“In Mike's workshop, he facilitates a safe, inviting, and fun environment in which to learn what makes stories work well. 

I had such a great time and I expect to use the skills I learned in his workshop not just for storytelling, but also for writing scholarship applications and pitching future projects to investors!

Jesse Pinho: USC Screenwriting MFA Student

Working with Mike helped me to take third place in my Toastmasters regional contest!!

“This is story-therapy! Mike uses his coaching skills to go to the heart of the matter - finding what matters to your heart within your story. Superficial ramblings are allowed in the service of humour and pace authenticity is the thing, and style and purpose. 

Wendy Buckley: Toastmaster & Freelance Consultant in Quality and Leadership

"I honestly believe your input steered my story into a new, better direction. And made me a better storyteller. I was very hesitant to make it all about the humour aspect of my religious experiences, but as I worked your suggestions into my revised story - it all started to really click. I changed my body language, My depictions and incorporated my natural comic self into the performance (which had a lot more punch than my original version)."

Deepti Anupundi: standup comedian 

Mike advised me, guided me, and in certain ways (gently) provoked me into creating something I previously considered impossible - namely a seventy-page outline/treatment for a screenplay I had procrastinated on for years.

He was able to achieve this in a number of ways, the most prominent being that - outside of lending me all the expertise and insight he has accumulated from the diverse projects he has undertaken in his own creative life - he cared.

Mike was genuinely invested in my work, evidenced not just by his alerting me to things I might want to avoid, but with enthusiastic and interesting suggestions that I might want to try - always offered humbly, as mere suggestions. Some of those suggestions made it directly into my work, while others favorably influenced its tone. 

Mike may be warm and funny and have a fantastic speaking voice, but I enjoyed our regular meetings, first and foremost, for his unique perspective on storytelling and the creativity he brings to it. 

This was the first time I ever co-opted someone to even look at my unfinished work, nevermind contribute to it. I’m usually that guarded about it. But I’m very happy I trusted Mike. I consider his contributions to be invaluable.

Robert Ferraro, screenwriter and owner/operator of the musician interview website Of Personal Interest