You don't need
more AI hype.
You need a plan. Get the frameworks, strategy, and expert guidance to actually ship AI inside your organization — not just talk about it.
You need a plan. Get the frameworks, strategy, and expert guidance to actually ship AI inside your organization — not just talk about it.
Every executive I talk to has the same problem: too many AI pitches, not enough clarity. You're drowning in vendor demos and pilot proposals — and still not sure what to build first.
Hear how leaders like you are actually deploying AI — not in theory, but in production. Every week, Fortune 500 CIOs, technical founders, and researchers share what worked, what failed, and what they'd do differently. Your shortcut past the hype cycle.
Your audience will leave with a clear framework for evaluating, prioritizing, and shipping AI — not just inspiration. From boardroom workshops to 2,000-person conferences, Mark translates complex AI strategy into action your team can take Monday morning.
Bring Mark to Your Event
Your board is asking about AI. Your team is overwhelmed. This talk gives you a prioritization framework that cuts through the noise and focuses on what ships.
The rules of competitive advantage are changing. Learn what the best leaders are doing differently — and what stays the same when machines get smarter.
80% of AI projects die in prototype. If you're stuck in pilot purgatory, this talk shows you what the other 20% do differently to get to production.
One email per week. The AI insights, frameworks, and strategic moves that actually help you ship. If you're tired of hype and want clarity, this is it.
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You've got the vision. You need a partner who can help you design, build, and scale AI-enabled software — from discovery through deployment. Through Michigan Software Labs, Mark and his team have been doing exactly this since 2010.
This isn't a slide deck engagement. It's a build partnership — and it starts with understanding your specific problem.
Start a Conversation
Mark Johnson is co-founder of Michigan Software Labs — a custom software firm in Grand Rapids that's been turning complex technical ideas into shipped products since 2010. He's been in your shoes: leading teams through ambiguity, making build-or-buy decisions, and figuring out which bets to place.
His family's legacy of craftsmanship runs deep — his great-grandfather founded Forslund Furniture Company in 1935. Mark carries the same ethos into technology: build things that endure.
He built Mark Johnson Ventures because every executive conversation kept circling back to the same question: "What should we actually be doing with AI?" The podcast, the newsletter, the speaking — it's all designed to give you a real answer.
Mark serves on the board of the Economic Club of Grand Rapids and Todd Martin Youth Leadership. When he's not building, he's probably losing at tennis to one of his four daughters.