A high-energy and passionate speaker, Michael has spoken at more than 500 global gatherings, providing audiences with remarkable insights into lifestyle, social media, technology and marketing trends.

An adjunct professor of innovation at the University of San Francisco and UC Berkeley, Michael is an expert on disruptions that reinvent markets. His trademark motto is, “I help you catch the next wave before it catches you.”

Audiences are taken on a spellbinding, roller-coaster ride through the “landscape of now,” while Michael reveals how massive waves he calls “ubertrends” are reshaping society.

His incisive talks showcase innovative brands, products and services that leverage ubertrends to alter the competitive landscape.

A catalyst, Michael inspires and motivates attendees by challenging their creativity and inventiveness. His informative yet entertaining style fuses the emotional and rational brain to help foster a new culture of innovation.

His ability to decode the future, lead the U.K.’s The Daily Telegraph to label Michael “America’s most influential trendspotter.” He has appeared in numerous publications and TV shows, including Access Hollywood, Ad Age, Bloomberg TV, BusinessWeek, CNET, CNN, The Independent (U.K.), The New York Times, PBS, San Francisco Chronicle, San Jose Mercury-News, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and Wired.

Michael studied economics at Fordham University in the Bronx. He completed his high school education in Aruba where he graduated at the top of his class at Colegio Arubano.

His career began at some of Madison Avenue’s most creative ad agencies, including DDB and Chiat/Day. As founder of five start-ups, notably MacWEEK and ICONOCAST, Michael helped pioneer such sweeping shifts as desktop publishing, personal information management, internet research and online marketing.

Michael is the founder of Ubercool Innovation (ubercool.com), a consulting agency and incubator, and is currently writing his third book, “Ubertrends — How Trends and Innovation Are Transforming Our Future,” which will be published in early 2018.