Popular Topics and Related Experience & Expertise
How to be a More Effective Leader
The Story of the Raw Egg

Experience/Expertise: M.L. has been a life-long entrepreneur and spent 30 years in the martial arts as a student, teacher, and owner. The son of a public school Principal, M.L. learned early on that the best teachers were really just great motivators. He applied this simple concept, along with concepts he learned as a martial artist, to both his teaching and business methods. The result was a leadership style that motivated those around him to accomplish tasks that even they themselves didn't think were possible.

Now retired, M.L. is happy to share these concepts in hopes of making others more effective leaders in all aspects of life: business, teaching, and even parenting!
Dealing with Transitions in Life
The Corners of the Circle

Experience/Expertise: As a 40 year student and practitioner of meditation, M.L. was known to sometimes sit in quiet introspection for 12-15 hours at a time, and slowing his breathing down to just one breath per minute. It was during this period of his life that he stumbled upon the realization of the corners of the circle, learning to recognize changes in life as they are happening rather than reacting after they have already occurred. M.L. has lectured for more than 20 years on the importance of this recognition.

The concept of The Corners of the Circle was formalized in M.L.'s second book, The Mobile Monk; A Zen Tale and has proven to be a catalyst for growth for people around the world. 
The Car-T Cell Experience
The Car-T Before the Horse

Experience/Expertise: In 2006 M.L. was diagnosed with a chronic form of Leukemia and has now gone through four types of treatments for his illness. Most recently, he was one of thirty people in the U.S. to participate in a clinical trial involving Car-T cell therapy. As a teacher and author, M.L. went into the therapy as if writing a book on the subject and chronicled the entire process through pictures, videos, and interviews with the team. M.L. is now ready to share the Car-T process with others.

M.L. is currently working on his third book, Car-T Before the Horse, exploring his Car-T cell experience and how it was instrumental in his ability to continue developing his small ranch.
5 Minutes to a Healthier Mind & Body
Zazen Meditation

Experience/Expertise: In 1976, M.L. began to practice meditation under the guidance of his father. He was introduced to Zazen (sitting Zen) in 1980 and this practice has remained an integral part of his life ever since. He has written two books on the positive effect Zazen has had on his life and the practice has led to the creation of the philosophy of the Study of True Understanding. In addition to his books, M.L. has taught Zazen and lectured on its benefits for more than twenty years. 

M.L. has become so proficient in Zazen that he can teach the method in less than five minutes and every single participant will attest to the immediate  positive effect!
Anticipatory Expectations
Hey man, what's your bag?

Experience/Expertise: In The Gentle Ravings of an Egomaniacal Master, M.L. teaches how our attachment to past experiences dictates many of our current actions and decisions. He illustrates this point in The Mobile Monk; A Zen Tale with his short story The Big Bag of Rocks. Combining these two, M.L. has taught and lectured on the concept of letting go of our expectations of how life should be and more effectively focusing on how simple life really could be if we just learned to drop our bag!

Since 1990 M.L. has been delighting audiences of all ages with this very simple and practical approach to understanding why life seems difficult when actually it is quite easy.
How to Get Your Guru on!
The Man vs. The Message

​​Experience/Expertise: For more than twenty years M.L. has lectured and taught interactive philosophy classes with two basic rules: quote concepts but not people, and avoid expressing strong opinions. Why? It is important to recognize that all teachers/guru's are on a journey of their own and while you may go along for the ride for a while, eventually your journey must be your own. A quality philosophy will stand on its own separate from the author, and your strong opinions of today will likely change over time.

With so many people today looking for answers to the big questions in life, M.L. feels strongly that he should share his personal experience as a "Master" / "Sensei" / "Guru."
9-Minute Service Dog Training
Doc Boo Approved

Experience/Expertise: Over the past 14 years M.L. has undergone several types of treatment for leukemia and these have, at times, left him needing assistance with several daily tasks. Unable to afford the enormous cost of a commercially available service dog, but being a tenacious researcher and an experienced dog trainer, M.L. set out to rescue and then train a service dog that would be ADA approved. This training regimen has proved successful and is now available to others in need.

M.L. and his dog "Doc" Boo have been together now for five years. While Boo is able to perform important tasks for M.L., he has never ceased being the   goofy, lovable, playful dog that he is.
Five Steps to Becoming an Inventor
A little Ben Franklin in all of us

Experience/Expertise: What good is a great idea if you don't do something with it? Over the past thirty years, M.L. has been issued numerous patents and trademarks associated with several of his businesses. So many in fact, that he learned to file for them and maintain them without an attorney. After many requests from budding inventors and entrepreneurs for his assistance, M.L. has put together these simple five steps that can be utilized to create, determine the need for, and apply for and maintain patents and trademarks.

It's been said that America was built on invention & entrepreneurship. Where has that gone? M.L. believes that it still exists and his five steps makes it easier for more people to participate.
Five Steps to Reinventing Yourself
How Cancer Made My Life Better

Experience/Expertise: M.L. was in the midst of a thriving thirty-year career in the teaching of martial arts when he was informed by doctors that he would need to abandon his practice due to his diagnoses of leukemia. Suddenly, it seemed, all of his plans for his future had changed. But this wasn't the first time that he had been faced with completely reinventing himself and so he applied his creativity to the task. The result was an invention that has touched the lives of more than a million people in seven countries!

M.L. shares with audiences the four basic steps he used to reinvent himself three different times. The information can be used by anyone regardless of education or economic obstacles.
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M.L. Cerpok with "Doc" Boo
How to Be a Survivalist Without Really Trying
Prepping's not just for Preppers

Experience/Expertise: When M.L. and his wife bought a 40 acre property in the middle of nowhere six years ago, more than a few of their family and friends raised an eyebrow. M.L. is certainly not what one might consider a "survivalist" or even a "prepper." When they sank a 520 foot well and built a small solar powered cabin out there, many considered them silly. All of this just to have quiet and solitude? But as the coronavirus pandemic unfolded, all of the those raised eyebrows turned into knowing nods. Once again, M.L. had been thinking outside of the box. As M.L. and his wife continue to develop their ranch, there is no denying that they have put themselves into an enviable position. The funniest part... they weren't even trying!

As the current crisis passes and more and more people are looking to be better prepared for the next one, M.L. explains the reasonable steps one can take to be ready without going to extremes.