Adam Braun: Building for Where the World Is Headed
Adam Braun has built his career at the intersection of leadership, innovation, and purpose. As an entrepreneur who has founded and led organizations across nonprofit and for-profit sectors, he brings a unique perspective on how bold ideas become scalable, sustainable realities. His widely shared talks, viewed more than three million times, center on a clear and teachable framework that helps leaders anticipate change rather than react to it.
Through extensive global experience across 75 countries, Adam has studied how the world’s most effective leaders navigate uncertainty and shape the future. These insights form the backbone of his keynotes, which challenge conventional thinking while offering clear paths to action.
From a $25 Idea to Global Impact
Adam is the founder of Pencils of Promise, an organization he started with $25 that has since built more than 600 schools around the world. What began as a simple idea grew into a global movement, proving that ordinary individuals can create extraordinary change with focus, resilience, and clarity of purpose.
Today, Adam serves as Chairman of Pencils of Promise while also leading Clarasight as CEO, a technology company focused on company sustainability. Clarasight’s clients represent more than $1 trillion in market capitalization, reinforcing Adam’s credibility as a leader who understands both impact and scale.
Leadership Lessons Rooted in Real Experience
Adam’s presentations are grounded in first-hand lessons learned from building pioneering organizations alongside respected leaders at the frontlines of innovation. He speaks candidly about success, failure, and the critical decisions that define long-term outcomes.
Audiences gain practical insight into:
How to create bold aspirations that mobilize teams
How to innovate responsibly while driving performance
How to take calculated risks in uncertain environments
These lessons resonate deeply with executives, managers, and emerging leaders alike.
Bestselling Author and Recognized Thought Leader
Adam is the author of The Promise of a Pencil: How an Ordinary Person Can Create Extraordinary Change, an international bestseller that reached the #1 spot on What Corporate America Is Reading. His ideas have earned recognition across industries, with honors including Business Insider’s 40 Under 40, Wired’s 50 People Who Will Change the World, the Tribeca Disruptive Innovation Award, and the Jefferson Award for public service.
His thought leadership has been featured widely, reinforcing his reputation as a trusted voice on leadership, innovation, and problem-solving in times of change.
Book Adam Braun for Your Event
Adam Braun has delivered keynote talks for some of the world’s most respected organizations, including Microsoft, Spotify, Meta, Google, and Coca-Cola. He has also spoken at The White House, Stanford and Harvard Business Schools, and leading industry associations and universities.
When you book Adam Braun for your event, you bring in a speaker who inspires action, equips leaders with modern tools, and challenges audiences to build organizations ready for the future. His keynotes leave teams energized, aligned, and prepared to turn vision into results.
