Erik is an incredibly inspiring guy with a rare ability to engage any audience. For our event, he had a massive ballroom full of IT and business execs engrossed by his words, amazed by his creativity, and moved by his lessons. I cannot recommend working with Erik enough. This guy is the real deal. In fact, I keep getting congratulations and kudos for booking him!
Erik Wahl
TED Presenter, Creative Communicator and Author of "Unthink"
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Erik Wahl
Biography
Erik Wahl is an internationally recognized artist, TED speaker, and No. 1 bestselling author. His breakthrough experience as an artist and entrepreneur has translated into making him into one of the most sought-after corporate speakers on the circuit today.
On stage, Erik’s keynote experience creates a dynamic multidimensional metaphor for how to systematically embrace innovation and risk. His message: disruption is the new normal and businesses must embrace creativity in a wholesale fashion, or risk being left behind. Erik’s presentation inspires organizations to be increasingly agile and outlines how to use disruption as a competitive advantage. Some companies will be disrupted others will choose to be the disruptor. Choose wisely.
His new book, The Spark and the Grind, activates the essential components of translating ideas into action. His breakthrough thinking has earned praise from the likes of top influencers in both art and business.
Erik’s previous book, a bestseller called Unthink was hailed by Forbes Magazine as The blueprint to actionable creativity, and by Fast Company Magazine as “provocative with a purpose.” The Warhol of Wall Street, the Renoir of ROI, The Picasso of Productivity, the Jobs of … Well, Jobs.
Erik discovered an alarming truth early in his career as a partner in a corporate firm: organizations that encouraged the mental discipline of creativity did better than those that did not put innovation as a priority mission. So he set out to challenge companies to change their way of thinking.
In the meantime, inspired by street art, he became an acclaimed graffiti artist—though he has since stopped selling his works for personal gain, and instead uses his art to raise money for charities. His keynote is where his passion for business growth and art converge into a fascinating performance.
Erik’s list of clients includes AT&T, Disney, London School of Business, Microsoft, FedEx, Exxon Mobil, Ernst & Young, and XPrize.
Erik Wahl
Featured Keynote Programs
The Spark and the Grind
Ignite the Power of Disciplined Creativity
If you are not thinking about disruption, complexity and continual innovation in your industry, then we’ve got news for you: You are ignoring a perilous gaping void, and if you don’t fill it, someone else will.
Technology and culture are in a state of continual flux, and today’s business demands an environment where innovation is not only welcomed, but required. So how can you keep up and instill a disciplined approach to innovation?
Erik Wahl, bestselling author, artist and one of the nation’s most in-demand keynote speakers. His new book and presentation, THE SPARK AND THE GRIND: IGNITE THE POWER OF DISCIPLINED CREATIVITY presents the yin and the yang of the creative process: How to create and maintain the flow of ideas, and how to execute them. The world is filled with dreamers and doers—but the only way things happen are when dreamers muster the mental tenacity and hard work, and when doers harness their innate creativity and flexibility.
Erik’s dynamic presentation explores the process of creativity and creation. Audiences are inspired to laughter, tears and always leave with a desire to unearth more meaning in their work and their lives, and the tools to find it.
In THE SPARK AND THE GRIND keynote, Erik:
· Deconstructs the process and discipline necessary to realize the visions of master creators such as Isaac Newton, Thomas Edison and Martin Luther King, Jr.
· Delves into the science of innovation, and how to tap it for your own purposes
· Drives home the importance of creative culture, regardless of industry, and how to harness it for individual and collective success.
The Art of Vision
Your best sustainable edge is being better at mastering change and innovation than your competition. Erik’s Signature keynote, The Art of Vision is an entertaining and highly practical program that uncovers new ways to make your organization more creative, more productive and ultimately, more profitable. This 45-60 minute multi-media format is ideally suited to open or close your meeting on a dynamic high note.
Discovering Your Untapped Potential
This fast paced and highly interactive 90 minute workshop is designed to provide specific strategies to unleash personal and professional achievement through creativity. By exploring techniques to stretch our minds, audiences will uncover new methods to solve old problems, discover new opportunities, and ultimately differentiate themselves from their competition. This program is ideally suited as a follow up for audiences who have already experienced Erik’s Art of Vision keynote.
UNthink™
UNthink is the signature keynote experience from Erik’s bestselling book. It is dynamic multi media keynote experience specifically designed to challenge audiences to achieve superior levels of performance. It will inspire them to let go of their traditional thought patterns and better understand how to create disruptive strategies of innovation. Creativity is in all of us. We simply need to rediscover the keys that will unlock our untapped potential. UNthink will Unleash organizational excellence and help your audience better understand that they are all capable of so much more than they have been conditioned to believe.