Looking for a keynote speaker that
sparks action, and not just applause?
You’ve come to the right place.
Mike Smith is an acclaimed innovation, travel, and adventure keynote speaker who helps audiences challenge the status quo, turn limitations into innovation, and design what’s next.
If you need a speaker who can fire up a room and equip attendees with valuable tools they can use on Monday morning, you’re in luck. For nearly two decades, Mike has turned bold ideas into real-world innovation, inspiring audiences to design what’s next.
As an award-winning entrepreneur, storyteller, and disruptor, Mike helps audiences rethink what’s possible. He’s spent his career building innovative businesses, reimagining public education, and partnering with global brands like Red Bull, X-Games, Vans, Toyota, Microsoft, and Liquid Death. Mike proves that big ideas don’t require big resources, just a new mindset and bold action.
As the founder, creator, and mastermind behind The Bay, a globally recognized third place hailed by Vice as a “creative haven,” Mike understands how to build something from nothing. As a Stanford-certified Design Your Life Coach and Gallup Global Strengths Coach, he blends design thinking, wayfinding, and storytelling to turn ideas into action. He also hosts the Culture & Coffee radio show on 93.7 The Ticket in his hometown of Lincoln, NE.
Mike’s work has earned him honors such as the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Nebraska Distinguished Entrepreneur Award and AIM’s Tech Leader of the Year. He’s also been featured in Forbes, Buzzfeed, and Vice, but what audiences love most is that his talks don’t just hype them up — they push them to rethink what’s possible, challenge the status quo, and take the road less traveled.
Whether speaking to corporate teams, industry leaders, or creative risk-takers, Mike helps audiences unleash their inner misfit, challenge the way things have always been done, and become the disruptors their teams and communities need.
If your event needs a burst of creative energy, practical takeaways, and a keynote attendees will talk about long after the lights go down, Mike’s your guy.
Speaking Topics
Breaking the Rules Inside the Lines
Make your conference a disruptive experience. Everyone has constraints; Mike’s field-tested misfit mindset teaches audiences how to turn limitations into innovation.
“By Design”
Leadership, Culture, Storytelling, Life, Disruption; these things don’t happen by accident, they happen by design. Keynotes, trainings, and workshops available.
Road Less Traveled
Turning overlooked places and scrappy ideas into global experiences. Ideal for tourism, adventure/outdoors, and entrepreneurs.
Designing a
Third Place
Mike’s tried and true blueprint for building spaces and programs where youth and youth culture thrive. Ideal for architects, after-school programs, foundations, designers, municipalities, and educators.
“Mike possesses an extraordinary ability to engage and inspire any audience . . . and consistently delivers with excellence.”
“Mike was awesome! Everyone continually brought up some learnings they took away. It also prompted several really key discussions leadership needs to have. Mike crushed it.”
Ready to disrupt your next event?
Here’s how it works!
Check Your Date → Confirm Mike’s availability
Pick Your Topic → Tailor Mike’s content to your audience
Enjoy Your Experience → Watch Mike energize
the room and leave attendees with tangible takeaways
As Featured By
Certifications & Awards
