ABOUT
“I’ve been taught to be an elephant, not a hippo. Elephants have big ears, while hippos have small ones. The most important questions I ask are, how are you doing, and what does success look like?”
~Mark L. Madrid
Mark L. Madrid, CEO and founder of Breakthrough Mavens, LLC, serves corporate America, small business owners, senior executives, boards, and nonprofits in a collaborative and energizing setting. As an in-demand, dynamic keynote speaker and new author, he also appeals to large audiences at the corporate level.
Driven by his signature energy, discipline, and grit, Mark grew up as part of a humble Texas Panhandle farming community, and his journey exemplifies the power of resilience and the pursuit of dreams against all odds.
Raised by migrant farmworker parents, Mark saw firsthand the value of hard work, and he learned about determination when they built a successful welding business from scratch. This early exposure to entrepreneurship laid the foundation for Mark’s future.
Mark’s competitive spirit shone through from a young age, winning his first competition in an unlikely subject—art—despite his love for mathematics. This early moment ignited his drive to excel in diverse areas and demonstrated his ability to thrive outside his comfort zone.
A trailblazer, he became the first-ever Hispanic valedictorian in his town, earning a full scholarship to the University of Texas at Austin. This pivotal milestone led to Wall Street in 1994, and it continued through significant roles in corporate banking, nonprofit leadership, and public service.
During his time at UT-Austin, Mark’s summer internship selling books door-to-door in Olathe, Kansas, taught him invaluable lessons about how to build relationships, face adversity, and running his own micro-business. These experiences taught him about adaptability and discipline of launching each day with unfailing optimism as he would sing a song in the parking lot of the restaurant he went to each morning for breakfast. He may not sell books any longer, but that jingle continues to inspire Mark every day.
He credits much of his tenacity and the ability to navigate the complexities of business and life to his father’s resourcefulness and the memory of his brother, Leroy, who died unexpectedly at age five.
Professionally, Mark’s accomplishments are extensive. He served as a Presidential Appointee and head official at the US Small Business Administration under the Biden-Harris administration and, before that, as the CEO of the Stanford University Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative/Latino Business Action Network. His leadership has supported millions of small businesses, demonstrating his commitment to fostering entrepreneurship and innovation while staying grounded. Mark also harnesses the power of AI to advance inclusive economies, excellence frameworks, and entrepreneurship.
It’s a great day to be a bookman. It’s the best thing that I know. It’s a great day to be a bookman everywhere I go. Goodbye, no, and never; goodbye, doubt and fear. It’s a great day to be a bookman and to be of good cheer. Hey!
~The Bookman Song
Mark was named the 2019 Silicon Valley Nonprofit CEO of the Year by the Silicon Valley Business Journal, and his impressive awards include his designation as an Honorary Colonel for the United States Army, the Jefferson Award for public service, the American Airlines Extra Mile Award, the Courage in Government Award from the National Business Inclusion Consortium, LGBT Advocate of the Year by the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the Latino Leaders Maestro Award for his lifelong achievement for the economic prosperity of the US Latino cohort.
His education credentials, a BBA with honors from UT Austin and a Master’s in Nonprofit Administration with honors from the University of Notre Dame, further accentuate his academic achievements and dedication to continuous learning. He also serves as a proud member of the Board of Directors for the Emmett and Miriam McCoy College of Business Administration Development Foundation and was recently appointed to the Trez.co Board of Advisors.
An energetic and brilliant keynote speaker and author of Energy, 21 Uncomplicated & Easy Tips to Start Your Day Energized, the first in a book series, Self-Fueling Excellence, Mark’s unique story and experiences resonate with many. He attributes his success to energy, discipline, grit, perseverance, and hope—cornerstones he relies on and encourages his clients to utilize through his consulting and coaching services.
Beyond his professional life, Mark treasures his faith, partner, family, and his pet, Champ. His love for competitive running reflects his lifelong love of discipline and self-improvement.
Mark L. Madrid embodies the catchphrase “relentless pursuit of excellence and winning in the good battlefield,” setting him apart nationally for business excellence, inspiration, and action.
RECENT TESTIMONIAL:
“Mark Madrid is passionate and relentless for the greater good. I can attest to his endless energy, as he really does do more by 9 a.m. than most people do all day. He is undeterred by any challenge, large or small. It does not mean that life’s challenges don’t frustrate Mark; he just doesn’t show it. Unflappable, he marches on toward execution.”
~Dan Walsh, Managing Director, Partnerships, at MLT
