Michael J Lasky's 

entrepreneurial career has spanned four decades across architecture, design, entertainment, finance, technology, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy. Throughout that journey, he has founded companies, developed motion pictures, advised emerging ventures, acquired intellectual property, assembled financing, built strategic partnerships, and pursued projects intended to create both commercial and social value.

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Yet when asked about the defining influences of his career, Michael points not to projects, but to people. He believes every meaningful achievement is built upon the wisdom, trust, and guidance of those who came before us. The story of his professional life is therefore also a story of the mentors, partners, and visionaries who helped shape his journey.

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The First Influences

Born in New York City and raised in Los Angeles, Michael grew up surrounded by storytelling, creativity, and entrepreneurship. His grandfather worked during Hollywood's formative years as a producer, director, attorney, writer, and even as Jack Warner's press agent. His career intersected with many of the pioneering figures who helped define the motion picture industry. Both of Michael's parents were entertainers, exposing him early to the worlds of performance, communication, creativity, and reinvention.

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Looking back, he recognizes that many of the themes that would later define his life—storytelling, human behavior, business creation, and personal transformation—were already present during those early years.

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Adrian J. Wilson, FAIA

Michael's professional career began under the mentorship of Adrian J. Wilson, founder of Adrian Wilson Associates (AWA), one of the world's leading architecture, engineering, and master-planning organizations.

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Working directly with Wilson and his global network provided a rare education in vision, leadership, finance, international development, and large-scale project execution. AWA's portfolio included airports, transportation systems, resorts, commercial developments, master planner for the Pentagon and master-planned communities around the world. Wilson taught Michael to think beyond individual projects and instead understand systems, infrastructure, and long-term impact. He demonstrated how large visions are translated into reality through discipline, persistence, and the coordination of talented people.

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Those lessons became foundational to Michael's approach to entrepreneurship and leadership throughout his career. Building upon that experience, Michael founded Continental Designs in Honolulu, Hawaii, an award-winning interior architectural design firm and international import company representing premier European manufacturers, including Snaidero of Italy and SieMatic of Germany. The company was successfully sold in 1993.

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Hall Bartlett

Stories That Elevate the Human Spirit

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If Adrian Wilson taught Michael how to build projects, Hall Bartlett taught him why stories matter. For more than a decade, Hall Bartlett served as mentor, creative partner, and trusted friend. Together they developed motion pictures, literary properties, financing strategies, and production opportunities while navigating the complex realities of independent filmmaking.

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Hall believed great films should elevate the human spirit. His stories consistently explored courage, redemption, perseverance, hope, and transformation. He viewed cinema not simply as entertainment, but as a vehicle capable of inspiring audiences and contributing something meaningful to society. Through Hall, Michael learned literary development, rights acquisition, packaging, financing, and the art of balancing creative vision with commercial realities. More importantly, Hall demonstrated that integrity matters. He remained committed to stories he believed in, regardless of obstacles or trends. His influence continues to shape every project Michael pursues today.

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Eddie Anhalt

Character Above Plot

Academy Award-winning screenwriter Eddie Anhalt taught Michael one of the most important lessons in storytelling: "People remember characters long after they forget plots." Anhalt possessed a remarkable understanding of human nature, motivation, conflict, contradiction, and emotional truth. His critiques were often precise, candid, and uncomfortably accurate. He challenged writers to look beyond events and focus instead on the deeper motivations driving human behavior. Michael often credits Eddie with teaching him to search for the truth inside a character rather than merely constructing a story around them. Those lessons continue to influence his approach to writing, producing, and evaluating creative material.

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Danny Simon

Humor, Humanity, and Truth

Danny Simon was one of the sharpest observers of human behavior Michael ever encountered. Long before television comedy became a mature art form, Simon helped shape it. He was among the original writers of Sid Caesar's legendary Your Show of Shows, a groundbreaking program that launched the careers of many of television's greatest comedy writers. He is widely credited with helping pioneer the two-act sitcom structure that became the foundation for generations of television comedy.

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Simon later served as Head Writer for The Carol Burnett Show, one of the most successful and beloved comedy programs in television history. Yet despite those extraordinary accomplishments, Danny's greatest gift was not comedy—it was understanding people. He possessed an uncanny ability to recognize the absurdity, vulnerability, contradictions, fears, and aspirations that exist within all of us. He understood that audiences laugh when they recognize truth.

 

His mentorship extended far beyond writing. Danny taught Michael that memorable stories emerge from authentic human experience rather than clever plot devices. He believed great characters reveal themselves through imperfections, contradictions, and struggles.

 

Over a fifteen-year period, Hall Bartlett, Eddie Anhalt, and Danny Simon formed an informal creative apprenticeship that profoundly influenced Michael's development as a producer, writer, and storyteller.

Many of Danny's observations about life proved every bit as valuable as his lessons about storytelling.

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Robert Watts

The Producer's Producer

Following Hall Bartlett's unexpected passing, Robert Watts became one of the most important professional relationships of Michael's entertainment career.

Watts began his film career working with Stanley Kubrick on 2001: A Space Odyssey, an experience that launched one of the most distinguished producing careers in modern cinema. He would later become one of the principal producers behind films associated with Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, including productions within the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises.

Following Hall's passing, Robert and Michael worked closely together, developing projects and exploring opportunities within the motion picture industry.

What impressed Michael most was not Robert's résumé, impressive as it was. It was his professionalism, humility, and mastery of the producing craft.

Robert understood that great producers are builders. They solve problems, unite teams, protect creative vision, and quietly make extraordinary achievements possible.

His friendship provided a bridge between the classic generation of filmmakers who had mentored Michael and the modern era of global motion-picture production.

 

Tom Laughlin

Billy Jack- Conviction and Independence

Tom Laughlin embodied a rare quality: conviction. As creator of the iconic Billy Jack character, Laughlin challenged conventional industry wisdom and demonstrated that independent filmmakers could succeed by maintaining control of their vision and speaking directly to audiences.

 

Michael's friend & partnership with Tom reinforced the importance of creative independence, perseverance, and remaining true to one's principles. Tom demonstrated that meaningful success often requires standing apart from prevailing opinion rather than following it. His courage and commitment left a lasting impression.

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Building Companies, Developing Stories

While maintaining active involvement in entertainment, Michael spent the following decades launching and advising companies across media, finance, technology, education, real estate, and financial services. His ventures have included creating Gotham Metro Studios, Bands.com, The Jonathan Company, Driving Technologies Inc, Cyber-Tek College, College of Communication Arts, C2M Services, Smart ATM™ (Bank-in-a-Box), and numerous consulting and investment initiatives.

His work has ranged from startup formation and capital raising to acquisitions, business development, strategic partnerships, intellectual property development, and venture acceleration.

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Throughout these endeavors, he continued to apply lessons learned from the mentors who shaped him: think big, tell meaningful stories, understand people, value character, and execute relentlessly.

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Living Luminaries and the Search for Wisdom

One film project perhaps best reflects Michael's lifelong fascination with human potential and personal transformation. Living Luminaries was conceived as a docu-drama bringing together an extraordinary collection of teachers, authors, philosophers, and thought leaders dedicated to exploring consciousness, self-realization, and personal growth.

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Luminary Participants included Eckhart Tolle, Marianne Williamson, Michael Beckwith, Don Miguel Ruiz, Geronimo Pratt, and many other respected voices.

The project reflected a question that had followed Michael throughout much of his life: What can we learn from individuals who have dedicated themselves to understanding the human experience?

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Looking Forward

Today, Michael continues to develop motion pictures, documentaries, emerging technologies, public-benefit organizations, and entrepreneurial ventures.

Among his current initiatives are the Water Intelligence Institute, a nonprofit organization dedicated to independent water testing, public education, and environmental stewardship. Although the times have changed, the guiding principles remain remarkably consistent.

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Think independently.

Pursue meaningful work.

Value people above transactions.

Leave things better than you found them.

And never stop learning from those willing to share their wisdom.

For MJ Lasky, those lessons remain the most valuable legacy of all.