Speaking
Need a Speaker for Your Entrepreneurial Group?
As an event planner you likely have one major question.
Can this person provide valuable information to my audience?
I can IF your audience is filled with entrepreneurs, founders, or product developers who are trying to build the next big thing.
My Stories
The stories are shared to create thought-provoking conversations that leave an impression. Whether for personal events or professional occasions, the words are crafted to inspire, engage, and move audiences toward action.
This engaging talk inspires founders and product developers to embrace failure as a stepping stone to success. Through real-life stories and practical insights, it explores how to overcome self-doubt, share ideas, and take actionable steps to transform concepts into market-ready products.
You have to know when to quit your day job before starting your company. Learn how to communicate your vision with your life partner, business partner and banker. Enjoy the steps before they make you crazy.
This insightful story empowers corporate leaders to present innovative ideas effectively within their organizations. Learn how to align your vision with company goals, communicate with confidence, and navigate potential pushback—all while maintaining your role and fostering collaboration.
Hello there and nice to meet you!
Let me share a bit more about myself.
- Topics: Company needs to change how it works, launching a new product/service
- Length of talks: 20 – 60 minutes
- Motivation to speak: Help others see a path
- Audience gets: Usable information, Enjoyment, Inspiration
- Special trait: Have organized over 100 events myself
- My Promise: Showing up on time, being professional
- Guarantee: Not happy? then don’t pay
- Birthplace: Wichita, Kansas
- Favorite color: Yellow
Learning is at the core of everything I do. I’ve spent over 12 years interviewing more than 200 leaders at live events, uncovering the “why” behind their successes and challenges. My journey hasn’t been perfect—my own failures, including a nine-month prison stint, have taught me invaluable lessons about resilience and growth. I believe the most impactful learning comes from our setbacks and the stories of others. Whether I’m speaking at a national conference, college campus, corporate meeting, or private gathering, I bring an optimistic, relatable message: I’ve walked in your audience’s shoes, and I passionately believe that if you have a valid idea, you owe it to yourself to pursue it, share it and act upon it. Let’s inspire your audience together.
Here is a excerpt from my signature talk.
“Being in prison for nine months taught me many things but patience, humility and empathy were the top for me. The memory of this is has clear as yesterday, The metal gate swinging open, me waving to a few friends as I walked through to the outside world… It was the day that I committed to always providing value to people and never being unfair. It was the day I promised myself I could never rest on past accomplishments or dwell on past mistakes.”
Since I have started six companies and have had successful exits and horrible failures, your guests will hear first hand stories of how to get things done and how not to get things done when trying to get your new product idea into the market. The journey of launching a new product or service and getting a paying customer is a long winding road filled with roadblocks, speed bumps and speeding tickets. Your audience will receive “real life” tools that can assist them along the their path to success.
If you would still like to learn more about me you can visit my LinkedIn profile or if its important give me call 206 354 8751.
In case you didn’t watch my video I have a money back guarantee. Yes don’t pay me if you are not happy.
Great companies I have been able to speak at
Recently Mike presented to the Microsoft Garage about the Seattle Startup Ecosystem and his lessons learned from his years in the local scene and as a serial founder. Mike forms a natural connection with the audience, delivers deeply insightful perspectives, and in his role as a super-connector, can provide a deep and personal grasp of the whole ecosystem. He put our event on the right footing and connected us with other speakers to round out the day. He’s an amazing guy and it shows through in his character and generosity of spirit.
Ed Essey Director of Intraprenuership and Incubation at MSFT Garage