Brad Meltzer

From one of the original Advisory Council members of America 250 as well as a current board member of the National Archives Foundation, #1 bestselling author Brad Meltzer brings leadership lessons filled with hope as he delves into the hidden stories you’ve never heard about Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Amelia Earhart, Rosa Parks, and even the creators of Superman, among many others. There’s a reason Meltzer’s met every living President — and even was asked to read to President George H.W. Bush on his deathbed. Get ready for the inspirational stories you and your team truly need.

In today's world, where cruelty and venom have become sport, how do you make magic and find empathy?

In his viral commencement address at the University of Michigan, Brad Meltzer electrified the country and the 2024 graduating class, including his son, who also graduated that day. In election years, the Michigan commencement address is usually delivered by the President of the United States. This time, they wanted someone non-political and chose Meltzer, who has dedicated his career to kindness and empathy.

To prepare, Meltzer consulted with friends and social scientists Adam Grant, Simon, Sinek, Tim Urban, and others. The result was a national sensation, shared over a million times. In MAKE MAGIC, Meltzer offers your employees tools for creating an extraordinary life, one magic trick at a time.

Meltzer reveals that there are only four types of magic tricks:

1. you make something appear,
2. you make something disappear,
3. you make two things switch places and
4. you turn one thing into something else—the hardest trick of all, transformation.

At a time when the world can feel divided and disconnected, MAKE MAGIC is the antidote we need: beyond a simple feel-good book, this is filled with real social science from the world’s top experts—while also brimming with hope and heart. It also demonstrates that we’re all magicians at heart — and we all…always…have another trick up our sleeves.

The best Presidents in history aren’t the ones who make the best speeches or the most promises—they’re the ones who, when faced with a great disaster, can pivot, adapt, and deal with that disaster, making them the perfect person for that moment in time.

#1 New York Times Bestselling Author Brad Meltzer has written non-fiction books about George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, and Franklin Roosevelt. Now, he’s teaching their most vital lessons. Best of all, Meltzer has studied them in a way few others have, at the earliest parts of their careers.

• In his first battles of the Revolutionary War, George Washington was out-maneuvered by the British. He didn’t have the experience of the British generals. It’s a moment where George Washington should’ve died. Instead, Washington did the best thing any leader can do in an impossible situation: he improvised and pivoted, taking care of his men first…and then himself.
• In his first days after being elected, Abraham Lincoln was the most hated man in America. But instead of dividing the country, Lincoln took key and vital steps to bring the country together.
• During WWII, FDR’s greatest strength was his own belief in his ability to know and charm both his allies and enemies. That “charm offensive” is what untied Churchill, Stalin, and FDR as The Big Three, changing the world forever.

As Meltzer proves, leadership isn’t about being in charge—it’s about taking care of those in your charge. Current former Presidents have invited Meltzer to private meals and discussions at the White House and to their residences. Now you’ll hear this lost history firsthand.

In these tumultuous times, when employees and top leaders are managing through exhaustion and burnout in a remote environment, this is one of the most important questions you can ask. Brad Meltzer uses his trademark storytelling to highlight the importance of this message on what really matters. It will leave the audience refocused and reenergized around the fundamental reminder of the very source of their resilience in the first place: their legacy.

While saving the house where Superman was created, Brad Meltzer started a quest to find out what his legacy might be. Hear the funny, inspiring, and always entertaining story that will never let you look at your life the same way again. Weaving together the historical stories of Abraham Lincoln, Amelia Earhart, and yes, Superman, Meltzer helps you reevaluate what’s truly important: family, friends, and those whole lives you touch by making an impact in your workplace. Are your employees and top leadership stressed out? Give them the one thing money can’t buy: Help them reveal their legacy.

What’s the greatest risk you’ll ever take in your life? It’s admitting what you want. We all know what we want. But we rarely admit it. Why? Because putting yourself out there—especially emotionally—is scary. If you admit what you want, you risk not getting it. And failure terrifies us. So how do you actually pull it off? How do you take the greatest risk you’ll ever take in your life and admit what you want? You need to do three things: Remember what you love, remember what got you here, and most important, remember what terrifies you.

On the night Brad Meltzer’s first son was born, he began collecting heroes for his boy. And for nearly a decade, Meltzer studied
these heroes throughout history. From Thomas Jefferson (who had the humility to never publicly take credit for writing the Declaration of Independence) to the Wright Brothers (who brought extra materials to every test flight, anticipating their own failure) to George Washington to Rosa Parks to Mr. Rogers, Meltzer reminds us that their stories are not about fame—they're about what we are all capable of on our very best days. See why Meltzer’s book on heroes—from Jackie Robinson, to Abraham Lincoln, to Eleanor Roosevelt—shot up the inspirational bestseller list. Let Meltzer teach you how to find the real hero in your life. And the power of never letting anyone tell you ‘No.’