Michael Margolis
Michael Margolis Speaker Biography
Michael Margolis is a master storyteller and go-to advisor to Google, Meta, and NASA. He specializes in communicating complex, technical, and disruptive ideas—without making people defensive. Often described as “one of the most thought-provoking speakers” audiences have heard, Margolis has a unique ability to connect big ideas to business strategy, technological disruption, and organizational change, leaving audiences inspired, empowered, and ready to take charge.
A trusted name in strategic storytelling, Michael Margolis’s frameworks are widely used by Silicon Valley leaders and beyond to influence at scale—whether to secure investments, create buy-in, or accelerate growth. His impact includes multi-billion-dollar initiatives, products with 100M+ users, and ambitious business transformations.
His books, including Story 10x: Turn the Impossible Into the Inevitable, are essential guides to narrative strategy, setting a new standard for tech storytelling. His insights have also been featured in Fast Company, TIME, Inc, NPR and Brandweek.
Focused on storytelling for innovation and disruption, Margolis provides clear, actionable
frameworks that help leaders share impactful stories without making people reactive or
adversarial. He shows leaders how to control the narrative—to win in the boardroom, in their category, and with their team. Addressing the inner game of leadership, he reveals how the stories we choose become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Margolis’s many chapters of reinvention—from misfit outsider to cultural anthropologist
global nomad—allow him to resonate with diverse audiences. The son of an inventor and an artist, he has a unique talent for conveying what is new and different. Long before storytelling was a buzzword, Margolis pioneered and taught others how to think in narrative.
For 20+ years, he has empowered leaders to communicate complex ideas with ease,
transforming high-stakes presentations into decisive action. He is trusted by leading
institutions, including Facebook, Microsoft, Deloitte, Visa, Moody’s, and Walmart.
Now living in Los Angeles with his wife and young daughter, Margolis continually explores
new ways to inspire, connect, and transform the world through storytelling.
Featured Videos
Speech Topics
Storytelling ROI: Influence at Scale
In a world of complexity, your narrative is a strategic asset. Michael Margolis, advisor to Google, Meta, and Salesforce, shares proven storytelling frameworks to convert complex ideas into executive-ready narratives that drive buy-in and fast-track results. Learn to simplify technical concepts, position disruption as a competitive advantage, and gain alignment on high-stakes decisions. This session equips you with the tools to turn ambiguity into clarity and influence stakeholders across the organization to maximize ROI on strategic initiatives and move your business forward with measurable impact.
Story 10x: From the Impossible to the Inevitable
The future is unwritten—make your story the force that drives it. Michael Margolis, advisor to Google, Meta, and Salesforce, shares the Story 10x method for influencing at scale. Learn how to simplify the complex, inspire belief in ambitious goals, and win buy-in for even the most disruptive ideas. As rapid change reshapes every industry, you’ll gain the tools to convert resistance into momentum and uncertainty into clear vision. With the right narrative, you’ll turn the impossible into the inevitable.
Leading Change: Building Buy-in That Lasts
Change is hard, but telling the right story can make it easier. Michael Margolis, advisor to Google, Meta, and Salesforce, shows you how to reduce resistance by tapping into the power of belonging. Beyond logic and data, effective change hinges on oxytocin—the brain’s “belonging molecule.” Learn how to reframe fear into possibility and turn uncertainty into shared commitment. Discover the narrative strategies that transform resistance into engagement, making people feel invested in the journey, not opposed to it. When you lead with storytelling, you lead change that sticks.
Enterprise Sales: Turn Complexity into Opportunity
People don’t buy a product; they buy the story that’s attached to it. Michael Margolis, advisor to Google, Meta, and Salesforce, will show you narrative techniques to demystify complex business solutions and inspire customer confidence. Learn to reframe technical features as opportunities that resonate in today’s shifting landscape. Leverage storytelling to turn resistance into curiosity—especially when challenging entrenched competitors and habits. When you sell with a story,
Great Product Leaders are Great Storytellers
Data alone doesn’t sell a vision—storytelling does. As a product leader, transforming complex insights into a cohesive business story is essential for executive influence. Michael Margolis, advisor to Google, Meta, and Salesforce, shares product-specific storytelling techniques for clarity, alignment, and stakeholder buy-in. Learn how to turn data into a persuasive story, structure your thinking, and manage influence up, down, and across. This session equips PMs with the essential narrative tools for impactful influence, where “getting your story straight” becomes your #1 tool for influence.
