Available to book

Brand advocacy & loyalty expert

Ken Schmidt

Customer Loyalty

Marketing

Storytelling

Transform customer loyalty with Ken Schmidt, speaker and brand advocacy expert. Ken works with global organizations to break competitive sameness, build emotional connections, and create vocal brand advocates, delivering proven strategies from his Harley-Davidson turnaround success.

Check Ken’s availability

Trusted by GE, Supreme Lending, GE Healthcare, Ford Motor Company, Johnson Controls

Ken Schmidt

United States

Starting from

$26k–50k

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Book Ken

United States

Starting from

$26k–50k

Send an email

loading@getapeptalk.com

Give us a call

+44 203 835 2929

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Instant quote

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No upfront fee

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Vetted speaker

Ken Schmidt's biography

Innovator

Podcast

Advertising

High Energy

Visionary

Business Consulting

Presentation

Thought Leader

Business Leader

Author

TEDx

Executive

Inspirational

Public Relations

Motivational

At a glance

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.

Check Ken's availability

Trusted by GE, Supreme Lending, GE Healthcare, Ford Motor Company, Johnson Controls

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What topics does Ken Schmidt specialise in?

Ken Schmidt specialises in discussing customer loyalty, brand differentiation, human behavior in marketing and more.

What is Ken Schmidt's speaking style like?

Ken delivers high-energy presentations filled with real-world case studies and actionable insights, helping audiences humanise their brand and build lasting customer loyalty through memorable, people-focused strategies.

How can I book Ken Schmidt for my next event?

Email ken.schmidt@getapeptalk.com or call us on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm availability and fees. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and a bit about your audience. As speaker agents, PepTalk can secure Ken Schmidt for commercial and corporate events, conference keynotes, leadership talks, celebrity brand endorsements & partnerships, personal appearances, and motivational speaking engagements. We can assist with enquiries about Ken Schmidt's speaking fees, availability, and booking process for private business functions, industry conferences, and team events. Please note, for media interviews, autographs, charity appearances, or personal matters, we recommend contacting Ken Schmidt directly.

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