book michael for Speaking engagements
The sought-after voice that founders — and those who serve them — trust.
Michael has lived it. Under extreme circumstances. That survival became a movement — “We are all lonely entrepreneurs.” He has turned survival into a movement that instantly resonates with entrepreneurs and organizations looking to build trust with them. And now he helps founders and the organizations around them answer the question on everyone’s mind — Will I survive in an AI world? — with the release of the Entrepreneur Survival Guide.
The result is a voice that’s emotional, tactical, and unforgettable — built for leaders navigating the AI era.
Speaking Reel
Why this lands
Audiences don’t need hype. They need truth from someone who lived it — and a strategy that works in an AI world.
- Truth + tactics — emotional permission and practical steps.
- AI era urgency — not hype, a new battlefield.
- Real survival — built through 2008, not theory.
- A movement line — “We are all lonely entrepreneurs.”
- A true system — integrate the Entrepreneur Survival Guide into any engagement.
Who This Is For
Audiences that get the most value — because they’re all facing the same problem: trust, pressure, and the AI-era shift.
Organizations That Sell to SMBs
The war for the small business customer is intense. New AI solutions threaten incumbents, and most entrepreneurs don’t trust anyone selling to them. Understanding what makes them tick and building trust with them is essential.
Brands That Target Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurs don’t respond to brand messages — they respond to understanding. This keynote helps brands connect with small business owners by speaking to the realities they live every day: pressure, isolation, responsibility, and survival in an AI-driven world.
Investors Serving SMBs
Private equity, venture, and family offices supporting founder-led businesses face the same challenge: execution under pressure.
This keynote gives investors a shared lens for understanding founder behavior, decision-making, and trust—helping them support stronger execution across their portfolios in the AI era.
Professional Services That Advise SMBs
Advisors win trust when founders feel understood — not managed. This talk helps professional services firms translate complex expertise into language founders actually hear, especially when the stakes are high and decisions matter most. It positions advisors as true partners.
Mental Health and Wellness Platforms
Entrepreneur mental health isn’t about balance — it’s about survival under pressure. This keynote gives mental health, wellness, and loneliness-focused organizations language that resonates with founders who don’t see themselves as “burned out,” but as responsible for everything. It reframes mental health as performance and endurance — without labels founders reject.
Founder Ecosystems & Communities
Founders don’t need more advice — they need language for what they’re living. This keynote gives founder communities a way to meet founders where they are: under pressure, overloaded, and trying to survive an AI-driven world.The result is content that resonates immediately, creates shared understanding, and strengthens the community’s credibility without sounding like another advisor.
Signature Talks
Each talk can be delivered as a keynote, fireside chat, or interactive workshop. Content is customized to your audience. The newly released Entrepreneur Survival Guide can be integrated into each talk.
How to Build Trust with Entrepreneurs
What companies selling to SMBs must understand about pressure, responsibility, and risk to earn trust and credibility with entrepreneurs in a world competing for their attention.
How to Think Like an Entrepreneur in the AI Era
Why companies must adopt entrepreneurial speed, judgment, and behavior to stay relevant as AI accelerates decision-making and uncertainty.
What Does It Take to Survive in an AI World?
How AI has changed the entrepreneur’s reality—and what organizations must understand to remain relevant as pressure and complexity intensify.
Work-Life Balance Is Bullsh*t
A realistic framework for supporting entrepreneur mental endurance, showing why obsession is essential—and how founders sustain it without breaking.
“People say Taylor Swift connects because young women feel like she’s talking to them in their bedrooms. Michael is the same for entrepreneurs. What he says is what we all feel every day.”
Speaking Inquiry
Tell us a bit about your event and we’ll respond quickly with availability and options.
If the form doesn’t load, email
operations@lonelyentrepreneur.com
.
The Journey Through the Perfect Storm that Led to A Movement
The Lonely Entrepreneur Journey with Michael Dermer
How to Lead Through Crisis with Michael Dermer
Speaking
The sought-after voice that entrepreneurs trust — and companies rely on to reach them.
Michael helps organizations understand entrepreneurs deeply — so they can earn trust, cut through noise, and stay relevant in an AI-driven world.
Speaking Reel
Why this lands
- Truth + tactics — not theory.
- Trust-first — built for skeptical entrepreneurs.
- AI-era relevance — the battlefield shifted.
- A movement line — “We are all lonely entrepreneurs.”
Best for: companies selling to SMBs, brands serving entrepreneurs, investors (incl. family offices), founder ecosystems, and mental health/wellness orgs.
Keynotes
How to Build Trust with Entrepreneurs
What companies must understand to earn credibility in a world competing for SMB attention.
How to Think Like an Entrepreneur in the AI Era
Why companies must adopt entrepreneurial speed, judgment, and behavior as AI accelerates uncertainty.
What Does It Take to Survive in an AI World?
How AI is changing the entrepreneur’s reality—and what organizations must understand to stay relevant.
Work-Life Balance Is BS
A framework for entrepreneur mental endurance: obsession is real—here’s how it doesn’t break you.
Speaking Inquiry
Tell us about your event and we’ll respond quickly with availability and options.
If the form doesn’t load, email
operations@lonelyentrepreneur.com.