It’s been a long and interesting journey from paralyzing stage fright to a sought-after international keynote speaker.
I’ve spoken at events ranging from customized talks and coaching for companies like IDEO, Apple, Google, Amazon, The Home Depot, GE, and many more; to large international keynotes at SXSW, HOW Design Live, Awwwards, Pausefest, FUSE, Tech Open Air, Fifteen Seconds Festival and more alongside speakers like Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, Nest founder Tony Fadell, Martha Stewart, Zappos.com CEO Tony Hsieh, and John Maeda.
My talks are consistently scored by attendees as one of the best at every event by as much as 4 times other speakers because I give honest and actionable takeaways the audience can immediately implement. I’m the only speaker named an Adobe MAX Master, voted by attendees as one of the top 20 speakers at the conference, for 4 consecutive years with those sessions receiving an average score of 4.9 out of 5 from over 8,000 attendees. I have been chosen for solo keynotes at SXSW for two consecutive years, given the highest-rated keynote in the history of HOW Design Live, and more.
2 Solo keynotes
Highest rated talk
4X MAX Master
I'm an IDEO Trained Design Thinking instructor and facilitator
Asked by Amazon to deliver the opening keynote for their Conflux internal design conference
“I’ve been attending industry conferences and company off-sites since the early ’90s, and have heard everyone from Seth Godin to Jared Spool to Guy Kawasaki to Malcolm Gladwell and countless people in between but can honestly say Stephen was far and away and without reservation one of THE best presentations I’ve ever seen.”
SXSWPausefestAdobe MAXFUSEFifteen Seconds FestivalDesign Thinkers TorontoWorld Usability DayWorld Future Trends SummitThe Mobile Marketing Conference
Design Thinkers VancouverAdTech New YorkSocial Media Week NYCNYC Creative xChangeHOW Design LiveAIGA LeadConAdobe Tech SummitMakers of BarcelonaDigital Luxury NYCSan Francisco Art Directors Club
“Last year Stephen gave me advice about being a young Creative Director that changed my career. His classes alone are worth the ticket price.”
I've given workshops and classes on leadership and innovation at Apple, Google, Nike, Meta, Uber, IDEO, Adobe L’Oreal, GE, Carrefour, and more.
GUEST LECTURER & TEACHER
Teaching creatives to outthink us.
From Harvard to RISD, SVA to SCAD — stepping into classrooms at the world’s top creative programs isn’t just a guest spot. It’s a chance to hand the mic to the next generation. To challenge their thinking. To sharpen their instincts. To show them what’s possible beyond the portfolio.
Because the industry doesn’t need more people who just “get the brief.” It needs leaders who question it. Innovators who can push ideas further. And if we can light that spark in one lecture, that’s time well spent.
attendee
testimonials
“I have heard everyone from Seth Godin to Jared Spool to Guy Kawasaki to Malcolm Gladwell and countless people in between but can honestly say Stephen was far and away and without reservation one of THE best presentations I’ve ever seen.”
“Your talk was perfect, honest and exactly what designers need to hear. A true inspiration and I can’t get over how fortunate we were to have your voice speaking the truth”
"Terrific! So knowledgeable and so cool!Had some mind blowing insights and techniques. I've always struggled to generate great ideas and they have given me the skills to do so."
“Your talk was perfect, honest and exactly what designers need to hear. A true inspiration and I can’t get over how fortunate we were to have your voice speaking the truth”
