Michael Ventura

Business adviser, Business leader, Business mentor, Care taker, Change Agent, Concerned citizen, Connector, Designer, Educator/Teacher, Entrepreneur, Explorer, Foodie, Global soul, Idea generator, Investor

Michael Ventura is a creative executive, author, and strategic advisor who guides organizations and leaders through moments of consequence. He is the author of Applied Empathy (Simon & Schuster, 2018) and the forthcoming Constellation Thinking (Authors Equity, 2027), books that explore emotional intelligence, purpose, and systems thinking as practical disciplines for leadership and institutional clarity. For nearly two decades, Ventura founded and led Sub Rosa, an award-winning strategy and design firm advising organizations including the American Civil Liberties Union, Chanel, General Electric, Google, Nike, the United Nations, and the Obama-Biden Administration. Ventura has served as visiting faculty at Princeton University, the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, the United States Military Academy at West Point, and the Esalen Institute, and has lectured at MBA and executive education programs around the world. Across these settings, he translates real-world organizational challenges into frameworks leaders can apply under pressure. Today, he works with executives, founders, teams, and audiences through keynotes, programs, and strategic advisory engagements. His work clarifies reality, strengthens alignment, and supports decisions grounded in empathy and commercial discipline. Across individuals, teams, and institutions, he believes lasting transformation begins with deeper understanding.

Solving problems focused on human potential and cultural transformation.

The role of empathy in leadership and systems thinking is only increasing. It’s time to usher in a new era of perspective taking for ourselves, our teams, and our collective future.

Alternative Medicine, Design, Empathy, Indigenous Wisdom, Leadership, Organizational Design, Systems Thinking

I've been a member of this community since 2008. It's been wonderful to 'grow up' with this group of humans and I'm honored to walk alongside each of you and support you however I can.

Naming pets.