Anthony M. Wagner
Tech Professional • Educator • Entrepreneur
I blend my passion for tech, my experience as a middle school English and math teacher, my love of learning and optimizing, and my excitement for creative entrepreneurship into everything I do.
Call & Text
313 · 580 ∙ 0801
anthony@amichaelwagner.com
linkedin.com/in/amichaelwagner
It started with an old computer •
When I was a kid, we had a desktop computer crammed next to the the furnace in a windowless basement room. I loved video games though, so I would spend hours on that computer playing The Sims and Roller Coaster Tycoon.
Unfortunately, our aging computer had trouble playing most games, and my family couldn’t afford better equipment. I was determined to play anyway, and so I would attempt to fix problems myself.
That determination would lead me to spend as many hours troubleshooting as I did actually playing games. I tried every solution I could find.
Eventually, after endless frustration and countless fixes, my persistence would usually pay off, and I’d have a small breakthrough: My game would finally work!
It was in that basement office, struggling to get our outdated computer to cooperate, that I found my love for technology. Despite all the frustration, the excitement and pride I felt every time I solved a tech problem are what lit the fire.
Now, decades later, I blend my passion for tech, my experience as a middle school English and math teacher, my love of learning and optimizing, and my excitement for creative entrepreneurship into everything I do.
I’m so excited that you’re here, and I can’t wait to work with you!
Testimonials •
Christa Graham
Web Design • Copywriting • Business Strategy
Anthony is the best at web and tech stuff. You can trust him to take care of your site like it’s his own.
Ching-Ya Tan
Design Quintessentials
Web Design • Copywriting • Business Strategy
I love Anthony’s work on my site. He nailed my branding, and the copy he wrote for me is so much better than what I’d written. He saved me so much time and energy.
Tariq Elkhatib
Business Spreadsheet Design
Kate Josephine Johnson
Email Marketing & MailerLite Support
I recommend Anthony for business systems support because he has one of those freaky smart brains that just understands how online systems are supposed to work.
He helped me configure my email client, MailerLite, but I am confident that he could bring quick value to supporting me on any system.
His brain is wired like someone who has been solving problems for a very long time.
My Library •
My quest to be and do better is never-ending. Here’s a curated selection of the books that have meant the most to me.
A Quick Disclaimer:
This section contains affiliate links, and I may earn a small commission (at no cost to you) if you click on them. Please note that I have personally read every book listed!
Books that changed my life
How to Be Everything • Emilie Wapnick
After watching Emilie Wapnick’s TED Talk, and then reading this book, I realized that being a multipotentialite, or generalist, has so much value.
Storyworthy • Matthew Dicks
Reading this book was the first time that I learn both to recognize the power of small moments, and how to craft them into meaningful stories.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck • Mark Manson
I take two key things away from this book every time I read it: 1. Joy is in the journey, not in the destination, and 2. Life is the pursuit of better problems.
Why We Get Fat and What to Do About It • Gary Taubes
Reading this book was my first step to losing 100+ pounds. It fundamentally changed how I think about food, particularly sugar, and helped me to both lose the weight and reverse a pre-diabetes diagnosis.
The Personal MBA • Josh Kaufman
This book cemented my gut instinct that, while there is incredible value in formal education, there is also is also incredible value in learning outside of schools.
Books on work & business
Marketing Made Simple • Donald Miller
This is the most succinct book I’ve found on marketing and web design strategy. I use a modified version of Miller’s wireframe for every single web design client.
Choose • Ryan Levesque
If you’re looking to start a side-hustle or business, this is required reading. It helped me narrow my focus in a smart, guided way.
The Perfect Close • James Muir
I learned to be less afraid of sales, particularly of closing, using this method.
Stories That Stick • Kindra Hall
This book complements Storyworthy (mentioned above) in an exceptional way. Hall’s advice on storytelling for business has shaped how I write copy.
Ca$hvertising • Drew Eric Whitman
This book presents some of the most practical, useful marketing strategies I’ve ever found.
Books on self-development
Daring Greatly • Brené Brown
It’s from Brené Brown that I learned how important vulnerability is: It’s the root of all love and creativity.
Braving the Wilderness • Brené Brown
Six words I strive to live by every day: Strong back; Soft front; Wild heart.
Everything is Figureoutable • Marie Forleo
Marie’s insistence that every person has a unique set of skills and experiences, and that they are key elements in business, has helped keep me going when I’ve struggled with my own doubt and imposter syndrome.
The 5 Second Rule • Mel Robbins
As cheesy as it seems, Mel’s Five Second Rule (counting down from five and then moving) has helped me overcome even the strongest inertia.
Someday is Today • Matthew Dicks
Matthew Dicks’ insights on productivity and optimization are so closely aligned with my own worldview, I felt as though I could have written this book.
Books by people I admire
Becoming • Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama is, and has been, one of my greatest sources of inspiration. She is brilliant and compassionate, witty and caring. I try my hardest to live by the ideal, “When they go low, we go high.”
A Promised Land • Barack Obama
I’m almost as mesmerized by Barack as I am by Michelle (we’re on a first-name basis, clearly). He was, and is, an incredible leader, and I am grateful for all he’s done.
Over the Top • Jonathan Van Ness
JVN helped me overcome some of my own internalized homophobia just by being himself. And, his book was a tremendous read.
Paddle Your Own Canoe • Nick Offerman
Nick Offerman’s dry wit, combined with his compassion, makes me feel like we could be related.
How to Be Perfect • Michael Schur
Mike Schur has created some of the most impactful content I’ve consumed (The Office, Parks & Rec, and The Good Place). He’s brilliant, and so was this book.
Anthony M. Wagner