I know that you’re expecting to come here and read all about my sucesses and how amazing I am. That, in turn, is supposed to make you want to have me come and speak to your group so that they can learn how to be like me.
But here’s the thing, what if I think that my failures are way more interesting than my successes because they taught me so much more? What if I think the best way for people to learn from me is to hear about what I’ve done WRONG and how I’ve found my way back from those errors?
Also, I’m way, WAY funnier when I’m mocking myself. Trust me.
But in case you’re worried at this point, don’t be. The strategy is intentional. The psychology is sound. While your team is listening to stories about just how spectacularly I’ve goofed things up, they are thinking, “Wow. If this guy can come back from this sort of thing, I’m going to be AMAZING!” and they’re also thinking, “Man, when is the next bathroom break… I’m going to pee myself!”
So, enjoyment, plus motivation = a really great way to learn and grow while blowing off steam. It’s a win-win-win. My favorite thing.
The Problem-Solver’s Mindset
How complex problems actually get solved in the real world — where technology, people, and broken systems collide.
Lessons From Spectacular Failures
The mistakes that teach the most, and how organizations can turn failure into clarity and progress.
Translating Complexity
How leaders, technical teams, and operations staff can stop talking past each other and start solving the same problem.
Leadership teams navigating complex operational problems
Organizations implementing new technology or systems
Teams struggling with communication between technical and non-technical roles
Entrepreneurs and builders learning from failure
Probably. What I do is have you send me your budget, and then I multiply it by 104% and we negotiate from there.
Seriously though, I work with organizations of many sizes and I’m happy to have a straightforward conversation about budget and expectations. If your event and audience are a good fit, we can usually find something that works.
It will depend on things like what is included for travel costs, lead time, audience size, talk length, number of talks, etc. But if your keynote speaker budget is between $2,500 and $12,000 I'm sure I can put together a program that will fit your needs.
Most of my talks resonate with organizations dealing with complex problems — leadership teams, technical organizations, operations groups, and entrepreneurs. Anyone responsible for solving messy real-world problems tends to feel right at home.
Clarity. My talks are less about motivation and more about understanding how complex problems actually unfold. Audiences usually leave with practical ways to think about failure, decision-making, and system design in their own organizations.
Yes. I prefer to understand the challenges your organization is dealing with and shape the talk around themes that will resonate with your audience.
The easiest way is a quick conversation. If your audience is dealing with complicated problems — the kind that involve people, systems, technology, and imperfect information — there’s a good chance the stories and lessons I share will resonate. If it turns out I’m not the right fit, I’ll tell you. The goal is to make your event successful, not just to put another talk on my calendar.
Yes. I’m based on the Oregon coast but travel regularly for events.
If you have a burning question or urgent problem, or if you’d like to check my availability for your event, drop me a line.