland Tech Alliance and the Asia New Zealand Foundation. It's fair to say I like being busy and working on things that matter.
My big break ...
arrived through the unexpected benefit of growing up on a farm, where I learnt early on that hard work delivers results and backing yourself, even when you are scared, builds resilience.
I'm proud of...
my incredible family. Being a mum is the most humbling and delightful experience there is.
"I learnt early on that hard work delivers results and backing yourself, even when you are scared, builds resilience."
My worst habit is ...
imagining new ways to change the status quo. I'm still learning that not everyone likes change as much as I do.
My most memorable
moment...
arrives every day in the form of a glorious high-fidelity experience called life.
Outside of work...
I'm with family and friends, hopefully outside by the water or in the garden.
I chose Uptown because...
where else would anyone want to be? Big city vibes with a sense of community.
I fall asleep...
without routine. Some nights I am wide awake with a busy brain and other times I crash in seconds, mid-conversation with my husband. There is no rhythm in my schedules, they simply evolve as the day or night rolls out.
