Matthew Ferrara

Philosopher, Photographer and Speaker

I originally wanted to be a chemist.

But like all good stories, every life has a twist and mine landed me with a degree in philosophy. I started a speaking and training business right out of college which eventually took me around the world to 49 U.S. states and 22 countries. In another plot twist halfway through my career, I discovered I was pretty good with a camera, as well as a microphone.

My career is all about words: Speaking, writing, showing, sharing them. I use creative writing to weave stories that spread new ideas to entrepreneurs, leaders, teachers, writers and professional audiences around the world. My characters are the people and places I’ve encountered around the world, and my plots always include ways to use creative and critical thinking to improve our lives.

At heart I’m a creativity-guy and my knack is connecting the dots between different points in life like literature, art, photography, business, history and philosophy. I’ve written over 200 articles, courses and workbooks and my blog has over a decade of stories with lessons from life.

My work is like an endless dialogue with different people, helping others express their dreams through work and play. I grew up in Boston, went to school in Italy and now live in Las Vegas. I have reinvented myself many times, from a trainer to a keynote speaker to a street photographer and mentor today. I look forward to The Art of Writing retreats every year, where I can help writers connect with their readers by applying lessons in speaking and photography to capture the sense of character, scenes and emotions that make great stories a permanent part of our lives.