Ross Shafer

Ross Shafer is a six-time Emmy Award-winning comedian, television host, and business author who combines entertainment with sharp insights on innovation, customer loyalty, and what makes organizations remarkable. He speaks on customer retention, competitive differentiation, and using humor strategically in business, bringing a performer’s energy to serious business content. Ross’s unique blend of comedy credentials and business research makes his presentations both memorable and immediately actionable.

From Network Television to Business Strategy
Ross hosted The Match Game on ABC, The Late Show on Fox, and Day’s End on ABC. After being cancelled from five network shows, he started studying the cultural influences that cause some businesses to thrive while others become forgettable. That research transformed his career from entertainer to sought-after business speaker and author, giving him a perspective on reinvention that resonates with audiences navigating their own market disruptions.

Entertainment With a Business Edge
Ross’s presentations deliver laughs while sharing research-based insights on what makes customers choose one company over another and keep coming back. His books extend his message on finding your unique value proposition and building the kind of customer relationships that make you irreplaceable. His keynotes deliver an engaging combination of Emmy-winning humor and actionable strategies for customer loyalty, competitive innovation, and building the kind of remarkable organizations that stand out in a marketplace where being forgettable means being finished.

How to Stay Relevant in Business

We all saw globally-recognized brands shrink or die during the recession. Conversely, we witnessed young, nimble companies swoop in to dominate market share.

Could that happen to you? Ross dissects the reasons for the staggering success stories—and he pinpoints the warning signs that were ignored by those who failed.

Remaining Relevant (to your customers and team members) is the ONLY way to substantially grow your organization during a recovery. If you’re relevant, you can take market share away from your competition. But it won’t be easy. You will have to accelerate your “A” Game to earn that market share. And, you will have to re-double your efforts to retain the base you already have. 

Ross unveils inspiring case studies that span the landscape of retail, manufacturing, B2B, construction, and healthcare. He describes what it will take for your organization to reap incredible rewards during “The Recovery.”

Behave Like a Start Up” (The Cure for Creeping Complacency)

Has Your Company Felt Complacency Creeping in? When your company first launched, did you shake the world with something new and groundbreaking? Were you the unlikely underdog that unseated the industry leaders? Over time, have you had so much success that you’ve slowly lost your hunger? Do you find you aren’t as reactive as you once were? Maybe you are celebrating yesterday’s profits while your competitors are turning up the heat. Ross Shafer can reinvigorate your organization by sharing case studies of legacy companies who were determined to get their youthful groove back.

Grab More Market Share – How To Wrangle Market Share From Lazy Competitors

The world’s top economists are predicting a dismal 1-2% average growth through 2015. So, the only way to grow your organization is to take market share away from your lazy competitors. Ross can show you how progressive companies are getting 15-25% growth; even when their available market is stagnant or declining.

The Urgent Company – Urgency in Business

Short attention spans, ubiquitous broadband and over 1-Billion smart devices have not only changed the pace of disseminating information, but it has allowed our time-starved society to expect their every desire to be within grasp, “On-Demand.”

• Clients, customers, and suppliers expect on-demand answers, same day delivery, and overnight results.
• Stakeholders want executives who can respond to shifting market conditions at the speed of text.
• Team members yearn for their achievements to be recognized more quickly…and more often. Or, as you know, they have no compunction about bolting to an empathetic competitor.
• Social media can marshal a virtual army of friends (or foes) who can either enhance (or destroy) your company’s reputation; sometimes within minutes.

Nobody Moved Your Cheese

High energy and hilarious keynote – perfect for setting the opening tone or the closing message for your conference. From small town pet shop manager…to Emmy award winning TV host..to renowned business author and speaker, Ross is a fierce proponent of taking personal responsibility (and being accountable) for what happens in your professional and personal life.

The Ultimate Emcee & Keynote Speaker

THE ULTIMATE EMCEE: Ross hosts a select number of multi-day events for his high-end clients each year.

Because Ross is a trained talk and game show host (helmed over 1,000 network broadcasts) he is the perfect choice for moderating your executive panel discussions and complex award banquets. Ross will keep the programs lively and on task; drawing on his vast experience and lightening wit to navigate (and rescue) even the most unpredictable situations.

TALK SHOWS: Ross is adept at handling back-to-back breakout sessions that may feature a myriad of presenters. He has hosted such luminaries as President George Herbert Walker Bush, Jack Welch, Colin Powell, Bob Dole, James Carville, Larry Bossidy, Tom Peters, Marcus Buckingham, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, to name a few. Since many high profile presenters are more comfortable being interviewed by a “pro,” Ross is able to show the utmost respect from the opening introduction throughout the Q & A – yet he doesn’t shy away from the probing questions your people want answered.

GAME SHOWS: Finally, Ross is a popular favorite for hosting custom game shows. Not only do these formats lend themselves to imparting important training information about your company (in a fun way), they also encourage participation of the entire audience. Ask us how Ross and his game partners at (Game Show America) can create a custom “TV” show for you.