Michelle Lane Messina

Michelle Messina is a Global Entrepreneurship and Innovation Thought Leader at Global Minds Network. She is a serial entrepreneur, popular speaker, and co-author of the best-selling book Decoding Silicon Valley: The Insider’s Guide. She became an entrepreneur at age 17 and sold her company within two years. Since then, she has worked in 65+ countries as a consultant and trainer on startup scaling, corporate innovation and growth, strategy, entrepreneurship, Silicon Valley best practices, and resilience during tough times. She believes being an entrepreneur is the hardest thing you’ll ever enjoy doing.

Michelle has spoken at conferences around the world on innovation ecosystems, entrepreneurial mindset, as well as failure and success. As CEO of Explora International, she was instrumental in pioneering Silicon Valley’s best practices training and education programs for founders, non-US investors, growth mode companies, mentors, accelerator managers, and government personnel. Previously, Michelle founded and held executive roles in several start-ups where she led marketing, sales, and international business development. She has been featured in international print media including Forbes Japan, Economist, Arab News, Agazeta and Grupo Abril in Brasil, The Korea Times, Estonian Public Broadcasting and broadcast media in Peru, Serbia, China, Mexico, and Tunisia.

Michelle is currently a guest lecturer for the course Concept to Company at ISM.lt University of Management and Economics in Vilnius, Lithuania. She is part of the Startup Chile board and a NASDAQ Author-in-Residence. She is also a Lead Mentor and Trainer at SVI Academy for top-tier entrepreneurs and experts in Silicon Valley, a Start-up Mentor and Coach at Wise Guys, Board Member at Impact Hub Serbia, Innovation Center Denmark and Good.ng in Nigeria among others. Raised in Latin America and the US, Michelle is a passionate globetrotter who speaks English and Spanish fluently. Her book Decoding Silicon Valley: The Insider’s Guide is available in English, Vietnamese and Chinese.