Erik Qualman
Top Technology and Motivational Speaker, Futurist, & #1 Best-Selling Author
- His best-selling business books are used in over 200 universities and have been translated into eight languages
- Has performed in over 50 countries and reached 25 million people this decade
- Expert speaker on topics such as innovation, leadership, digital leadership, future trends, and digital transformation
- Called a “Digital Dale Carnegie” and “the Tony Robbins of Tech,” he helps organizations understand the implications of social media on our daily lives—and how businesses can tap the power of social media to increase their sales, cut their marketing costs, and reach consumers directly
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About Erik Qualman
Download ProfileErik Qualman is a globally recognized keynote speaker on AI, digital leadership, focus, and the future of work. He is a 5x #1 bestselling author and has spoken in over 60 countries and reached more than 60 million people while earning a 4.9 rating out of 5 for motivating his audiences. Qualman helps organizations turn change into a competitive advantage.
He is known for helping leaders and teams future-proof themselves in an AI-powered world—focusing not just on technology, but on the human behaviors that drive success.
A former Silicon Valley executive and sitting professor at Harvard and MIT’s edX Labs, he earned an honorary doctorate for his groundbreaking work. Qualman currently teaches Digital Leadership & AI at Northwestern University. His work sits at the intersection of innovation, leadership, and emerging technology, with a practical focus on moving to action.
His high-energy, interactive keynotes move audiences to action—literally and figuratively. Attendees wear his signature green glasses as a reminder to focus on the future—thinking big versus busy—creating a memorable experience that blends insights with fun.
His work has been featured on 60 Minutes and in The Wall Street Journal, and used by organizations ranging from Google to the FBI. He was voted the 2nd Most Likely Author in the World behind the Harry Potter series. Qualman’s Socialnomics work has been deployed by Nordstrom to the National Guard to NASA. His commencement address on “Things Happen for You, Not to You” is one of the most-watched in the world on YouTube.
Video Gallery
Erik Qualman: How To Become A Disruptor
Erik Qualman Speaker Reel 2026
Erik Qualman: Digital Transformation Video
Erik Qualman Speaking Reel 2018
Erik Qualman | Socialnomics 2018
Digital Leadership Speaker Erik Qualman
Erik Qualman: Digital Trends & Leadership | LAI
Erik Qualman at TEDxNashville
Erik Qualman: Social Media Revolution
Speech Topics
Download TopicsLeaders this digital decade are made—not born. We don’t have a choice on whether we transform, the choice is how well we do it. The key is understanding & never forgetting the powerful harmony between the offline and online. While technology changes every second; human nature never does.
Based on profound and practical research, Qualman showcases the 5 Habits that drive success & happiness for employees, partners, and customers. Qualman reveals new techniques including Posting-It-Forward, Being Flawsome™, Socialnomics™, 1 to 10, and other insights that will transform your audience & organization. Learn how to stay a year ahead of your competition but never a year ahead of your market.
Key Takeaways [research-based]
- The 5 Digital Leadership Habits of leading organizations
- New methods of innovation
- Future Proofing top-line and bottom-line growth
Erik’s supporting Books: Digital Leader, The Focus Project, What Happens in Vegas Stays on YouTube
It seems impossible to focus in this unfocused world. Yet, the main difference between winners and losers in this era of quantum change and distraction is … Focus. Winners are constantly focusing on BIG things versus BUSY things. While it sounds simple, it’s not easy.
The #1 killer of promising careers, teams, and businesses is a lack of focus. We either try to do too much, get easily distracted, or put our time, treasures, and talent into the wrong buckets. Qualman shares insights from his #1 Bestselling book, The Focus Project, providing practical techniques to make focus a daily habit. Learning to focus in this unfocused world is a modern superpower. How and what we focus on today will determine our growth and success tomorrow.
Key Takeaways:
- Being the change vs fearing the change
- Making focus a daily habit
- Going Big vs Busy
Erik’s supporting book: The Focus Project
We don’t have a choice on whether we digitally transform via AI. The choice is how well we do it. As a leading futurist, professor, and author, Erik Qualman is at the forefront of the AI revolution and the impact it’s having across all sectors.
The key is not only leveraging AI, social media, IoT, mobile, AI, and Blockchain, but more importantly, understanding how they work together to drive successful outcomes like winning customers, employee retention, and beyond. In short, it’s about getting to artificial relevance.
Key Takeaways:
- Using AI technology to make your organization more efficient and human.
- Overcoming the challenges these new technologies present including successfully navigating ethical implications, job adjustments, algorithmic bias, employee retention, privacy, security, and more.
- Striking the successful balance between AI and Eye-2-Eye (Jetsons + Flintstones).
Erik’s supporting books: Digital Leader, The Focus Project
To ensure you are the disruptor versus the disrupted, you must understand societal shifts and instill a culture of creativity around them. This session looks at key future trends and their impact on your organization. Qualman provides the roadmap for your organization’s continual transformation by fostering a culture of daily innovation. After all, most innovation is evolutionary versus revolutionary. Leap over the competition by landing on a foundation of progressive and practical innovation principles. Future forward.
Erik’s supporting books: Digital Leader, Socialnomics, What Happens in Vegas Stays on Youtube
Based on his #1 Bestseller, Qualman dives into the powerful concept of Socialnomics. Word of Mouth is on digital steroids and has transformed into World-of-Mouth. Organizations must learn the new rules of social, mobile, and beyond or they will miss this once-in-a-generation opportunity to earn customers’ loyalty and drive long-term success. Socialnomics is the key to winning customers’ hearts, minds, and wallets.
Big Ideas in 24 Hours
Our veteran team is standing by to help with big ideas and real perspective. Call us at +44 20 3038 4689, email us at [email protected], or click below for a custom speaker proposal.







