Mark Valenziano
Motivational Speaker, Author, and Creator of Sensory Awareness Experiences
Mark was only fifteen years old when he was told he was going blind. His journey from being sighted to being blind filled his life with constant change and challenge. But at a young age, he developed and utilized tools that helped build the happy and successful life he enjoys.
People rely so much on their eyesight every day. But losing this important sense never slowed Mark down. After graduating from Clark University with a minor in psychology and a business management major, Mark’s first real job was learning the brokerage side of the insurance industry with a leading company specializing in disability income coverages. His rapid rise to success got him noticed by Prudential who hired Mark to spearhead marketing of their products in thirteen midwestern states. Mark’s creativity and success then got him noticed by the top executives at FORTIS, who hired him to run the entire disability income line of products at one of their subsidiaries, Time Insurance.
After launching new products and restoring growth with profitability, Mark moved on to pursue his entrepreneurial passion, co-founding a cutting-edge medical resource on the new frontier of the Internet. Under his leadership as president and chairman, Mark grew the company from an idea to 59 employees, a nationwide customer base, multi-million dollar contracts with, at that time, industry-leading companies such as America Online, Yahoo!, and Women.com, and soaring revenues. Sadly, while raising the last tranche of $10 million of investment and on their way to an IPO, the Internet bubble burst.
After that wild ride, Mark founded a manufacturing company. The focus was to improve the health and comfort of families all across the country. Working with scientists and engineers, they developed air quality products that reduced symptoms of asthma and allergies, and created safer healthier environments for people with weakened immune systems. Along with manufacturing Mark built a subsidiary wholesale and retail sales company.
In 2015 Mark suffered the tragic losses of two brothers within only 14 weeks. These devastating losses made Mark realize that we don’t know when our last breath is coming and, if feasible, we’ve got to be doing exactly what we want to be doing – right now. Mark no longer wanted to be running these companies and, after growing them for thirteen years, sold them successfully in the Spring of 2016.
Shortly after the sale of the companies, Mark was serendipitously contacted by Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and asked to create a sensory-awareness experience around losing one’s sight. His creation, called Dining in the Dark, received extremely high ratings and went on to win a YPO Best Personal Development Award. Mark has presented this ‘only-in-YPO’ experience to YPO and GOLD chapters all across the United States, Canada, Central America, South America, and Puerto Rico.
Mark adapts this inspiring, fun get-out-of-your-comfort-zone experience for other professional organizations, and corporate sales & leadership meetings. This powerful motivating message can also be consolidated into a ‘non-experiential’ keynote address.
After decades of navigating snowy Minneapolis winters without sight, Mark now resides in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with his wife Lori.
Mark’s book:
While we all need a level of uncertainty in our lives to keep us motivated and driven, too much uncertainty makes people uncomfortable. Uncertainty can lead to stress, worry, and doubt. Uncertainty can lead to feelings of inadequacy and insecurity. Uncertainty can stifle your progress and development. But uncertainty isn't going anywhere; life will always be full of it.
So, what if you could turn uncertainty to your advantage?
Outsmarting Uncertainty will help you do just that. Find your Uncertainty Sweet Spot to take charge—and bring balance and composure to your life. Instead of worrying, use your three Pillars of Strength to focus on improvement, accomplishment, and a lifestyle of happiness. And by rolling your inner movie, you will write, direct, and produce the perfect life for you to star in. Outsmarting Uncertainty won't remove uncertainty from your life, but it will guide you toward acceptance, social intelligence, purpose, and resilience—in other words, toward the powers you already have within you.