Ken Schmidt | Authentic Leadership and Customer Loyalty Expert; Senior Role in Harley-Davidson Turnaround; and Author, Make Some Noise: The Unconventional Road to Dominance

Ken Schmidt

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

Fee Range
$25,000
Travels From
DC, Washington, United States

Ken Schmidt
Biography

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 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, 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 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.

In 1990, Ken 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.

In 1997, Ken 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. 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 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. 

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 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, 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
Featured Videos

Current: Create A New Vocabulary

Time 03:45

More Videos From Ken Schmidt

Create A New Vocabulary
Time 03:45
3 Questions Drove Harley Davidson's Turnaround
Time 01:57
Creating a New Culture at Harley Davidson
Time 24:52
The Power of "The Positive They"
Time 02:25

Ken Schmidt
Featured Keynote Programs

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

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.

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)

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.

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

Ken Schmidt
Featured Book

Make Some Noise: The Unconventional Road to Dominanceby Ken Schmidt

Make Some Noise: The Unconventional Road to Dominance

by Ken Schmidt
The former director of communications at Harley-Davidson and one of the most sought-after speakers in the world reveals his exhilarating, innovative approach to creating customer loyalty and marketplace dominance.

Ken Schmidt is a wanted man. His role in transforming Harley-Davidson Motor Company—one of the most celebrated corporate success stories in history—led business leaders all over the world to seek his guidance. After all, how many companies can get their customers to tattoo their logo on their arms?

After having worked with more than one thousand companies worldwide, Schmidt is ready to share the secrets that spurred Harley-Davidson’s remarkable turnaround. An avid motorcycle enthusiast, Schmidt harnessed his passion for riding to create his famed Noise Cubed Trilogy—the three questions he asks every one of his clients. They assess a company’s positioning, competitiveness, and reputation, and are the key ingredients for any successful corporation: What do the customers your business served yesterday say about your business when they’re talking about you to prospective customers? What do you want them to say? What are you doing to get them to say it?

In Make Some Noise, Schmidt shares his full-throttle approach for businesses and individuals alike. Anyone looking to become more competitive and grow customer loyalty can learn from the case studies and experiences he shares. From a nondescript heavy construction company, to the most high-end “luxury” gas station in America, to Apple, and to his own personal landscaper, Schmidt illustrates how the answers to his trio of questions will yield a course of action to stand out in today’s marketplace.

Ken Schmidt
Featured Reviews

Ken Schmidt
Featured Articles & Resources

The Power of Standing Out: Lessons from Ken Schmidt

In a world where businesses often blend into a sea of sameness, it's crucial to break free from the pack and make a lasting impression. Ken Schmidt, renowned for his...
Read More

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