Adam Braun

New York Times & Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author, 'The Promise of a Pencil'
Founder, Pencils of Promise
Founder and CEO, MissionU - a 21st-century higher education company teaching hard and soft skills for the new economy
Recipient of the Jefferson Award - the nation's oldest and most prestigious award for public service

Coca-Cola, Kraft, and Great-West Life have all hosted New York Times and Wall Street Journal Bestselling Author Adam Braun and praised him as “The best speaker I’ve ever seen in the history of our company’s offsite events.” (Coca-Cola HBC); “The feeling was unanimous, the best speaker we’ve ever had at an offsite.” (Kraft Brands); “We all agreed that he is someone to watch over the next few years.” (Great-West Life)

Adam Braun knows how to motivate people to powerful action and organizations who bring Adam to their event are seeing the difference. His TEDTalk "The Five Phrases That Can Change Your Life," has been viewed 1.3 million times.

The Founder of Pencils Of Promise, Adam Braun’s story is how one young man turned $25 into more than 525 schools, serving 100,000 students around the world, and built a global community which is well on its way to achieving its goal of making a quality education a possibility for everyone. His story proves that anyone can take small steps to lead a successful and significant life.

Adam's book, The Promise of a Pencil, did not become a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller just because it was a great story; it became a sought-after guide for achieving goals and dreams and in the book Adam outlines chapters that provide actionable steps toward success. Adam empowers audiences to discover their next big idea, and he gives them guideposts for a path forward. Watch him in action in this inspiring presentation: Creating Extraordinary Change in Life & Business

Adam went on to become Founder & CEO of MissionU, a 21st-century higher education company teaching hard and soft skills for the new economy. MissionU was an early pioneer in remote learning for workforce development that led to it being named to Fast Company's "Most Innovative Companies" in 2018, and it was acquired by WeWork later that year.

By the age of 31 Adam was already named to Business Insider’s 40 Under 40, Wired magazine‘s 50 People Who Are Changing the World, and was selected as one of the World Economic Forum’s first ten Global Shapers. Braun was previously nominated for the TED Prize and has received the nation's oldest and most prestigious award for public service, the Jefferson Award.

Videos: Watch Adam Braun Speak >>
Topics: Talks & Conversations with Adam Braun >>

Past Hosts Include:

Jewish Federations of North America
YPO-WPO Global Summit
National Summit on Education Reform
Crown Prince Court of Abu Dhabi, Qudwa Global Teachers Forum
Direct Marketers Association

Million Dollar Roundtable
St. Bonaventure
United Way of Westchester and Putnam
Forbes
Jewish Federation of Houston

Rave Reviews About Adam Braun

“

Adam’s talk was engaging, powerful and tailored to the audience he was a addressing. The reviews were overwhelmingly positive. He had the sell- out crowd of 700 people mesmerized- and that was at an early morning breakfast! Throughout the day, people were commenting and mentioning points that he made in his presentation. He had the right balance of information, tips, humor and stirring stories.

- United Way of Westchester and Putnam

”

More rave reviews

"He was great. Entirely personable. Totally adapted his talk for the group we had. He seriously couldn’t have been better. He was outstanding. We sold out every book we had of his at the end of the program. People loved him."

-Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago

"Adam Braun [was] fantastic! The audience had such positive feedback about [his] session. I luckily had the chance to attend Adam's session and was very inspired by Mission U. I think its going to be such a life changing cause that will have tremendous impact on many students..."

-Consulting firm for Crown Prince Court of Abu Dhabi, Qudwa Global Teachers Forum

"Everything was wonderful! Adam is so kind."

-Jewish Federation of Houston

"Adam Braun's presentation was the perfect message for inspiring and motivating our volunteers and supporters who attended the event on Friday. From local CEOs to labor volunteers and from young professional groups to long-time volunteers, we have had an overwhelmingly positive response with many guests citing this breakfast as our best one to date. I think the standing ovation and sold-out book signing were also a testament to his enthusiasm and approachability. We hope Adam enjoyed his very short stay in Peoria; we really appreciate that he took the time from his busy schedule to speak at our kickoff breakfast."

-Heart of Illinois United Way

"Adam was fabulous! Engaging and inspiring! Wonderful event for us."

-Pathways For Children

"Compelling. Passionate. Engaging. His story is amazing in and of itself. When he tells it, the hairs on your arms all stand up and your heart skips a beat."

-American Association of Advertising Agencies

"The oldest soul with the newest ideas I've ever heard."

-Direct Marketers Association

"The feeling was unanimous, the best speaker we've ever had at an offsite."

-Kraft Brands

"In the case of Adam’s keynote address, 'perfect' is applicable... humble, intelligent, purposeful, kind, and disarmingly humorous."

-St. Bonaventure

"A leader amongst an emerging generation of change makers who are proving that every person can be a force for positive change."

-UNICEF

"A compelling and singular story filled with universal truths everyone needs to hear."

-U.S. Senator Cory Booker

"I was left utterly speechless, the best event we've ever had."

-COX Communications

"Adam's presentation was fantastic, inspiring the young Jewish adults in our community with his highly relatable story. I was particularly impressed with his ability to cater his message specifically to the topic of the night: how does the next generation of Jews (and beyond) use the lessons of the Holocaust to create positive social change. The audience was left with a clear call to action to honor our past by seeking out meaningful work that makes a difference in the world"

-Detroit Holocaust Museum

"Thank you so much for closing out our National Summit on Education Reform with your inspiring story. Your message was a perfect way to close the summit and it also touched on themes that were raised by Dr. Mitra and Arthur Brooks the previous day. The work of Pencils of Promise is so important to bringing education and hope to children around the world. Thank you for what you do each and every day."

-National Summit on Education Reform

"A remarkably inspiring story that shares the essential lessons to creating a life of meaning, passion, and purpose."

-Deepak Chopra

"An inspiring model for all those who long to leverage all that they are and care about, to do great good in the world."

-Forbes

"Adam represents exactly the shift our world needs, one where the brightest minds of our generation focus on addressing the most important problems of our time. "

-Founder, Change.org

"For anyone with a big dream to transform the world, this book will show you how to get it done."

-Sir Richard Branson

"The best speaker I've ever seen in the history of our company's offsite events. "

-Coca-Cola HBC

"Adam was a great speaker and everyone loved him. We all agreed that he is someone to watch over the next few years as he is not stopping at Pencils of Promise. He actually got a Standing O at both programs."

-The Great-West Life Assurance Company

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Adam Braun Sizzle Reel

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Adam Braun: Key Steps to Achieving Profound Goals | Top of the Table

The 1mm Domino | Pathways for Children

Adam Braun for Laurel Springs School's Commencement

Adam Braun: The Five Phrases That Can Change Your Life | TEDxColumbiaCollege

Adam Braun on the Spirit of the Time | Google ZeitgeistMinds

Talks & Conversations with Adam Braun

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The Innovator’s Edge | Building a Future-Ready Organization

In a world characterized by rapid change and uncertainty, the ability to anticipate future trends is a critical leadership skill. This speech explores the strategies and techniques that the most successful leaders employ to gain a competitive edge. In this riveting presentation, Braun delves into th ...

In this riveting presentation, Braun delves into the art of foresight, discussing how to identify emerging trends, analyze potential disruptions, and assess future scenarios. He then explores the importance of cultivating a culture of innovation and experimentation, which enables organizations to adapt and thrive in a dynamic environment. Through storytelling, science and audience engagement, every attendee will gain valuable insights into how to develop their own foresight skills and inspire their organizations to build for the future, today.

Audience Takeaways:

Unleash your visionary spark by discovering your next groundbreaking idea
Transform vision into action: Implement tactical steps to bring your idea to life How to engage others to build a movement around your ideas
How to convert early wins into sustained and enduring progress

Build For Where The World Is Headed | Unlocking Innovation in a Rapidly Changing World

How do the world’s most successful leaders navigate uncertainty in a rapidly changing world? Through a teachable four-step framework, Adam Braun shows you how great companies anticipate tomorrow’s reality, today. In this call-to- action of a talk, Braun shares enlightening examples of how others have navigated through unprecedented rates of change to find enduring success, the emerging trends that will shape where we’re headed next, and how to embolden your team to take the concrete actions to thrive in the midst of transformation.

Drawing from two decades of research and first-hand experiences that come to life in this riveting talk, Braun will have you on the edge of your seat and ready to take action so that you too are ready to lean into the benefits of rapid innovation.

Audience Takeaways:

Learn the science of how organizations and individuals best navigate change
Discover how to make bold, calculated decisions to enhance trust and success Remove fear and restore a sense of optimism in your people
Define a course of action to ensure success within transformation

The Mindset of Compounding Greatness | Creating a Sustainable Competitive Advantage

What’s the difference between a one time success and those that build a culture that produces an enduring legacy? It’s a mindset of compounding greatness. In this keynote, NY Times bestselling author and award-winning entrepreneur Adam Braun shares the five keys that the most successful teams in the ...

What’s the difference between a one time success and those that build a culture that produces an enduring legacy? It’s a mindset of compounding greatness.

In this keynote, NY Times bestselling author and award-winning entrepreneur Adam Braun shares the five keys that the most successful teams in the world have imbued into their mentality and processes to create repeatable, resounding successes that powers year-over-year growth and evolution.

Through engaging storytelling filled with simple memorable phrases and proven frameworks that teams can start implementing right away in their daily rhythms and habits, Braun elevates not just every attendee’s intentions, but inspires and enables teams to immediately convert their boldest aspirations into the small calculated bets that will drive your most powerful ambitions to become reality.

Audience Takeaways

Learn how to instill a mindset of compounding greatness within teams, focusing on incremental improvements that drive sustained success
Gain tools to enhance daily routines and processes that support individuals to navigate change and achieve consistent peak performance
Develop your tangible steps to convert ambitious goals into practical actions with every team member contributing to compounding successes

Ordinary Person, Extraordinary Change | How Every Person Can Affect The Masses

Most people believe one person can’t make a difference. Adam Braun proves otherwise by captivating audiences with his story of being an ordinary person, creating extraordinary change — something he believes everyone can do. In this inspirational presentation, Braun shares his journey from an ordinar ...

Rooted in a compelling round-the-world story with humorous twists and turns, Braun anchors this speech around key learnings that can serve as guideposts when facing the most challenging moments in our careers and lives. This is the talk that audiences will remember and speak about for years.

Audience Takeaways:

How to discover your next big idea
Tactical steps to turn that big idea into action
Best practices to engage those around you to build a movement Lessons to convert inspiration into enduring growth

Books by Adam Braun

The Promise of A Pencil: How An Ordinary Person Can Create Extraordinary Change

Press & Media

Start-up partners with Lyft, Spotify to help young people skip college and land high-paying jobs - CNBC

How I became the founder of Pencils of Promise and CEO of MissionU: Adam Braun - USAToday

This school won't charge you tuition until after you get a job - CNNMoney

Pencils Of Promise Founder Adam Braun Has An Audacious Plan To Reinvent College - Forbes

How to build a big organisation that solves even bigger problems - Esquire

Why Adam Braun Believes Pursuing Novel Experiences Is Essential For Your Career - Forbes

This Startup Is Pitching a 1-Year Alternative to College for Zero Money Down - Inc.com

Adam Braun on Discovering What You Are Meant to Accomplish - Success

My company and twins are both less than a year old—here's what I've learned - Quartz

Why the Traditional 4-Year Degree Isn't Cutting It Anymore - Entrepreneur

Ideas for the Meeting Planner

Biography

Adam Braun is a 3x award-winning entrepreneur, NY Times & WSJ bestselling author, and a renowned keynote speaker on leadership and innovation. His riveting, inspiring talks have been watched more than 3 million times, and each one shares actionable lessons to help leaders navigate uncertainty, unleash their visionary spark, and build a better tomorrow.

As CEO of Clarasight, the technology company whose clients represent more than $3T in market value and Founder of Pencils of Promise, the organization he started with $25 that has built more than 600 schools around the world, his talks are rooted in the authentic first-hand lessons learned through successes and struggles in building pioneering companies at the frontlines of industry innovation.

His journey has taken him to 75 countries to identify how the world's best leaders build a mindset of compounding greatness and navigate uncertainty to shape the future. He has been featured as a speaker at The White House, Harvard Business School and countless Fortune 500 companies, industry associations and universities.

His book, The Promise of a Pencil: How an Ordinary Person Can Create Extraordinary Change, is an international bestseller that debuted at #2 on the NY Times bestsellers list. He has also been named to Business Insider’s 40 Under 40, Wired’s 50 People Who Will Change the World, and is the recipient of the Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Award.

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