Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark J. Lindquist.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born in 1981 in Seoul, South Korea and placed into an orphanage called Eastern Social Welfare. At the age of 8 months I was chosen for adoption and brought to Minnesota on March 5th, 1982.
Raised by the Lindquist Family, (Gordon & Diane, mother and father) and my big sister Heidi (natural born) and 3.5 years older than me. We lived on a half section farm in Big Stone County in the little town of Ortonville, Minnesota, population 2,000.
As a young child I remember hearing stories during our family Sunday night slide shows from my father’s time in the Peace Corps in the early 1970s. Dad served in Malaysia on the island of Borneo teaching villagers how to farm. Mom was also a large influence on me as she taught me to volunteer and give back to the community.
I am a high school graduate of Ortonville High School (1999) and never finished a college degree. I joined Americorps (the domestic Peace Corps) at age 19 and then later enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served as an intelligence analyst for the NSA at Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu.
During my time on active duty I had the opportunity to do a special assignment as an entertainer for Air Force Entertainment and traveled to 22 countries and 38 states performing for 250,000 troops and their families at 124 military bases around the world on a world tour (similar to the USO or what Bob Hope used to do) sponsored by Coca-Cola and Dell.
Following my honorable discharge from the USAF I launched a motivational speaking firm and delivered 1000+ corporate keynotes in every U.S. state for over a million people including executives from McDonald’s, Starbucks, Walmart, Microsoft, Amazon and many more.
I also continued my tradition of performing the National Anthem as I did as a high school student during our Friday night football games at OHS in Ortonville and for military ceremonies all over the world— and have been singing the Star Spangled Banner for the NFL, MLB, NBA, NCAA and for the nation’s largest events including Monday and Thursday Night Football for over 4 million people live and approximately 100+ million on TV over the past decade.
In March of 2022, following the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, I volunteered unpaid to go to Ukraine and support the cause of freedom on earth. Since then, I have been a full-time volunteer living in the war zone of Ukraine, moving humanitarian supplies and materiel to the Ukrainian Army. The support we have been able to muster so far numbers in the $15 million dollar range and I have spread the word about how Americans can help Ukraine to over 50,000 in live audiences and millions on media appearances, including in the Washington Post, BBC, CBS Saturday Morning, CNN, Fox, ABC, NBC, PBS, Voice of America and many other global media outlets. I regularly brief members of the U.S. Congress, the White House, and the military on Ukraine issues.
I currently live full-time in Ukraine and will be here until victory for the Ukrainian people is won.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The biggest challenge we face currently during our ongoing humanitarian mission in Ukraine is PR and awareness. Many Americans support Ukraine and want them to prevail, but don’t have any idea how to directly support the Ukrainian people. My role is to tell the story of Ukraine, how it relates to the story of Americans, and compel them to reach in their pocket and give a portion of their excess resources to support a nation who is currently engaged in a struggle for freedom not that different from our own journey 250 years ago.
Ukraine aside, I would say a lifelong struggle I have had has to do with mental health, depression, suicidal thoughts, PTSD related to my time in Afghanistan, and a constant vigilance required to maintain positive mental health. I have been public about my own challenges in this area and have done what I can to serve as a spokesperson for mental well being.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a professional, top-of-the-industry, Fortune 500 motivational speaker and entertainer who did 100+ gigs a year for a decade for the Fortune 500 and companies big and small. I am largely recognized in the speaking industry as the fastest growing motivational speaker in America from 2013-2018 and I have taught thousands of professional communicators the art and science of motivational speaking at the National Speaker’s Association.
During my full-time, unpaid volunteer work in Ukraine the past 4.5 years I still travel back to the states 3-4 times a year to speak for my clients.
I also continue to volunteer unpaid as a guest artist for the NFL and MLB and for special ceremonies across America as a singer of the National Anthem and other patriotic songs, especially for Veteran’s Day and the NFL’s Salute to Service events.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Any successful person knows that luck and good favor plays a role in one’s journey to their goals and dreams. However, I am a person who believes that fortune favors the bold, you make your own luck, and it is possible to put yourself in a position to win and do everything within your power to set yourself up for success by demonstrating discipline, engaging in the hard work, and through partnering with solid network of friends and colleagues.
In short, my view on the role of luck in my life is this: the harder I work, the luckier I get.
Pricing:
- $50,000 Global Corporate Keynote Speech (In-Person)
- $25,000 Local Corporate Keynote Speech (In-Person)
- $5,000 Virtual One Hour Speech
- $1,000 Virtual Coaching Hour
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.MarkJLindquist.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markjlindquist?igsh=bjFleWV1aDBhdTky&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1EdhDTWuf9/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/markjlindquist?utm_source=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=member_ios
- Twitter: https://x.com/markjlindquist?s=11
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@markjlindquist?si=1mSWSQ1GaVHzlJ-H
- Other: https://www.markhelpsukraine.com
