Speaking

Put me in the room.

Keynotes, workshop facilitation, panel moderation and emceeing — for rooms of founders, small business owners, students, and the people who fund them. The same thing I do on the show: make the ecosystem legible, and get people ready for the conversation that decides their next step.

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Past stages

Also Silhouette WorkHub powered by Silicon Road, the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs, Morehouse College, Spelman College, Clark Atlanta University, and SCADshow.

What I do

Public Speaking and Workshop Facilitation

Usher's New Look

Legacy Writing

A writing workshop built around getting something true onto the page — and then being willing to say it out loud. Held at the Russell Innovation Center for Entrepreneurs.

Thank you so much for helping me write, and release. I feel so empowered to share; you definitely left your mark here. Thank you!
Arriell D., student

Westside Future Fund

Devotional Message

A main-stage message to the Westside Future Fund's gathering, delivered as Data Research Analyst at the Morehouse Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center.

What I do

Hosting & Moderating

Michael Cortez moderating a three-person panel in front of a full room

Silhouette WorkHub, powered by Silicon Road

How To Make Your Startup Investable

Moderator · June 11, 2025 · Sold out

An investor event on what actually makes a company fundable, with Ross Kimbel, General Partner at Silicon Road Ventures, and Verlin Youd, Founder & Managing Director at Strategic Startup Advisors.

Center for Black Entrepreneurship

Inaugural New Venture Competition

Host · Emcee

A business competition for aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators, presented by the Center for Black Entrepreneurship with Morehouse College, Spelman College and Clark Atlanta University.

Michael Cortez on a TiE Atlanta panel with two other speakers, the panel title slide behind them

Event flyer: Honoring a Legacy, Sig Mosley's Impact on Southeast Venture, April 29 2025 at SCADshow

TiE Atlanta & Zane Venture Fund

Social Entrepreneurship, and Honoring a Legacy

At TiE Atlanta's Social Entrepreneurship: Doing Good While Doing Great! alongside Yogi Patel, social entrepreneur, and Raj Sheth, Investor and Founder/CEO at Boardwalk Development Group.

And on the panel for Honoring a Legacy: Sig Mosley's Impact on Southeast Venture at SCADshow — with Kelly Gay, Sig Mosley, Jen Bonnett and Anastasia Simon.