Hi 👋 My name is Martin

As a management consultant, I built an Innovation Agency for a Big4 to 7 figures. I have consulted in nearly every industry, from disruptive Startups to fast-growing Scale-ups, B2C, B2B, and Enterprise SaaS, from The World Bank to Fortune500s, from shaping regulations in the US to implementing agile at a $60Bn revenue corporate, from designing battery tech spin-outs to medical tech IPO pitch decks.

If you are a scaleup CEO with annual revenues over 5 mUSD, feel free to reach out (DM) to discuss:

- Strategy execution
- Increasing margin play through revenueops (e.g. pricing) and cost optimization

I am an Entrepreneur (40%) and Management Consultant (60%).

As an entrepreneur, I run a portfolio of Life-enhancement apps (www.brightday.app), a digitally-driven Innovation Consulting and a stealth-mode climate startup. I do invest (1-2 deals per year) in exceptional early stage AI first and climate tech companies and I share pipeline with top tier VCs.

Martin Gallardo

MASSIVE CAREER UPDATE ✨
I M BECOMING CEO OF A TECH SCALEUP IN EUROPE 🚀🧨

I have enjoyed so much being COO of a Global 100 Fintech
while Building My Online Businesses

but I could not say no to this

#1 rated Software in its category
Amazing +140 People team
Global Customer Base
Solid Tech 
Profitable!
Bootstrapped!
Insane Potential

The Founders gave me a Mandate

10x
...
In five years

I am already thinking how we can achieve 10x in 12 months

I am beyond thrilled to build an European Unicorn 🦄❤️🫶

I am on fire because I just trusted the Universe and the Quantum field to do its job.

Over the next weeks I will talk about my transition and letting go of my previous status quo.

No alternative text description for this image

I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as CEO at Onde!

I left Norway to Poland exactly 2 years ago. "How does it feel in Poland?"

2 years ago I left Big4 in Norway to start my own Strategy Consulting Practice in Poland.

There are many personal reasons behind I will not disclose,

but I did not regret for a second.

Poland is great!

- Safe
- Fairly Modern
- Spotless Clean
- Things work
- Meritocracy & Hard Work
- High level of culture
- Family & Kids first
- Great taxation for entrepreneurs
- Acceptable cost of living
- Soon taking over Japan and UK
- Easy to run a business
- Great developers
- Great weather 50% of the time
- Occassional snow and winter cozyness

And...

My net disposable income after all costs


Skyrocketed 7x!

The only price

- Polish Bluntness
- Missing Norwegian politeness

But it is always better to hear the truth even when it comes uncoated.

I love Poland.

Great Polish People
Hard History
Bright Future

Thanks for accepting me

I will retire in Spain but until then

Let me help as much as I can this Beautiful Country 🇵🇱

Many years ago NEOM called me to be their Innovation Director. Today they are scaling back.

Not only their financial offer was not spectacular and entailed living on a container house in a mega contruction size...

I just did not agree with the Innovation Principles

NEOM was meant to fail as originally planned.

They should have built an MVP

The first module by the sea.

Let the city be born and be experienced

Learn and Adapt

Build module number 2-10

Learn

Module 10-100

Now Saudi Arabia is scaling back NEOM megaproject after review signals strategic reset

Saudi Arabia is preparing to significantly scale back and redesign NEOM, the flagship development chaired by Mohammed bin Salman, as a year-long internal review nears completion.

Officials briefed on the plans said the project is now envisaged as far smaller than originally conceived, reflecting budget overruns, construction delays, and tighter fiscal conditions amid subdued oil prices. NEOM spans Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea coast across an area roughly the size of Belgium.

Key developments
	•	The Line, the project’s central concept, is set to be radically downsized and redesigned.

	•	NEOM may pivot towards becoming a data centre and AI infrastructure hub, leveraging coastal seawater cooling and renewable energy.

	•	The Trojena ski resort has been downsized and will no longer host the 2029 Asian Winter Games.

	•	A broader review of megaprojects is under way under new chief executive Aiman al-Mudaifer.

NEOM, owned by the Public Investment Fund, said it is reprioritising projects to align with national objectives and long-term economic value as Riyadh recalibrates spending ahead of Expo 2030 and the 2034 football World Cup.

Source: The Financial Times

LinkedIn has become a pile of scam. Latest trick. 
"I landed 40 meetings following A" > "Send DM for Blueprint" 

AI fake profiles posting viral AI content 
"Irresistible" sales method with Comment "Sales"

AI optimized profiles connecting with you 
promising UHNW and family offices intros.

Link to calendar with another guy.

20 year old guy calendly
Meeting about "Service to land 40 meetings following A"

That is the entire A.

Rinse and Repeat.

The guy is not booking 40 meetings a week

The guy is lying 400 times a week

Sad to see what this platform is becoming

Being a CEO is easy... you only need to do three things:

- Stop doing what is not good for the company

- Use most of that time to do more of what you are already doing great

- Use a bit of time to find new ways that do better than the way you are doing great

I know this seems utterly simplistic and stupid

But read it again.

If you know how most companies operate...

This is really hard

They rarely operate like this

Europe >>> US
Only beats us 6x on entrepreneurship

I got Claude AI to analyze Trump signature as a normal person (at the end how to do it for yourself), and this is the outcome:

Psychological Analysis of This Signature

Legibility & Privacy
The signature is completely illegible, suggesting:

- Strong need for privacy and psychological boundaries
- Desire to maintain mystery or distance
- Protection of personal identity
- Possible distrust or guardedness in relationships

Stroke Characteristics
Extremely erratic, jagged, and chaotic movements indicate:

- High internal tension or anxiety
- Restless mind with racing thoughts
- Potential emotional turbulence
- Nervous energy or agitation
- Possible impulsivity

Pressure & Intensity
The heavy, intense pressure with sharp peaks suggests:

- Strong emotional intensity
- Accumulated stress or inner conflict
- Forceful personality that may feel overwhelmed
- Potential for explosive emotional release

Rhythm & Control
The highly irregular rhythm and lack of fluidity reveal:

- Difficulty with emotional regulation
- Inner chaos or lack of peace
- Scattered focus or attention
- Resistance to conformity or structure

Vertical Emphasis
The prominent upward spikes indicate:

- Spiritual or intellectual aspirations
- Idealism or high ambitions
- Possible disconnection from practical reality
- Tension between desires and circumstances

Angularity
The extreme angularity throughout suggests:

- Defensive posture
- Critical or analytical mindset taken to extremes
- Potential aggression or confrontational tendencies
- Mental sharpness but possibly directed defensively

Baseline & Stability
The unstable, fluctuating baseline reveals:

- Emotional instability or mood variability
- Inconsistent energy levels
- Difficulty maintaining equilibrium
- Possible stress or burnout

Overall Impression

This signature belongs to someone experiencing significant internal conflict, stress, or emotional turbulence. 

The writer appears highly intelligent and intense but may be struggling with anxiety, overwhelming emotions, or feeling psychologically under siege. 

There's a strong protective barrier around their identity, suggesting either past wounds or current vulnerability they're defending against. T

his person may benefit from stress management techniques, creative outlets for their intense energy, or professional support to process their inner experiences.


You van do yours very easy:

- Upload your signature
- "you are a signature psychologist. psychological analysis of this signature"

Startups and scaleups hire me as an interim head of sales to help them with strategy, build the pipeline and closing big deals.

I help professional speakers get more paid gigs by turning their expertise into a clear, bookable speaking business.

I’m a public speaker with 130+ paid gigs, and the founder of BecomeASpeaker, a speaker academy and one-stop growth platform for speakers who want consistency, not randomness.

Most speakers don’t struggle with talent.
They struggle with positioning, visibility, and sales.

That’s where we come in.

Through BecomeASpeaker, we help speakers:
	•	Clarify their positioning and keynote promise
	•	Build speaker reels, presentations, and bios that actually convert
	•	Turn LinkedIn into a speaker funnel instead of an online CV
	•	Create a simple sales and outreach system
	•	Work more effectively with agents and expand into new markets

I’m currently interviewing 100+ of the most successful speakers and speaker agents in Europe for my podcast, distilling what actually works into practical systems we implement with our members.

Before focusing fully on the speaking industry, I spent 12+ years building and scaling startups, holding roles such as Managing Director and Head of Sales, and leading teams of 100+ people. That background shapes how we approach speaking: as a business, not a hobby.

At BecomeASpeaker, we don’t sell motivation.
We build systems that make speaking predictable.

If you’re already speaking and want:
	•	more consistency
	•	better positioning
	•	higher fees
	•	fewer random bookings

you’ll probably feel at home here.

You can explore BecomeASpeaker through the links in my Featured section, or reach out if you’re curious whether it’s a fit.

Max Gouchan

What do you get when the former CEO of Norway’s largest bank, one of Scandinavia’s most iconic PR founders, and Norway’s top reputation expert sit down for dinner and drinks?

Unforgettable conversations.

For my international network, here’s who these “bad boys” are:

Rune Bjerke – Former CEO of DNB, Norway’s biggest bank. One of the most influential business leaders in Scandinavia.
Hans Geelmuyden – Founder of Geelmuyden Kiese, the largest PR group in the Nordics, known for bold communication and sharp thinking.
Nils Apeland – Norway’s leading expert in reputation, communication, and speaker industry. Founder of Talerlisten, the country’s main speaker agency.

Some moments as a public speaker hit a little harder than others.

Being a public speaker is one of the best ways to build solid networks and friendships. Because when you speak at conferences, you get to really bond with the other speakers backstage and the day before the conference!

Last week I sat with Rune Bjerke, Hans Geelmuyden and Nils Apeland, and suddenly the whole evening was just about sharing stories.

Honest, raw and absolutely wild stories about business, politics and life.

Not as “famous names.”
Not as speaker and audience.
But as colleagues through Talerlisten.no.

These small, intimate “backstage conversations” are the moments I’m most grateful for.

The moments nobody sees, but that give inspiration for days after.

Very grateful to be part of this speaker world, and helping others getting into it to.

#publicspeaker
#speakerlife
#leadership
#storytelling
#communication
#talerlisten
#businessinsights
#becomeaspeaker

Help public speakers get more (and better-paid) gigs, and I coach new speakers who want to break into the industry. Gen Z speaker: How to better recruit, lead and communicate with the younger generations.

Last week I was in Harstad, speaking at Harstadkonferansen, in front of almost 400 business leaders and politicians: This stood out as the common thread among the best speakers:

They were personal.

Like Elaine Eksvärd practically introduced us to here whole family. 

Rune Bjerke telling a funny story about his first job at the bank, with a very humble twist.
 
They showed photos that gave a glimpse into their family lives, their kids, partners and parents.

I also have a photo of me from high school, and one of me, my dad and my brother, where I share a powerful story (kidding, that story is actually about an air fryer, but that’s not important right now).

So think about it: are you letting the audience really get to know you? Are you really letting them to connect with you while you are on stage?

I see this again and again. 

Speakers who truly connect with the audience often give them a glimpse into their life as speakers and allow themselves to be personal on stage.

Thanks for the invite Øystein Ulvær and the whole team behind the conference!

This was super fun and well organized!

Photo: Øyvind Aarvola


#publicspeaking
#keynotespeaker
#speakingtips
#storytelling
#leadershipdevelopment
#communicationSkills
#speakerlife
#presentationtips
#professionalSpeaking
#stagepresence
#thoughtleadership

Do your slides suck?
Be honest… you’ve probably sat at a conference, watched a speaker with insanely beautiful slides and thought:

“WOW… how do I do THAT?”

Then you opened PowerPoint or Canva, tried for 20 minutes…
and quietly gave up.
(We’ve all been there.)

I’ve always gotten compliments for my slides on stage, those who’ve seen them know they’re clean, powerful, visual, and straight to the point.

And the truth is simple:

I have used professional designers for years.
And now I’ve hired one in-house at Becomeaspeaker.no, and she’s incredible.

We’ve already delivered a bunch of decks, and the reaction from everyone is the same:

“WOW.”

(Yes, three letters. Every time.)

So hey, if you want to upgrade your presentations, whether you’re:
a speaker who wants to look world class
or presenting internally and want your message to actually land

DM me.
Let’s grab a coffee and create that WOW feeling together.

#PublicSpeaking
#PresentationDesign
#SlideDesign
#KeynoteSpeaker
#LeadershipCommunication

How often should you actually meet your speaker agent?
Most speakers guess.
That’s why their gig flow is inconsistent.

I just recorded a value-packed podcast with Nils Apeland at the agency that represents me Talerlisten.no (Norways best speaker agency by far hehe and Nils is one of the best agents in Europe) (dropping the episode soon hehe it is at the editor now), and this came up:

👉 The sweet spot is 3–4 structured meetings per year.

Not monthly check-ins.
Not “we’ll catch up sometime.”

Intentional, strategic meetings.

Here’s how to make those meetings actually work:

• Come with clear availability
• Share what types of stages you want more of
• Bring warm opportunities you’ve already identified
• Make it easy for the agent to contact and pitch you

Your agent sells better when you help them sell you.

The best speakers don’t “wait to be placed.”
They co-create demand with their agents.

More on this (and a lot more) when the episode drops soon 🎙️

Do you have an agent and how often do you meet them?

#publicspeaker
#speakingbusiness
#keynotespeaker
#speakerlife
#speakercommunity
#speakeragent
#becomeaspeaker
#professionalspeaker

Do you make people laugh when you’re on stage?

Relax, nobody is asking you to be a stand-up comedian.

But there’s a mountain of research showing that when people laugh and feel entertained, they learn better, remember more, and stay engaged longer.

So ask yourself:

When you’re on stage…
Do people laugh at least once?

If not, work on it.

Try adding:
• A small joke
• A playful comment
• A meme that fits your message

Call a friend who does stand-up , we all know someone who does stand-up these days.

Ask them to help you tighten one moment in your talk.

Or brainstorm with ChatGPT and generate 20 joke or meme ideas based on your topic.

People of all ages love memes.

People of all ages love to laugh.

And laughter doesn’t make you less credible, it makes you more human.

You don’t need to turn your keynote into comedy.
You can be a serious speaker with a powerful story.

But try to ignite that smile, that chuckle, that one moment of joy.

It changes the whole room.

Video below is just for illustration,  a reminder not to take yourself too seriously.
Life is short. Have fun with it.

Cheers,
Max
aka King of Bad Dad Jokes

#publicspeaking
#keynotespeaker
#communication
#leadershipdevelopment
#storytelling
#thoughtleadership
#becomeaspeaker

Sitting in a taxi from Harstad to the airport, surrounded by stunning northern lights, I had a moment of reflection.

How grateful I am for the thousands of hours invested into public speaking.

This job lets you:

• travel to some of the most beautiful places on earth
• speak about a topic you’re passionate about
• positively impact people, businesses and in many cases even the planet

Just like great speakers such as Elisabeth Nissen Eide and Sylvie Y. S. Chen do so well.

Was it easy to get here?
No, of course not.

But building a successful speaking business is actually easier than most conventional businesses.

You don’t need starting capital.
You don’t need inventory.
You don’t need to hire staff.

You just need to know what to do and be willing to put in the hours.

If you’re curious about stepping into the world of public speaking and getting paid to be on stage while traveling the world, send me a DM.

Happy to share the best, shortest and most cost-efficient path to get there.

#publicspeaking
#publicspeaker
#speakerlife
#speakingbusiness
#keynotespeaker
#becomeaspeaker
#leadership
#personalgrowth

Sunday funday! And Webflow developer wanted! Do you know anyone?☺️

Today in Sofia, Bulgaria recording content for our new website at Become a Successfull Speaker, and we are looking for a webflow freelancer!🤗 

I have used this studio and Pavel 3 times, highly reccomended and worth the trip plus Sofia is a beautiful city!

Happy Sunday everyone!😍

This scam is circulating again in the speaking industry,  and big thanks to Maria Franzoni for flagging it!

Here’s how it usually starts:

You get a long, emotional “invitation” to speak at an international event.

Charity. Church. Leadership. Inspirational.

Lots of flattery. 

Lots of “we’ve followed your work” and “you’re the perfect fit.”

Big promises about audience size, impact, and fully covered travel and fees.

But when you look closer…
there’s almost nothing you can actually verify.

No real logistics.

No concrete organiser details.

Just warm language and vague information.

And then comes the move:

They ask for your business info to “prepare the contract,” and suddenly there’s a refundable admin fee, a visa payment, a tax clearance process, document authentication, or a weird overpayment story.

Their money never arrives.

Yours does.

That’s the whole game.

These messages are designed to make speakers feel chosen,  that’s why they work.

Real conferences don’t operate like this.

Real bookers are specific, practical, and they never ask a speaker to pay money to get paid.

If something feels off, slow down.

Sense-check it with someone who knows the industry.

One quick conversation can save you a lot of trouble.

Stay sharp out there.

#speakingindustry
#publicspeaking
#keynotespeaker
#speakerscam
#speakerlife
#eventprofs
#conferenceindustry
#leadershipspeaking
#professionaldevelopment
#speakersafety
#thoughtleadership
#businessethics
#genzspeaker
#globalconferences
#speakingbusiness

My number one travel hack for public speakers and entrepreneurs
That gives you instant lounge access:

Get Revolut Ultra.
Seriously. This has been life changing for me.

Last year I traveled across 17 countries, and many of those countries I visited multiple times. Norway 12 times, Malaysia 5 times, Thailand 4 times, Singapore 8 times.  

Last year alone I used airport lounges 4 to 5 times per month, minimum.

Here’s what I get for about 550 euros per year:

• Unlimited lounge access
• Premium access to Financial Times
• 20 ClassPass credits
Enough for one massage per month in Barcelona or a gym session when traveling
• Premium subscriptions included
Chess Premium
Headspace which I use every night for sleep
And yes, for those single, Tinder Gold

All in all, I pay around 550 euros a year, my subscription renews in two weeks, and this is one of the easiest no brainer decisions I make every year.

I’m literally writing this post from the lounge in Oslo, enjoying some good coffee and food hehe.

Tomorrow I’m on stage in front of 400 leaders in North Norway.

If you travel a lot for speaking, business, or work in general, I genuinely recommend it.

I’ll drop my referral link below.
If you sign up, we both get a little treat.
Why not?😏

#publicspeaker
#speakerlife
#entrepreneurlife
#travelhack
#businessonthego
#digitalnomad
#becomeaspeaker

Public speaking isn’t an opportunity.

It’s a responsibility.

Someone gave you:
• Their time
• Their attention
• Their trust

That’s not small.

Your job isn’t to impress.
It’s to serve.

The best speakers don’t chase applause.
They chase impact.

If people leave knowing:
• What to do
• Why it matters
• How to act differently

You did your job.

The world doesn’t need louder speakers.

It needs clearer ones.

A philosophy Josh Stinton shared in our latest podcast episode! Link in comments!

#publicspeaking
#leadershipdevelopment
#impact
#communication
#thoughtleadership

Help public speakers get more (and better-paid) gigs, and I coach new speakers who want to break into the industry. Co-founder of Forecastly AI/Granate AI and Become a Speaker. Angel investor and advisory board member.

Most speaking gigs are lost before they ever had a chance.

Not because the speaker wasn’t good enough.
But because they never picked up the phone.

One thing that really stood out in my conversation with Thomas Lone:

Speaking is a numbers game.

You can:
• Write great emails
• Polish your website
• Perfect your reel

But nothing replaces:
• Calling the right people
• Having real conversations
• Accepting that most calls won’t convert

Sometimes you’ll call 50 people and nothing happens.
Then one call changes everything.

That’s not luck.
That’s volume + relevance.

If you want more gigs, you don’t need better motivation.

You need more calls.

PS: Link to podcast episode in comments below

#speakingbusiness
#publicspeaking
#sales
#entrepreneurship
#personalbrand
#becomeaspeaker

Travel is no excuse for missing workouts. Here’s how I make it work in hotels and Airbnbs

2024: 92+ flights
2025: 17 countries

Most of them visited multiple times.

Honestly, I’m scared to think about how many flights that actually is.

Being constantly on the road makes it harder to stay consistent.

But it also makes it more important.

Here’s how I train when I’m traveling all the time:

• I use Freeletics Premium through my Revolut subscription
Most workouts can be done anywhere
Hotel room, hotel gym, or Airbnb

• I focus on strength and muscle, not perfect routines

• I’m very intentional about protein intake when traveling
Huge difference for energy and recovery

• I do a 7-minute ab workout on YouTube
Short, intense, and easy to fit in

• When I want proper gym access, I use ClassPass

No complicated systems.
No excuses.

If you’re in good physical shape, you’re better on stage.

You’re better in business.

You’re better in life.

It’s not always easy.

But it’s always worth it.

All links below 👇

#speakerlife
#publicspeaker
#businessonthego
#discipline
#healthandperformance
#becomeaspeaker

One thing you can never do as a speaker on stage:


Go over time.

It’s the fastest way to lose trust with organisers, MCs, and every speaker coming after you.

Going over time signals you didn’t prepare, you didn’t practice, and you didn’t respect the flow of the event. And yes, people notice.

If you’re given 25 minutes, you don’t deliver 25:59.
You deliver 24:00 with confidence.

Here’s how professionals avoid the rookie mistake:

Practice your slides with a stopwatch at least once.
Time it as if it’s the real thing.
Adjust your pacing before the event.
Do it especially for conferences where the schedule is tight.
Do it especially when another speaker is up right after you.

Pro tip:

Keep one or two extra “bonus” slides after your final contact slide. If you finish early, you can say:
“Before we wrap, let me share a quick story with you.”

If you run out of time, you skip them.
Zero stress.
Full control.

Staying on time isn’t a small detail.
It’s professionalism.
And it’s one of the easiest ways to stand out as a speaker people want back.

#publicspeaking
#keynotespeaker
#eventprofs
#speakingtips
#professionaldevelopment
#thoughtleadership
#becomeaspeaker

taplio

The Battle

Martin Gallardo

Max Gouchan

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance ScoreMartin Gallardo's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreMax Gouchan's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

taplio

The Battle

Martin Gallardo

Max Gouchan

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Martin Gallardo's LinkedIn Performance

Performance ScoreMax Gouchan's LinkedIn Performance

Ready to grow your LinkedIn presence?

Performance ScoreMartin Gallardo's LinkedIn Performance