Skyscraper Stories
Inspiration and insights on ambition, transformation, disruption, and legacy.
Mark Houser shares key lessons from the people who built the world’s first skyscrapers.
Rooftop tours
May 10-11, 2025
Professional speaker
Mark Houser delivers high-energy, high-content talks that are inspirational in tone and designed to surprise and entertain all audiences.
Hitting the heights
More than 2,000 people have joined Mark on his Antique Skyscraper Rooftop Views tours.
Finding marvels
in every city
As an author, professional speaker, and award-winning journalist, Mark Houser has traveled far and wide in search of the world’s most amazing antique skyscrapers.
A skilled researcher, he digs deep into these landmarks and the lives of the business tycoons, architects, and other personalities behind them.
By sharing these stories, Mark helps audiences to appreciate marvels in their cities they may not have noticed before — and the risks and innovation represented by these “machines to make the land pay.”
Talk Topics
Customizable themes and programs for keynotes and half-day seminars.
Technology Transformation
Disruption & Change
Leadership by Example
Risks vs. Rewards
Sales & Marketing
Leaving a Legacy
“Highrises … is taking America by storm.”
- San Francisco Magazine
”“The beauty of MultiStories is that it diverges from the typical narratives... Any one of these buildings could justify its own book.”
- Council on Tall Buildings
and Urban Habitat
What People Are Saying
“I was hanging on every word. Hire him. He'll absolutely delight your group and make you smarter along the way.”
— Dan Holohan
General Society of Mechanics & Tradesmen of New York
“Mark Houser is informative, authoritative, and knows what makes a story sparkle.”
— Rick Sebak
WQED-TV
“I was blown away by his storytelling and ability to build a narrative around buildings in places across the country where many members of our team work.”
— Neil Lichtenberger
JLL
“Mark Houser enchanted our audience with his knowledge, humor, personal insights and entertaining lecture style.”
— Michelle Crompton
California State Monterey Bay
“Digs up the granular detail of business relationships that birthed these buildings, returning them to the land of the living.”
— Neil Steinberg
Chicago Sun-Times
“Just the right combination of history, architecture, and human interest stories to engage and satisfy a broad audience.”
— Andrew Masich
Sen. John Heinz History Center
