1. Home
  2. Our Speakers
  3. Michael Ventura

Michael Ventura

  • Accomplished Leader, Practitioner, and Educator
  • Founder of Sub Rosa, an award-winning strategy and design consultancy helping leaders and their organizations explore, learn and grow
  • Author, 'Applied Empathy'

Add to my speaker list

Michael Ventura is an accomplished leader, practitioner, and educator. As the founder of strategy and design consultancy Sub Rosa, he advised influential organizations from the American Civil Liberties Union, Goldman Sachs, Google, Microsoft, and Nike to well-respected institutions such as The United Nations and the Obama-Biden Administration. Alongside his thought leadership work, Michael serves as faculty at the Esalen Institute and in private practice working with individuals seeking personal growth and mentorship. His book, Applied Empathy (Simon & Schuster 2018) explores the intersectionality of these two worlds (leadership and self development) through the practice of empathy for each of us as individuals, for others, and for society at large.

He has served as a board member and advisor to a variety of organizations including Behance, The Burning Man Project, The Smithsonian’s Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, the United Nations' affiliated Tribal Link Foundation, and a variety of growth-stage businesses. He is a visiting lecturer at institutions such as The University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, Princeton University, and the United States Military Academy at West Point. An ardent steward of personal and professional development, Michael is frequently engaged as an advisor to leaders, teams, and corporate boards at moments of transformation and change. 

 

Michael Ventura headshot
Past Hosts Include:
  • National Basketball Association
  • Beth Comstock, Former Vice Chair of General Electric
  • Gary Vaynerchuk
  • ACLU
  • University of Pennsylvania
  • IBM
  • Goldman Sachs
  • Google
  • ACLU
  • YPO
Rave Reviews About Michael Ventura
“
Michael Ventura was the first call for help I placed after joining the ACLU. He has an ability to help me think big with care and compassion. And he can also hone in on details and practices that ensure successful implementation of those big plans. He has been a great co-creator and coach for me and my team.

”
More rave reviews

"I’ve worked with Michael here at the NBA and at my previous role at West Point, it’s amazing to see the impact that he has on people. I appreciate the relationship we’ve built together and everything he’s done to help me and my teams grow."

-National Basketball Association

"Meaningful change happens when people come together with open arms, minds, and hearts. Honed through his experience working with a range of companies, Michael provides great insights and tools for how you too can make meaningful change happen."

-Beth Comstock, Former Vice Chair of General Electric

"I believe empathy has been the most underrated characteristic of the biggest winners in society. Michael has demonstrated an understanding and an execution around this incredible skill that I admire tremendously."

-Gary Vaynerchuk
Collapse rave reviews

Michael Ventura: Empathy Is Your Best Creative Tool | Adobe 99U Conference - Get Sharable Link
Talks & Conversations with Michael Ventura
Expand all >

Empathy in Business

Learn the foundations of how to build an empathetic business that drives team performance and deeper client understanding. ...

Learn the foundations of how to build an empathetic business that drives team performance and deeper client understanding.

Empathetic Leadership

Develop an approach to leading our organizations and our own growth with greater understanding and perspective. ...

Develop an approach to leading our organizations and our own growth with greater understanding and perspective.

Organizational Transformation

Guide your people and your organization through complex moments with better empathy. ...

Guide your people and your organization through complex moments with better empathy.

Building Culture in Hybrid Workplaces

Understand how to connect and cultivate a resilient, supportive culture with teams working in hybrid and asynchronous ways. ...

Understand how to connect and cultivate a resilient, supportive culture with teams working in hybrid and asynchronous ways.

Growing Better Managers

Help your managers to work with greater purpose and a connection to the organization’s growth. ...

Help your managers to work with greater purpose and a connection to the organization’s growth.

Prioritizing Purpose for Individuals and Teams

Build a clear purpose that inspires and unifies your organization and puts it on the path to sustainable, long-term success. ...

Build a clear purpose that inspires and unifies your organization and puts it on the path to sustainable, long-term success.

Cross-Departmental Collaboration

Ensure that your leaders and teams understand the value and interdependence that makes businesses and cultures go from good to great. ...

Ensure that your leaders and teams understand the value and interdependence that makes businesses and cultures go from good to great.

Leading Teams Remotely

Deliver new strategies that help to connect and foster integration in an increasingly diversified workplace. ...

Deliver new strategies that help to connect and foster integration in an increasingly diversified workplace.

Instagram  LinkedIn 
(-)
Books by Michael Ventura
Applied Empathy: The New Language of Leadership

Applied Empathy: The New Language of Leadership

(-)
Press & Media
The Dark Side of Empathy - The New York Times
Brief But Spectacular [video] - Michael Ventura
Wonderer | Curiosity is a catalyst - Michael Ventura.co
Tea and Empathy: Sub Rosa’s Michael Ventura Feels Your Pain - AdAge
With 'Applied Empathy,' Michael Ventura Spotlights Empathy As Competitive Advantage In Business - Forbes
Big Spaceship Relaunches as SPCSHP for a New Community Era - Agency Spy
(-)
Biography

Michael Ventura is an accomplished leader, practitioner, and educator. As the founder of strategy and design consultancy Sub Rosa, he advised influential organizations from the American Civil Liberties Union, Goldman Sachs, Google, Microsoft, and Nike to well-respected institutions such as The United Nations and the Obama-Biden Administration. Alongside his thought leadership work, Michael serves as faculty at the Esalen Institute and in private practice working with individuals seeking personal growth and mentorship. His book, Applied Empathy (Simon & Schuster 2018) explores the intersectionality of these two worlds (leadership and self development) through the practice of empathy for each of us as individuals, for others, and for society at large.

He has served as a board member and advisor to a variety of organizations including Behance, The Burning Man Project, The Smithsonian’s Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum, the United Nations' affiliated Tribal Link Foundation, and a variety of growth-stage businesses. He is a visiting lecturer at institutions such as The University of Michigan's Ross School of Business, Princeton University, and the United States Military Academy at West Point. An ardent steward of personal and professional development, Michael is frequently engaged as an advisor to leaders, teams, and corporate boards at moments of transformation and change. 

More ideas that might interest you:
Authors of Business Best Sellers
Authors of Non-Fiction
CEOs & C-Suite
Change & Growth
Disruption
Education
Execution & Strategy
Fashion & Design
Innovators & Entrepreneurs
Leadership & Strategic Management
Personal Growth & Inspiration
TED Speakers
Workforce Culture