Sam Geist Speaker Biography
Business Management Expert, Marketing Strategist, and
Best-Selling Author
Sam Geist is President of Geist & Associates Inc. based in Toronto, Ontario, with a U.S. office in Bonita Springs, FL. His focus for the past 15 years as a speaker, consultant and facilitator, is business strategy, leadership, customer service, marketing, the changing marketplace and maximizing employee and corporate productivity. A previous twelve years of retail business experience, together with 14 years of advertising and marketing experience enables him to utilize the perspective of both client and marketer.
Business Growth Specialist
As president of The Outdoor Stores, he personally grew his single location sporting goods store into a 15-store national chain, directing its day-to-day operations as well as developing and executing its long-term strategy. After selling to his largest competitor he capitalized on his extensive experience by opening his own advertising, marketing and consulting firm, serving a wide variety of clients, including franchisor/franchisee, retail, manufacturing and service organizations. His agency grew into a 32-man shop with billings over $35 million.
Management Expert
His years of hands-on experience in a great many industries and business sectors as well as a degree in business management enables him today to speak, facilitate and consult with clients who operate in a wide business arena.
Engaging Speaker
Clients especially appreciate Geist’s customization process which maximizes participant engagement and re-enforces the actionability of the strategies he presents. Geist ensures interactive discussions by using the Socratic method— encouraging participants to question themselves, and to think about their businesses in new and innovative ways. He insists that asking tough questions—and answering them honestly—is crucial to the well being of every organization, no matter its focus. Geist is a regular speaker at business conferences and meetings. He is an active board member of several business organizations.
Books
Geist has written several business books including Why Should Someone Do Business With You… Rather Than Someone Else? Would You Work for You and Execute… or Be Executed.
Sam Geist Speaking Topics
ON MANAGING TALENT: Frontline = Bottomline
This program outlines specific and workable strategies to better manage your employees—your talent. It focuses on the understanding that your employees drive your organization. They are your front face. By increasing the percentage of producers who work in your organization and decreasing the percentage of destructive “bodies,” your organization benefits immeasurably. Producers speed up the decision making process. They enable a faster response to change. They capacitate a more effective use of resources and assets. With employees committed to your mission, with staff engaged and happy to come to work everyday the possibilities that can be achieved by you and your organization are limitless.
ON BUSINESS STRATEGY: Why Should Someone Do Business With You...Rather Than Someone Else?
This fast paced program focuses on strategies to increase your effectiveness in vital business areas. It challenges participants by asking tough questions, since questioning inspires thought, answering motivates action. It provides the wherewithal to recognize and maximize: your resources, the effects of environmental trends and every day opportunities and challenges.
ON COMPETING SUCCESSFULLY: Compete for Today. Build for Tomorrow
This timely interactive program is a positive response to today’s fast-changing and ever-evolving marketplace conditions. It adopts the premise that during these challenging times, (created by accelerated competition and volatile change) you must make smart competitive decisions today, as well as sustain a future-focused approach in order to ensure continued growth for tomorrow. By focusing on how to compete for today and build for tomorrow, the discussion of how to get ‘there’ from ‘here’ is ever at the forefront.
ON EXECUTION: Execute… or Be Executed
This program helps participants take what they already know and act upon it. It assists them develop a personal step-by-step approach that enables them to implement their strategies successfully into their everyday work lives. How-to execute questions such as the following, are answered: what steps need to be taken… how to get everyone involved in the execution process… what skills are needed… when to start… how to best use available resources to execute… how technology affects execution… how to keep it going… and many, many more. It outlines the execution process, emphasizing all the perspectives that effect execution: the customer, the organization, the distribution channel, the people, and technology.
ON LEADERSHIP: Would You Work for You?
This program encourages you to blend together the art and science of leadership with its psychology—enabling you to motivate, to inspire and to ensure your staff take ownership of their roles and responsibilities while you are effective in your role. The program highlights differentiating between being a boss and a leader; discovering where your strengths and weaknesses lie; determining how to energize those who work with you; utilizing all your tools; and developing an ongoing execution strategy.
ON CUSTOMER SERVICE: If I Hear Customer Service One More Time, I’ll…
This program provides you with invaluable insights to distinguish your staff and your organization from everyone else in the marketplace. It outlines a new perspective with which to view service. It discusses innovative tools to turn your newfound knowledge into action—to turn intangibles into tangibles. Highlighted are the critical advantages of exemplary service; the moments of truth in every organization; developing excellent service providers; and growing new strategies for the long term.
Sam Geist Books
Execute… or Be Executed
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Would You Work for You?
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Why? Should Someone Do Business with You…: Rather than Someone Else
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Sam Geist Speaker Testimonials
"Our sales team and BioGuard Dealers were extremely pleased with the relevant, applicable and customized information that you provided.....There were many 'takeaways' from your talk that the dealers could put into practice immediately. It excited and energized them from the beginning of the conference to the end. The excitement that you created had a direct effect on our sales goals for the conference which we exceeded by a considerable margin."
- Justine Romano | Educational Services Coordinator
We sincerely appreciate your enthusiasm, professionalism and insight into the changing business environment. Your thought-provoking presentation on the topic Would you Work For You? made all of us search within ourselves for answers to some tough questions. You've certainly provided an array of questions to help each of us assess our individual leadership strengths and potential areas for improvement. Your material was right on target!
- Ken Knudten | State Farm Insurance Companies
"I am still getting great reviews on your presentation at the Opening General Session. I knew I had a great success when I saw our President & CEO, Board of Directors and senior staff taking notes. I am still receiving requests for the handouts that you used."
- Albert B. Sears, Jr., Assistant Vice President | National Fire Protection Association International
“I have heard a number of other highly renowned speakers, and while they all have their value, I believe Sam is in a class by himself. He’s engaging, humorous and most important, able to get to the heart of what makes a difference within your business and helps it to innovate and grow.”
- Dave Dufault, VP & GM | Simplot Retail
