Ross Shafer keynote speaker

As a popular headline comedian and 6-Time Emmy Award winning TV host, Ross Shafer has been a lifelong student of human nature. He says, “I have been eternally fascinated by the laughter and tears business.”

To date, Ross has hosted (5) network TV shows, (Match Game on ABC, Love me, Love Me Not on USA, The Late Show on FOX, Days End on ABC, and Almost Live on NBC).

As a serial entrepreneur, Ross has rescued (23) businesses from bankruptcy and turned them around for a tidy profit. To that end, he has leveraged his business savvy to write and produce (14) Human Resource training films on Customer Service, Motivation, Leadership, and Peer Pressure, and has authored (11) books; Cook- Like-A-Stud, Nobody Moved Your Cheese, Customer Empathy, The Customer Shouts Back, Are You Relevant? No More Customer Friction, Grab More Market Share, Absolutely Necessary (coauthored with Michael Burger), Behave Like a Startup, Success, It’s on You, and Rattled (co-authored with Allison Dalvit).

Today, Ross is the funniest and most sought after corporate keynote speakers on the subjects of Customer Friction, Personal Growth, Reinvention, Resilience, and Market Relevance.

Ross is the beaming father of three children and “Papa” to four grandchildren.

HOW TO SELL YOUR BRAND IDENTITY & CUSTOMIZE YOUR SALES STORY

A funny and unforgettable keynote by six-time Emmy-winning comedian, TV host, and business author, Ross Shafer.

Takeaways:

1. Authentic, Emotional Storytelling – Ross will teach your teams why telling an interesting story proves you care about your customers. Great stories explain why your company matters more than a competitor with similar products or services.
2. How to Weave Your Personal Story into your Brand Story – Many people in your audience strive for World-Class success. Ross uses his own life story as a blueprint for how they can achieve it, too. Want a hint? You will learn how Ross coached (and launched) Bill Nye, the Science Guy.
3. Create Compelling Stories Your Customers Repeat to Their Friends – We live in a recommendation economy (Yelp, Trust Pilot, Trip Advisor, Amazon Reviews, Anji, et al). Your customers use such forums to either brag about you - or undermine your brand credibility. Ross will show you how to create positive, memorable stories your customers cannot wait to share.
4. You will Never Run Out of Stories – Ross can teach you a reliable and ethical way to harvest fresh ideas from outside your industry. When you know Ross's secret, you will be able to create an endless supply of interesting tales that will help grow your organization.

HOW TO SUSTAIN A RELEVANT CULTURE

A fun and engaging keynote for Future-Proofing your organization.

Takeaways:

1. Relevance Is a Moving Target – A truly relevant culture must be constantly curated. Your organization needs to be nimble enough to adapt on demand. Ross will inspire your teams to replace complacency with out-of-the-silo thinking. Ross will share his tactics for breakthrough solutions.
2. Customer Expectations Have Evolved – In his book, No More Customer Friction, Ross Shafer reveals research, which shows why his WOW vs POW customer experience coaching escalates satisfaction scores. Cracking the code evolved by preventing customer gut punches, fixing reckless disappointments, and eliminating inexcusable blunders..
3. The Relationship Secret that Builds Instant Rapport – Ross shares a TV talk show technique that generates instant trust and loyalty. No fluff here. Just consistent results.
4. The Final Moment of the Transaction Determines Loyalty – Loyalty hinges on the emotional story you tell in the last few moments of every transaction. Beware: the wrong post-sale survey can undo an otherwise perfect engagement. Ross will reveal how to craft closing interactions that can cement customers for life.

WOW-ING CUSTOMERS DOESN’T GUARANTEE LOYALTY

Ross explains why eliminating the POW moments (organizational failures, unforced errors, feeling neglected) raises satisfaction scores more than many WOW “gestures."

Takeaways:

1. Real-World Experience – Ross will explain how he rescued 23 companies from bankruptcy simply by delivering honesty, resolving problems quickly, and focusing on fun.
2. Proven Thought Leadership – Ross takes this subject very seriously. He’s written 5 best-selling books on the Customer Experience, 16 human resource training films on customer effort, customer empathy, and reducing customer friction.
3. Research-Driven Simplicity – Traditional loyalty strategies no longer work like they did in the past. Ross’s method simplifies customer satisfaction by removing the pain points, making it easy to train frontline teams to execute WOW vs. POW smoothly. The C-Suite loves the results.
4. Engaging Style – Ross’s energetic style—fueled by humor, storytelling, and real-world examples—makes complex customer strategies easy to understand and implement. His fast-paced, inspiring keynotes resonate from the C-suite to the sales floor. The WOW vs. POW method is simple, scalable, and effective.

VIRTUAL KEYNOTE OPTIONS

Option A: Ross customizes a 30–40-minute keynote aligned with your goals, using visuals and videos for engagement.
Option B: Ross prepares tailored content based on your event goals, answers live questions, and connects his case studies and stories directly to your objectives.

CLEAN, CORPORATE COMEDY SHOW

Ideal for after-dinner entertainment.
Ross’s material is non-political, non-controversial, and 100% HR-safe. Audiences love his quick-witted stories about misadventures and successes.

ROSS IS YOUR ULTIMATE EMCEE

Ross brings polish and energy to multi-day events. A seasoned talk/game show host, he effortlessly moderates executive panels, interviews celebrities, and recaps sessions to keep your audience engaged.

WHY CONSIDER ROSS SHAFER?

Ross is funny, high-energy, and delivers profound insights on leadership and resilience.

• Winner of six Television Emmy Awards for hosting, writing, and comedy performance
• Business Turnaround Expert – acquired 23 bankrupt companies, selling 22 for a profit
• Author of 10 business books on change, customer experience, self-motivation, culture, and staying creative under pressure
• Inducted into the National Speakers Association Hall of Fame
• Trusted by 3,000+ Clients – keynotes, breakouts, and consulting engagements