Michael Solomon
• Author of 'Game Changer: How to be 10x in the Talent Economy'
Using the tech industry as an example, Game Changer shows companies how to attract and manage 10x talent by ditching traditional business structures, for a more agile approach where 10xers can be plugged in where they will make the most impact--and where they themselves will find the most fulfillment.
From working with Bruce Springsteen to founding Brick Wall Management and 10x Management with his close childhood friend, Rishon Blumberg, Michael Solomon has turned his passions into reality. Most recently, Michael is the author of Game Changer (HarperCollins; September 2020), which reveals the secrets to becoming a “10xer” for anyone in any industry.
Brick Wall started as a music management company shaping the careers of musicians like John Mayer, Citizen Cope, and Vanessa Carlton. It racked up Grammy Awards and nominations and more than 10 million albums sold. And it now includes a consulting business that touches nearly every angle of the arts — representing Emmy-award-winning and chart-topping songwriters, producers, directors, and companies.
10x brought Michael’s decades of experience managing creatives to the technology sphere, carving out a place as a trusted, exclusive resource for companies seeking coveted freelance tech experts. Michael frequently discusses tech talent and the challenges surrounding the industry on networks like MSNBC, Bloomberg, BBC. He’s also appeared in publications including The New York Times, The New Yorker, Forbes, and The Economist.
10x Ascend has grown out of the 10x Management practice of representing high end tech freelancers. Over the years, 10x clients have been coveted by the companies they have freelanced for and often those companies made W2 employment offers to our 10x clients. When this happened, 10x have helped them negotiate their compensation packages and it quickly became clear that this service was valuable and impactful to our clients but perhaps most importantly, sorely needed. It was this experience that lead Michael and Rishon to create a stand alone company whose sole focus is to help senior level tech talent obtain the most favorable employment terms possible.
Michael’s extensive nonprofit work includes serving as the pro-bono administrator for The Kristen Ann Carr Fund (KACF) for sarcoma treatment and research, which was founded in memory of his girlfriend, Kristen Carr. KACF honored him for his years of dedication at their 20th anniversary celebration.
KACF also inspired Michael to co-found Musicians On Call, a nonprofit that brings live music to hospital patients at their bedsides, playing for more than 500,000 people since 1999. MOC currently runs in 18 cities nationally — and counting. He received the 2014 President’s Volunteer Service Award from President Obama for his work with MOC and remains an active member of its Board of Directors.
Michael has a passion for personal and professional growth and makes it his mission to optimize himself and all of his diverse endeavors.
A born and bred Manhattanite, Michael moved to Montclair, NJ in 2014 with his awesome wife, Jenny, and two fantastic kids, Lucy and Rainen.
Speech topics
GAME CHANGER
Individuals, companies and governments around the globe need to understand what tactics are required to survive and thrive in an increasingly global, automated, and post pandemic, distributed economy. The lessons presented in Game Changer reveal those tactics for any industry.
Learn proven strategies on how companies can create the right environment for top talent by evolving traditional business structures and adopting a more agile approach. For readers who are confident in their abilities and want to make an impact where they work, Game Changer shows them how to enjoy the varied rewards that this brings.
In these pages, you will:
See how highly skilled talent is transforming companies of all sizes and industries through real world stories and first-hand testimonies from top execs, entrepreneurs, and players;
Get an inside glimpse into the unconventional methods that smart companies use to attract, retain, and manage top talent;
Recognize the roadblocks that are inherent in the traditional employer-employee model and learn how they can be overcome for unlimited success; and
Learn how to see yourself as both talent and management to achieve the rewards and satisfaction that come with being a game changer.
Books
Game Changer: How to Be 10x in the Talent Economy
Whether you’re an employer, employee, freelancer, or part of a management team, you must understand how highly skilled “10x” talent is radically shifting the dynamics of the employment marketplace. Learn how to identify, attract, vet, employ, and retain--or become--the game-changing talent that will make a difference in the work world of tomorrow.