Speaking
From writing the code to leading the room.
Matt Francis is a technologist, enterprise leader and the author of All In? A Memoir of the Climb, the Code, and the Age of AI. He speaks to leadership teams about putting AI to work, tying it to ROI and EBITDA, productivity, and leading people through change.
Event organizers and leadership teams: book a 30-minute intro call and I'll send you a free copy of All In?
The book
All In? A Memoir of the Climb, the Code, and the Age of AI
A candid story of building, leading, starting over, and holding on to what matters. Across 22 chapters, Matt traces his path from night school and his own small technology business to leading enterprise practices, pairing each career episode with a lesson leaders can use.
The résumé tells you where. This book tells you why. Available in Kindle, paperback and hardcover.
Talk topics
Talks Matt gives
Every talk is built around your team and your goals, from leadership offsites, all-hands and kickoffs to conferences, podcasts and book clubs.
Technical depth is leadership
Why the executives who stay close to how the work gets done make better calls, and why leaving the craft behind is a mistake.
AI beyond the pilot
What separates AI that reaches production from slideware, and what leaders should change in how teams work.
Transformation is a leadership decision
Why large programs miss, the early signals that predict it, and how to tie technology to measurable value.
From builder to executive
The climb from developer and small-business owner to global practice leader, and the trade-offs nobody puts on a résumé.
Resilience and starting again
Loss, family, risk and the people who make the climb worth it, and how to decide when to go all in.
Building careers in tech
Certifications, mentors and the habits that turn deep technical skill into lasting influence.
For podcast hosts
Questions hosts can ask
Use these as written or as a starting point. Matt is glad to work from your own list.
- Why did you call the book All In? with a question mark?
- You went from racking your own servers to leading a large practice at IBM. What did you have to unlearn along the way?
- Why do you argue that technical depth is a source of leadership, not something to leave behind?
- Most companies are stuck in AI pilots. What actually gets AI into production?
- What was the hardest chapter to write, and why did you include it?
- What would you tell someone deciding whether to go all in on their next chapter?
Speaker kit
Bios, headshot and logistics
Copy a bio or download the headshot. No email required.
PNGHeadshotWeb resolution PNGBook coverAll In? front coverFormats
- In person · keynotes, workshops and panels for leadership offsites, all-hands and kickoffs; based in Atlanta and available to travel
- Virtual events · webinars, summits and fireside chats
- Podcasts · audio or video, 30 to 60 minutes, live or recorded
- Remote setup · Matt joins on his own HD camera and microphone
Short bio · about 50 words
Matt Francis is a technologist, enterprise leader and the author of the memoir All In? A Memoir of the Climb, the Code, and the Age of AI. A Salesforce Certified Technical Architect and former IBM Distinguished Engineer, he led IBM's $400M+ Salesforce Americas practice and has spent more than 25 years in enterprise technology.
Full bio · about 120 words
Matt Francis is a technologist, enterprise leader and the author of All In? A Memoir of the Climb, the Code, and the Age of AI. His career started with code: in the 1990s he built one of the first website management and eCommerce platforms and ran his own technology business. He went on to lead Salesforce practices at LiquidHub, Capgemini and IBM, serving as practice leader and CTO for IBM's $400M+ Salesforce Americas practice. A Salesforce Certified Technical Architect and former IBM Distinguished Engineer, he has mentored 13 IBM professionals to CTA certification. He holds a master's in enterprise architecture from Penn State and lives in Atlanta with his family.
Host introduction · read aloud, about 20 seconds
My guest today has spent more than 25 years on both sides of enterprise technology: writing the code and leading the business. He led IBM's $400 million Salesforce Americas practice, became an IBM Distinguished Engineer, and has written a candid memoir about the climb, called All In? Please welcome Matt Francis.
Book Matt to speak
Have an event in mind?
Send the date, format and audience. Book a 30-minute intro call and Matt will send you a free copy of All In? Press or podcast request? See the media kit.