- Customer expert who spearheaded Harley-Davidson's return to dominance
- Pioneer in leveraging human behavior to drive growth
- Bestselling author of Make Some Noise
Ken Schmidt is a customer loyalty expert who transformed Harley-Davidson from struggling manufacturer to iconic brand. As a key architect of the company's legendary turnaround, he pioneered strategies that shifted focus from products to people, creating unprecedented marketplace advocacy.
Ken served as Harley-Davidson's director of corporate communications, working directly with leadership to revolutionize their market approach. His work has been featured in major business media worldwide, and he's advised global brands through his consultancy and as a partner at VSA Partners. His book "Make Some Noise: The Unconventional Road to Dominance" distills his proven methodology.
In today's marketplace, where products are increasingly viewed as interchangeable commodities, Ken helps organizations break free from competitive sameness. He teaches companies how to leverage basic human needs for competitive advantage by becoming memorable for who they are rather than what they sell. His approach transforms customer relationships from transactional to emotional, building loyalty that withstands price competition.
Audiences leave Ken's presentations with practical frameworks for differentiating their business, actionable strategies to humanize their brand story, and techniques to convert customers into vocal advocates. His high-energy delivery combines real-world case studies with immediately applicable insights on creating meaningful customer connections.
Book Ken Schmidt when your organization needs to break free from competitive sameness and create the kind of customer loyalty that drives sustainable growth.
Ken's Showreel and Videos
Topics, Sessions and Talks
How To Rev Up Your Reputation
With stories shaping perceptions and influencing choices, Ken Schmidt highlights how distinct language and compelling narratives elevate businesses from forgettable to admired. He shares tools to craft memorable storylines and boost customer advocacy. This session focuses on the power of storytelling to humanize your brand, increase likeability and strengthen your reputation in a crowded market.
Shift Gears, Accelerate, And Dominate Your Market
Ken Schmidt explores why being known for what you do makes you replaceable, and how shifting to being known for who you are can drive market dominance. Drawing from the Harley-Davidson transformation, he reveals how to use key drivers of human behavior to spark emotional loyalty, create preference, and stand out in a sea of sameness. Fast-paced, visual, and filled with takeaway strategies that make a lasting impact.
Building Tattoo-Worthy Customer Relationships
Ken Schmidt explains why loyalty can’t be bought—it must be earned through emotional resonance. Using the Harley-Davidson experience as a guide, he breaks down how to evolve customer relationships from transactional to enduring. This talk is a call to action for leaders at every level to embed authenticity, warmth, and purpose into every customer interaction.
Untapped Growth Opportunities For Financial Services
Targeted at the financial sector, this session exposes how uniformity and eroding trust create hidden growth potential. Ken Schmidt reveals how firms can reframe their approach to stand out, spark demand, and build a reputation that clients trust and talk about. His message reframes challenge as opportunity in one of the most competitive industries today.
How To Dominate In A Commoditized Market
Ken Schmidt lays out a roadmap for companies trapped in price wars and sameness. Drawing on real-life turnarounds, he shows how to become a trusted brand that commands loyalty—even when priced higher. With a focus on strategic positioning, this hands-on session offers practical tools to transform perception, strengthen customer retention and rise above the competition.
Why We Recommend Booking Ken
Ken Schmidt, the customer loyalty expert who transformed Harley-Davidson from struggling manufacturer to iconic brand, teaches organizations how to break free from competitive sameness by building emotional connections that turn customers into vocal advocates. Book Ken today to discover actionable strategies that will differentiate your business and create the sustainable customer loyalty your organization needs to thrive.
Trusted by GE, Supreme Lending, GE Healthcare, Ford Motor Company, Johnson Controls
Your message was so well received and hit home with our group! Thank you for the time you took to customize your speech to meet the needs of our group! Your message, energy and spirit was EXACTLY what our group needed!
Director of Corporate Events
Director of Corporate Events, Supreme Lending
Ken Schmidt was the perfect addition to our event. Ken exceeded our expectations and was incredibly knowledgeable about the topics presented.
Ken's message, by design or coincidence, reflected my attitude towards customers for the last decades as a sales leader. Differentiating ourselves against a heavily populated list of competitors and always at a price premium, by doing the little things and driving brand loyalty was inspirational. I could go on needless to say you exceeded our expectations in every way.
VP Global Control Products Sales, Johnson Controls Building Technologies and Solutions
