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Ken Schmidt      

Authentic Leadership & Customer Loyalty Expert; Senior Role in Harley-Davidson Turnaround; Author of "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, Schmidt 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. Schmidt is author of "Make Some Noise: The Unconventional Road to Dominance." He’s also host of the "Tailgating with Geniuses" podcast and co-founder of Torque Sessions Leadership Training. In all of his endeavors, Schmidt brings an unconventional perspective that helps organizations and individuals reframe how they engage with their marketplace.

Schmidt’s career in the motorcycle industry began in 1985 as a specialist in corporate positioning and media relations for the then-struggling Harley-Davidson. 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 Harley-Davidson motorcycles skyrocketed, and the company returned to prominence as one of the most respected, profitable, and frequently reported-on companies in the world. He has delivered more than one thousand keynote presentations on topics such as improving competitiveness, building loyal customer bases, and harnessing human behavior to enhance business performance. His keynotes also include insights on building passionate corporate cultures and developing inspiring leaders.

In 1990, Schmidt became director of Harley-Davidson’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 brand-building. His expertise and success at Harley-Davidson ultimately led to consulting assignments and speaking invitations from all over the world. He emphasizes the importance of engaging customers differently to stand out in the marketplace, often using motorcycles as a metaphor to expose people to new ideas and concepts.

In 1997, Schmidt left Harley-Davidson to take an ownership position with a highly successful Chicago-based marketing firm, VSA Partners. In addition to Harley-Davidson, VSA served a virtual who’s who of the world’s best-known 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. In addition to speaking and consulting, Schmidt is co-founder of Torque Sessions Leadership Training. Through a combination of hands-on training and interactive workshops, these sessions help individuals and organizations re-position themselves to become dominant competitors, maximize leadership effectiveness, build a people-first culture of innovation and foster loyalty among customers and employees.

Schmidt 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. Schmidt'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.

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

After all he has accomplished, Schmidt 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.”

Speech Topics

Full Throttle - Shift Gears, Stand Out & 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 who 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 shifted the company 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.

SAMPLE TAKEAWAYS:

  • 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

Revving Up Reputation: Storytelling That Drives Success

A compelling and memorable story does more than engage – it moves people, reshaping perceptions and driving change. Ken Schmidt, the mastermind of Harley-Davidson’s resurgence, understands that potent narratives do more than catch attention; they change minds and distinguish your business from look-alike competitors. Leadership’s role is the engine that drives this process forward, fostering a culture where storytelling becomes the rocket fuel for this change. In this presentation, Ken delivers a strategic framework for organizations to redefine their narratives, guiding leaders and teams to uncover the core of their organizational identity and craft stories from within and beyond their walls. Through vivid real-world examples, Ken illustrates how authentic storytelling can elevate brands to a place of prominence and trust. This keynote doesn't just inspire; it redefines how organizations live out and communicate their uniqueness, forging indelible connections that turn casual customers into loyal champions.

Sample Takeaways:

  • Elevate the likeability of your business by crafting stories that delight customers
  • Uncover the three core elements behind every memorable story that's ever been told
  • Learn how to craft vocabulary that breathes new life into the seemingly familiar or mundane
  • Find your three most memorable and distinguishing storylines
  • Tap into underutilized opportunities to share stories
  • Discover simple tools that encourage employees to become storytellers

Gear 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.

SAMPLE TAKEAWAYS:

  • Identify your unique qualities and how you want to be remembered
  • Hear ways to make others feel good about themselves
  • Learn how to take an active role in meetings and actively participate
  • Understand that by encouraging others to share their stories, you can then share yours
  • Ways to continuously improve your personal brand by focusing on R&R (Remember & Repeat)

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