Ken Schmidt: Why Being Known for What You Do Kills Your Competitiveness

About Ken Schmidt:

Ken Schmidt is one of the business world’s most in-demand executive advisors and speakers, driven by the acclaim he earned leading Harley-Davidson Motor Company’s against-all-odds turnaround in the 1990s from the brink of financial ruin to global dominance. He’s the author of Make Some Noise: The Unconventional Road to Dominance, the host of the Tailgating with Geniuses podcast, and co-founder of Torque Sessions Leadership Training. Ken’s success, unconventional business approach, and playful outspokenness led him to consulting assignments with household-name brands and transformed him into a highly requested speaker with more than 1,200 keynotes presented globally to date.

 

In this episode, Dean Newlund and Ken Schmidt discuss:

• Human-centered brand differentiation
• Emotional connection as a competitive edge
• Reframing traditional marketing strategies
• Business transformation through customer feedback
• The power of language in brand identity

 

Key Takeaways:

• Harley-Davidson’s resurgence came from abandoning a product-focused mindset and embracing a strategy centered on emotional connection, human interaction, and delivering consistent delight.
• By directly asking riders one powerful question—“What do we have to change on this motorcycle to convince you to buy it?”—Harley created a fast, impactful loop between feedback and product innovation.
• The company aligned its brand around three key questions—what are people saying about us, what do we want them to say, and what are we doing to get them to say it—shaping its message and behavior for lasting impact.
• Harley proved real customer loyalty is built not on specs or price, but on small, repeated experiences that make people feel seen, valued, and emotionally tied to the brand.

 

"What makes a business attractive is when it is known for who it is rather than what it is.” — Ken Schmidt

 

Connect with Ken Schmidt:  

Website: https://kenspeaks.com/

Torque Sessions: https://www.torquesessions.com/

Book: Make Some Noise: https://www.amazon.com/Make-Some-Noise-Unconventional-Dominance/dp/150115561X

Show: Tailgating With Geniuses: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tailgating-with-geniuses/id1576378423

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ken-schmidt-5b08115/

See Dean’s TedTalk “Why Business Needs Intuition” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEq9IYvgV7I

 

Connect with Dean:

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgqRK8GC8jBIFYPmECUCMkw

Website: https://www.mfileadership.com/

The Mission Statement E-Newsletter: https://www.mfileadership.com/blog/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannewlund/

X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/deannewlund

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissionFacilitators/

Email: [e-mail]

Phone: [phone]

 

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