The son of an inventor and artist, Michael Margolis was born to explore how ideas socialize into reality. By the age of 23, Michael was a founding member of two pioneering nonprofits in the social enterprise sector. Despite early success, Michael felt something was missing from the conversation. This led him, a decade ago, to discover storytelling as a linchpin of the change-making and creative process. Today Michael is a new venture coach and evaluator for the NYU Business Plan Competition. He’s also taught brand storytelling as an executive education instructor of the Schulich School of Business in Toronto, Canada. As president of Get Storied, Michael oversees an education and media ecosystem including Story University, the Reinvention Summit, and the New Storytellers podcast series. He has worked for some great clients through the years, including Audubon, Ernst & Young, Marriott, NASA, Omnicom, and YWCA of Oahu.
Despite his unusual methods, Michael’s work has been featured in Brandweek, Fast Company, and Storytelling Magazine, among other places. He is currently developing a next generation Culture Training Curriculum in partnership with Zappos Insights. Michael is also the author of Believe Me: A Storytelling Manifesto for Change-Makers and Innovators, which you can download for free at www.getstoried.com.
With a degree in cultural anthropology, Michael is a student of life’s core questions and deepest dramas. Growing up in Switzerland and Los Angeles, Michael now splits the difference living in the East Village of New York City. He eats more chocolate than the average human and likes to geek out on technology, ’70s ghetto funk, and Indian curry. His TV guilty pleasures include Celebrity Rehab and Millionaire Matchmaker. You can connect with Michael on Twitter via @getstoried.