Shapiro Negotiations

Greg Dinkin

Greg Dinkin

WSJ Best-Selling Author & Creator of the Poker MBA

Greg Dinkin

WSJ Best-Selling Author & Creator of the Poker MBA

Professional Background

Greg Dinkin is a decisions coach, entrepreneur, and Wall Street Journal best-selling author of Your Next Five Moves, The Poker MBA, and Amarillo Slim’s memoirs. For two decades, he has guided businesses and individuals toward better decision-making through his signature “poker mindset” approach—the belief that winning in life starts with mastering yourself.

His career has been diverse and interesting to say the least. As a speaker, Dinkin uses his own story, including overcoming weight and personal challenges, to demonstrate confidence and decision-making under pressure.

Experience and Expertise

Greg’s unconventional path has delivered concrete results across multiple fields. 

He’s best known for his poker skills. He captured a Texas Hold’em tournament at The Bicycle Casino, finished second at a World Series of Poker event, earning $102,542, and used his success here to build expertise that would influence how he approaches business strategy, manages risk, and reads people under pressure. His philosophy is that strategic thinking, sharp decision-making, reading people, bouncing back from losses, and knowing when to bluff prove indispensable whether you’re at a conference table or card table.

Before writing and coaching, Greg worked as a PwC strategy consultant. He later took on an unusual role as a corporate espionage agent for InterContinental Hotels. He also co-founded a literary agency that successfully placed over 130 books with major publishers, combining his business acumen with creative industry knowledge.  

Education and Personal

Greg earned his B.S. in hotel administration from Cornell University and later completed an MBA in finance from Arizona State University. He is also a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, where he gained his certification in holistic health coaching.

When he steps away from writing and coaching, Greg pursues interests that mirror his balanced approach to life. He plays guitar and sings, practices yoga regularly, and stays active on the basketball court.

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