Get to know Michael...

From Chaos to Clarity — with a Dash of Humor

Every organization has problems. The question is whether they drain profits and burn out talent, or whether they become opportunities for growth. That’s where I come in. I’ve spent 30+ years in engineering, leadership, and problem-solving — helping organizations recover tens of millions of dollars by solving problems at the root instead of firefighting symptoms.

Along the way, I became a Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt, a Shainin Red X Journeyman, and a two-time TEDx speaker. I’ve also had the privilege of serving as a two-time TEDx Speaker Coach, helping others share ideas worth spreading on stage. Those experiences gave me a front-row seat to what really connects with audiences: not just facts and frameworks, but humor, humanity, and a clear path forward.

Problem-Solving Meets Storytelling

I don’t believe learning should feel like a trip to the dentist. My keynotes and workshops are packed with practical lessons participants can put to work the very next day — but they’re also fun, interactive, and engaging. Humor is one of my favorite teaching tools. After all, people remember the stories that made them laugh and lean in, not the 80-slide PowerPoint that made them check their phones. 

Beyond the Stage

I live in South Carolina with my wife Jamie - my high school sweetheart, fellow engineer, and now business partner.  Together, we're proof that engineers can laugh (especially at each other).  We've raised two sons - one an electrical engineer  and the other in computer information systems - so clearly problem solving runs in the family.

Michael’s second TEDx Talk, The Cure for Lazy Leadership, challenged the outdated “command-and-control” style that keeps organizations stuck. With humor and sharp insights, he showed how leaders can move from giving orders to creating clarity, trust, and adaptability — the real drivers of team performance in today’s fast-changing world.

He later took this same message to the PechaKucha stage, condensing years of leadership lessons into a rapid-fire, image-driven talk. The format forced him to cut the fluff and keep every word impactful — proof that big ideas don’t need long speeches to stick.