From Limitations to Innovation

How can you turn constraints into creativity? Mike shows audiences that the old rules are over, then equips them with a simple set of new rules to play by. Drawn from two decades of building The Bay, Bay High, and beyond, Mike’s “new rulebook” turns “we’ve always done it this way” into practical, new rules you can use the day after his event. 

Leveraging practical design thinking tools and lessons learned from case studies working with brands like Red Bull, Vans, Microsoft, Liquid Death, Jostens, and more; Mike helps audiences shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset, get out of maintenance mode, and flip their world from limitation to innovation.

Perfect for: Corporate and association events, educational leaders, marketing and innovation teams, foundations, city and community leaders, etc.

Attendees leave with:

• A new mindset: Constraints become fuel instead of friction, perfect for innovation and disruption.

• Simple tools: A plug-and-play “new rulebook” to unlock ideas inside existing systems, policies, and budgets.

• Clear next steps: A “best next options” takeaway so teams leave the room ready to break the rules inside the lines.

“Leadership, Culture, Storytelling, Life, Disruption; these things don’t happen by accident, they happen by design.” — Mike Smith

Pick one keynote or stack multiple themes for a custom day:

• Leadership By Design: Challenge the status quo and turn values into vision through disruptive, thought-provoking exercises.

• Culture By Design: Use language, experiences, and space to create authentic culture and drive results.

• Life By Design: Prototype your next chapter in life with confidence using practical design thinking tools.

• Disruption By Design: Use design thinking tools to break the rules inside the lines.

• Character By Design: Explore and define who you’re becoming; prototype the kind of person you want to be, learn fast, and turn what you learn into everyday habits.

Perfect for: Any audience, corporate events, industry leaders, educators, foundations, brands, etc.

Mike has taken the unconventional route in business, storytelling, and life, from skateboarding across Nebraska three times, to turning a forgotten warehouse into The Bay and Bay High, to filming an award-winning adventure on backroads and creating unforgettable human experiences. He shows audiences how overlooked places, underutilized spaces, scrappy ideas, and unlikely stories can become their unfair advantage.

This keynote gives a misfit-minded lens for tourism, brands, and entrepreneurs who want to turn hidden corners, local culture, and limited resources into experiences people can’t stop talking about.

Perfect for: Tourism, adventure/outdoors, entrepreneurship, and entertainment.

“Mike taught me how to scale it and fund it. We are reaching more kids in more places than ever before.” — Coach Cooley, Pushin’ Forward

Somewhere to go. Something to do. People who care. This keynote unpacks the mindset and ingredients behind building real third places for youth in your community. Mike shares how a scrappy idea in Lincoln, Nebraska became The Bay and Bay High, and what he’s learned from 15 years as an award-winning founder and entrepreneur.

Audiences learn how to reimagine abandoned malls, empty community centers, unused warehouses, and parking garages; and how to think differently about programming, data, design, and innovation. This keynote shares research and a field guide for community leaders on how to design and create the third places your young people have been asking for.

Perfect for: After school leaders, foundations, designers, higher education, Parks & Recreation, youth culture and development.

Attendees leave with:

• Education: A clear grasp of what third places are, where they work, and the core formula for success: Somewhere to go, something to do, and people who care.

• Ideas: Tangible, community-driven concepts on where to build, how to activate, and who to partner with first.

• Next steps: Clarity on the three biggest obstacles and a “best next options” plan to start making real progress after the event.