http://www.heathervescent.com/heathervescent/biography.html

My name is Heather Schlegel and I am a futurist. Most people know me by my apt moniker, heathervescent.

I am a professional social scientist who studies future trends to help people understand and take advantage of change. I do this through speaking, consulting, research projects, design fictions and media productions. My company, The Purple Tornado, has been around since 2006.

Prior to The Purple Tornado, I helped build and launch more than 50 Internet products at over 30 startups from 1996 to the 2005 in Silicon Valley and Los Angeles. Recently, I completed an assignment with the Swift Innovation Team, Innotribe, based in New York, NY and La Hulpe, Brussels.

I am best known for my research on the Future of Transactions, which I presented at SxSW, Sibos, TedxZwolle, The Future of Money, Tomorrow's Transactions and other conferences around the world.

I am the producer and creator of 4 short films, including “Fly Me to the Moon;” nominated for Most Important Futures Award by the Association of Professional Futurists, 2012; “Flowers for Grandma;” “Innotribe Startup Challenge Documentary” and “Slices of Life.” 

Recent Credits include:

• The Human Problem, 1st Place, Association of Professional Futurists, 2013
• "The Next Money" in the Atlantic, 2012
• "Virtual Currencies" interview in Stealth Publication, 2011
• "The Future of Money" in Infomilio, Sibos, 2011

My specialty research areas include

• Financial Innovation
• Future of Transactions
• Bitcoin
• Complimentary Currencies
• Future of Shopping
• Mobile Medicine
• Wildcards and Black Swans
• Future of Intimacy
• Relationship trends
• The impact of changing Demographics

I am excited by possibilities that embrace and extend existing paradigms into new business markets using technology to positively impact the lives of billions of people.

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We must not be afraid of dreaming the seemingly impossible if we want the seemingly impossible to become a reality.  

– Vaclav Havel, Award winner Czech President and Essayist