Mark Schulman

Mark Schulman is a celebrity drummer, cancer survivor and globally recognised authority on performance, resilience and leadership under pressure. With more than three decades at the highest levels of live performance, Mark brings a depth of experience few speakers can match — let alone translate so powerfully for business audiences.

Across a 32-year touring career, Mark has performed live for over one billion people, appearing on the world’s biggest stages including The Grammys, The American Music Awards, America’s Got Talent, and virtually every major television and awards show across the United States, Europe, Australia and Japan. He has shared the stage with some of the biggest names in rock and pop, operating consistently in high-pressure environments where precision, trust and execution are non-negotiable.

Diagnosed with cancer at the height of his career, Mark applied what he calls the “Rockstar Attitude” to the ultimate fight. Having already conquered crippling stage fright early in his career, he proved through lived experience that resilience is not a buzzword — it is a survival strategy. His journey has become a powerful case study in mindset, adaptability and sustained performance under extreme pressure.

What sets Mark apart as a keynote speaker is his ability to translate the secrets of elite performance into actionable business outcomes. Blending rock-and-roll energy with performance psychology, leadership principles and corporate strategy, Mark shows teams how to communicate more effectively, execute under pressure and deliver measurable ROI.

Trained by top speech coaches, directors and acting professionals, Mark honed his craft as a dynamic and engaging presenter while simultaneously touring the world. Early on, he began speaking to corporate audiences on days off from world tours — quickly discovering that his message resonated far beyond music.

After the global pandemic, Mark recognised that his signature experience — often described as a “rock show disguised as a keynote” — delivered deeper fulfilment than touring alone. He stepped away from full-time touring to focus exclusively on corporate speaking, while still bringing his drum kit on stage as part of his immersive, one-of-a-kind experience.

Mark’s passion for music began almost before he could walk. After watching Ringo Starr perform with The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show at just two years old, he knew he was destined for life behind the drum kit. By five, he was playing his first drum set; by twelve, he had landed his first professional gig. He left college to pursue music full-time and, at 26, secured his first world tour with R&B legend Brenda Russell.

In 1992, Mark conducted his first drum clinic and discovered a natural gift for teaching and connecting with audiences — a talent inherited from his parents. After delivering nearly 1,000 drum clinics worldwide, he evolved this unique blend of performance, storytelling and education into powerful keynote presentations for corporate and collegiate audiences.

Today, Mark Schulman is one of the most in-demand keynote speakers in the world, inspiring leaders and teams to perform at their best when the pressure is highest — and the stakes are real.