Meet Michael
Experienced
Michael is an internationally acclaimed and award-winning expert on communication, management, leadership, and customer service. He’s presented on six of the seven continents and in all 50 states of the U.S.
His Fortune 500 and other corporate clients include Hewlett Packard, State Farm, Nordstrom, Motorola, Bayer, Frito-Lay, Domino’s, Choice Hotels, International Paper, Gillette, Honda, Mercedes Benz, Kodak, and others.
He’s presented for many hundreds of national, regional and other nonprofit and professional associations. Michael’s taught practical skills to people in almost every kind of profession. This includes highly demanding jobs—for example, Michael served five years as one of the top-rated members of the NASA Management Training Academy.
“It’s not enough that people hear a presentation and think it was ‘great.’ I believe the only real test is whether tomorrow they actually use what they’ve learned to reach great success.”
— Michael Brandwein
Original & Practical
You don’t want people saying “I’ve heard this before.” Michael is best known for presenting his own material. “Take musicians for example,” Michael says. “Some play songs written by others—which is great. But some play music they wrote themselves. The second approach is my passion: Presenting skills and techniques I’ve developed myself—things that are new that people can use right away.” (But, thank goodness, he doesn’t sing…)
“Like you, I’ve sat listening to presentations. Some speakers tell us what we should do. That’s not my focus. I want to know how to get it done.”
— Michael Brandwein
Expert
For his work as a communication expert and presenter, Michael received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the University of Illinois Department of Communication.
His B.A. in Communication is from the University of Illinois where he graduated summa cum laude as a Bronze Table Scholar, the highest academic distinction awarded by the University
Michael’s Juris Doctor degree is from the University of Chicago Law School. He was a trial lawyer and partner in a mid-sized Chicago law firm for nine years and was speaking part-time during this period. In 1987, he left his law practice to pursue his deepest passion: Developing original skills to teach as a full-time presenter throughout the world.
“When someone says, ‘You know, if I get one good idea from the session, I feel it’s worthwhile.’ — I think: One? Talk about a low bar.”
— Michael Brandwein
Creative
You want really smart material, but you also want presentations to be fun and exciting, right? Michael’s entertaining, innovative approaches to speaking are supported by his experience as a graduate of the famed Second City Improv Theater School in Chicago.
Michael’s been a professional magician for decades.
He wrote and hosted a live production for HBO with the Muppets in cooperation with the American Library Association to encourage young people to read.