Meet Marc Gutman

Marc Gutman blends storytelling mastery with modern marketing strategy to empower organizations and inspire leaders to own the future with authenticity and clarity.

Speaker • Forum Retreat Facilitator • Storytelling Expert

Marc Gutman is an award-winning storyteller, entrepreneur, and speaker who empowers leaders and teams to unlock their most powerful asset: their story. Drawing from a background that spans Hollywood filmmaking, entrepreneurship, and brand strategy, Marc fuses creativity, emotional intelligence, and business acumen on every stage and at every Forum retreat he leads.

As a Forum Retreat Facilitator, Marc creates transformative experiences that strengthen connection, deepen trust, and spark authentic dialogue. He has led retreats and workshops for EO chapters worldwide, helping members rediscover purpose, elevate communication, and realign with what matters most both personally and professionally.

On stage, Marc’s keynotes are engaging, humorous, and deeply human. He shares lessons from working with Academy Award-winning director Oliver Stone, writing for Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox, and building a multimillion-dollar tech company. His sessions deliver actionable insights on storytelling, leadership, and brand authenticity.

Today, Marc leads Wildstory, an award-winning marketing and storytelling studio that helps companies stand out and connect in a crowded world. He’s guided brands such as Airstream, Thor Industries, DXC, and First Descents.

Marc also hosts the Baby Got Backstory podcast, exploring the stories behind iconic brands like Priceline, Patagonia, UGG, Build-A-Bear Workshop, and K-Swiss.

Despite his success on stage, Marc jokes that he’s “terrified of microphones,” yet conquered that fear performing stand-up comedy at Caroline’s on Broadway in New York City.

Based outside Boulder, Colorado, Marc enjoys life with his wife and three kids. When he’s not helping others find and share their stories, you’ll find him on a mountain, surfboard, or trail rn always chasing the next adventure.

AI with SOUL:

Using AI to Make Your Marketing More Human (and Unforgettable)

It’s never been easier to blend in or to stand out. While the world is using AI to create more, faster, the true opportunity is the opposite: using AI to amplify what makes you and your brand irreplaceable.

In this keynote, Marc Gutman reveals how to put humans, not machines, at the center of your marketing bringing heart, clarity, and integrity back to your story and campaigns. Learn how the smartest teams are using AI to cut noise, deepen insight, and produce work that’s not just efficient, but unforgettable.

The AI Advantage:

Outperforming the “Slopification” of Marketing

Nearly everyone is using AI in marketing. Nearly everyone is also blending into a sea of sameness. In this energetic, actionable session, Marc Gutman arms you with new ways to use AI as a true differentiator not a shortcut to mediocrity. You’ll see how to combine AI with critical thinking and creative process to outshine the “slop” flooding your audience’s feeds, inboxes, and screens.

Discover 3 practical tools and workflows to elevate your work immediately no more “good enough,” just remarkable.

AI x Storytelling:

How to Craft Brand Narratives That Don’t Feel Robotic

Marketing should spark connection, not confusion. But when every brand sounds the same, how do you keep your signal distinct from the noise? Marc Gutman guides you through the brave new world of AI-supported storytelling, showing how marketers can use AI to unlock creativity, consistency, and reach without losing their voice or authenticity.

This talk isn’t about hype. It’s both action and inspiration. Attendees leave with 3 concrete, “use now” approaches to making their brand story stronger, smarter, and unmistakably human.

The 1% Journey: Lessons, Laughter, and Legacy From a Decade in EO

Looking to inspire your EO or YPO chapter with energy and real talk?

Most talks focus on how great the speaker is. This one pulls back the curtain. In this multi-media, entertaining session, Marc Gutman draws on his ten plus years in EO to reveal the 1%: the real challenges, mistakes, triumphs, and raw vulnerability that make the journey truly meaningful. You’ll experience the highs, the lows, and the honest truth behind what it takes to stay and grow with EO for the long run.

Expect laughter, reflection, and actionable wisdom for your own EO journey. Leave inspired, connected, and reminded that you’re not alone in any of it.

Looking for something unforgettable?
Book Marc Gutman and Mike Arzt as a duo for twice the insight and energy at your next chapter event.