Michael Blackstone

Michael’s business passion for almost 20 years has been creating deep, mutually beneficial, long-term relationships with his client partners in order to help them overcome real world current challenges. From sales and negotiation to leadership, communication, and managing generations, Michael has extensive experience working with companies large and small all over the world. That experience includes working with companies in the following industries: Financial Services, Pharmaceutical and Biotech, Insurance, Telecommunications, Medical Devices, Banking, Healthcare, Retail, Media, Staffing, Home Builders, Advertising, Professional Services, Government, Sports and Entertainment, and more.

The depth of Michael’s background allows him to use successes and struggles from a multitude of businesses and industries as the backbone for creating strategies and relationships that stand the test of time. He uses that learning to develop training programs and business strategies that help his clients focus on their clients instead of themselves, leading to a true marketplace competitive advantage and differentiator.

Michael has spent time working as the Assistant General Manager for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks in the NBA where he worked directly with the GM and ownership group. His responsibilities included player and staff contract negotiations, team strategy, staff development, agent relations, budget oversight, trade execution and office management.

Michael also worked at Shapiro Negotiations Institute (SNI) for over 10 years in the role Executive Vice President.  SNI is a premier global training and consulting firm focused in the area of negotiation and influence. Michael was a master facilitator, designing and delivering fully customized programs to SNI’s clients. He also led SNI’s marketing efforts and was the Sports Practice Director, working with some of the most successful teams in the NBA, MLB, and NFL.

Michael received his Master’s Degree from the University of Baltimore, where he received honors in both Marketing and Management honors societies. Michael and his wife reside in Annapolis, MD.