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Ken Schmidt

Authentic Leadership and Customer Loyalty Expert; Senior Role in
HarleyDavidson Turnaround; Author, Make Some Noise; The Unconventional Road to Dominance

It’s an impersonal world, where so many products and services are seen as easily-replaced, indistinct commodities. Whether you stand out or get lost in the crowd is a choice. A mindset. Ken Schmidt faced those same challenges himself and gained acclaim for his role in the extraordinary turnaround of the legendary Harley-Davidson Motor Company. That transformation was based on a change in mindset and a focus on answering three key strategic questions. While times have changed, what humans want and need from the businesses they buy from and work for hasn’t.  In his high-energy speeches, Ken inspires companies and individuals to shift their thinking and ride a path to success by becoming memorable – not for what they do or what they make, but for how they connect with people.

Ken is the author of Make Some Noise: The Unconventional Road to Dominance. He’s also the host of the Tailgating with Geniuses podcast and co-founder of Torque Sessions Leadership Training. In all of his endeavors, Ken brings an unconventional perspective that helps organizations and individuals reframe how they engage with their marketplace.

KEN SCHMIDT
3 QUESTIONS DROVE HARLEY-DAVIDSON’S TURNAROUND

Travels From:

Washington, DC

Fee Range:

Keynote: $20,500 – $33,500

Favorite Food:

Mac & Cheese

Ken Schmidt Bio

Authentic Leadership and Customer Loyalty Expert; Senior Role in HarleyDavidson Turnaround; and Author, Make Some Noise: The Unconventional Road to Dominance

It’s an impersonal world, where so many products and services are seen as easilyreplaced, indistinct commodities. Whether you stand out or get lost in the crowd is a choice. A mindset. Ken Schmidt faced those same challenges himself and gained acclaim for his role in the extraordinary turnaround of the legendary HarleyDavidson Motor Company. That transformation was based on a change in mindset and a focus on answering three key strategic questions. While times have changed, what humans want and need from the businesses they buy from and work for hasn’t. In his highenergy speeches, Ken inspires companies and individuals to shift their thinking and ride a path to success by becoming memorable not for what they do or what they make, but for how they connect with people. Ken is the author of Make Some Noise: The Unconventional Road to Dominance. He’s also the host of the Tailgating with Geniuses podcast and cofounder of Torque Sessions Leadership Training. In all of his endeavors, Ken brings an unconventional perspective that helps organizations and individuals reframe how they engage with their marketplace.

Ken Schmidt’s career in the motorcycle industry began in 1985 as a specialist in corporate positioning and media relations for the thenstruggling HarleyDavidson. He was tasked with helping the company restore its image, improve its competitiveness, and create demand for its motorcycles. Within a few short years, sales of HarleyDavidson motorcycles skyrocketed, and the company returned to prominence as one of the most respected, profitable, and frequently reportedon companies in the world.

In 1990, Ken became director of HarleyDavidson’s corporate and financial communications, serving as its primary spokesperson to the media and the financial communities. He frequently appeared in mainstream and business media to offer insights on nontraditional communications, customer attraction, and brandbuilding. His expertise and success at HarleyDavidson ultimately led to consulting assignments and speaking invitations from all over the world.

In 1997, Ken left HarleyDavidson to take an ownership position with a highly successful Chicagobased marketing firm, VSA Partners. In addition to HarleyDavidson, VSA served a virtual who’s who of the world’s bestknown brands. In 1999, he sold his portion of VSA to start his own business, Ken Schmidt Company, to combine two of his greatest passions, motorcycling and speaking. He uses motorcycles as a metaphor to expose people to proven ideas and concepts they’ve likely never imagined.

In addition to speaking and consulting, Ken is cofounder of Torque Sessions Leadership Training. Through a combination of handson training and interactive workshops, these sessions help individuals and organizations reposition themselves to become dominant competitors, maximize leadership effectiveness, build a peoplefirst culture of innovation, and foster loyalty among customers and employees.

Ken is also the host of the popular podcast Tailgating with Geniuses, wherein he talks with some of the most innovative and successful leaders in a variety of industries to discuss their unique perspectives on leadership, major challenges, and success. Ken’s relatable and engaging hosting style has made the podcast a hit with listeners looking to learn from the best and achieve their own personal and professional goals.

Ken authored Make Some Noise: The Unconventional Road to Dominance, which gives business leaders an easytofollow roadmap for improving their competitiveness, using many of the techniques he championed at HarleyDavidson. He considers his work on 100 Years of HarleyDavidson, a global best seller, to be one of his greatest and most rewarding achievements.

After all he has accomplished, Ken remains committed to his philosophy of standing out, taking risks, and having fun in both his personal and professional life. He says, “Never do what’s expected, make yourself as noticeably different as possible, and have a lot more fun than you’re supposed to.”

Ken Schmidt

Partial Client List:

  • Anytime Fitness
  • Audi of America, Inc.
  • Automotive Technologies – Wireless Zone
  • Barron’s
  • Bartlett Tree Service
  • Bob Evans Restaurants
  • Bona, US
  • Canon USA
  • Citibank
  • Clockwork Home Services
  • Comcast
  • Costa Sunglasses
  • Cracker Barrell Old Country Store
  • Direct Selling Association
  • DXP Enterprises
  • Einstein Noah Restaurant Group
  • Famous Dave’s
  • Five Guys Enterprises
  • Harp’s Food Stores
  • Hershey Foods
  • Honeywell International, Inc.
  • Intel Corporation
  • J.P. Morgan Asset Management, Inc.
  • Kenworth Truck Co.
  • Kubota Tractor
  • Living Social
  • McAlister’s Corporation
  • NCR Corporation
  • O’Reilly Automotive
  • Pizza Patron
  • Renewal by Andersen
  • Ricoh USA
  • Sanford Health
  • SC Johnson
  • Sonic Drive-In
  • StarNet Worldwide
  • TEDx
  • The Hertz Corporation
  • The Leavitt Group
  • The Mosaic Company
  • Unos Restaurants
  • Verizon
  • Versico Roofing Systems
  • Visiant Health Solutions
  • Wells Fargo
  • Zoetis
  • "The team absolutely loved you! Your message was so on point."

    President Pizzeria Uno Restaurants
  • "We very much appreciated the opportunity to include Ken as a key part in our rebrand. We were highly satisfied with how he was able to make everything tie together!"

    MassMutual
  • "Absolutely phenomenal! Your session really got our members pumped up. You're a true professional to work with."

    Events Specialist REALTORS® Association of Edmonton
  • What a great job you did....our people loved you and your message! You did a great job in studying our materials and working our story into yours. Not many speakers do that...they lean on their standard packaged messages and almost avoid customization. We appreciate the attention and effort that you provided.

    VP Marketing Communications Mueller Industries, Inc.
  • Outstanding! An excellent speaker. Great energy on stage and very dynamic with superb message. He received the highest rating possible from all of our attendees and ended our conference perfectly!

    Protective Life Insurance Company
  • Incredibly dynamic and engaging! Had the crowd at times stunned, introspective, puzzled, very amused, but predominantly learning! His ability to draw these emotions from the crowd made his points that much more memorable.

    Consumer Electronics Association (CES) Industry Forum

Ken Schmidt Programs

FULL THROTTLE – SHIFT GEARS, STAND OUT, AND CRUISE TO THE TOP

“No matter what we sell, make, or do, we’re a commodity to people who don’t know us,” says Ken Schmidt. Companies that understand that and change their mindset to engage customers differently will win big. Authenticity stands out in today’s impersonal world and Ken unpacks a roadmap for creating an unshakable emotional connection with customers. This talk is rooted in the ideas that drove Harley-Davidson’s incredible transformation and return to dominance as Ken and his team led the company’s shift away from focusing on product features and instead leaned into the key drivers of human behavior. As it did, H-D’s sales, profitability, and loyalty skyrocketed. Ken’s high energy and humor punctuate this talk as he shows businesses of every size and scope how to align everyone in the organization around a set of values that ignite customer passion, maximize sales growth, and stand out in their marketplace.

• Discover the three questions that should drive every decision to protect and enhance your reputation
• Transform the company mindset towards being known for who you are vs. what you do
• Harness the three drivers of human behavior to create unshakable loyalty
• Gain ways to be memorable so customers tell your story to others – in person and on social media
• Elevate your business by humanizing it and delivering delight

REV IT UP: FAST TRACK YOUR CAREER

“How do you want to be talked about and what are you doing to make that happen?” Ken Schmidt reminds people that we are a story-telling species and getting noticed by customers or even in your own organization is about being memorable. Saying or doing what people expect doesn’t make you – or your business – stand out. In this talk, Ken shows how to make a lasting impact. It starts with answering three key questions about how you want to be remembered. Ken reminds audiences that what people remember about you is dependent on how you make them feel about themselves. It’s more important to be interested – not interesting. Ken shares lessons learned from a celebrated career at Harley-Davidson and beyond to show how to build a personal brand that will fast-track your career in today’s dynamic landscape.

• Discover the three questions that should drive every decision to protect and enhance your reputation
• Transform the company mindset towards being known for who you are vs. what you do
• Harness the three drivers of human behavior to create unshakable loyalty
• Gain ways to be memorable so customers tell your story to others – in person and on social media
• Elevate your business by humanizing it and delivering delight

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Video Clips

The Power of the Positive They

Your Most Important Asset

Make Some Noise Philosophy

Book Jackets
Ken Schmidt Make Some Noise Book Cover
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