Let's Grow - About Karen Schmidt

Karen Schmidt is an award winning speaker, workshop leader and facilitator. With a background in Human Resource Management, her practical experience comes from hiring, firing, managing, coaching and training thousands of people across Australia in just about every industry, including:

retail
manufacturing
financial services
education

government
associations
sales and marketing
information technology

She has experienced the workplace from the point of view of a staff member, manager, recruiter, contractor and consultant. So whether your people arrive at work wearing high heels, a hard hat or carrying a hand gun Karen can help you understand what it takes to engage them. To back up her practical experience she is degree qualified in Adult Education, holds a Certificate IV in Assessment and Workplace Training and is a member of the Australian Institute of Management, the National Speakers Association of Australia, the Australian Institute of Professional Facilitators and the Australian Institute of Training and Development.

Karen has been recognised as a Certified Speaking Professional (CSP)* and also as the winner of the National Speakers Association of Australia QLD "Speaker of the year" award in 2006. She is the author of "Keep 'em keen: a guide for managers on engaging people of all ages and career stages" and "How to feel F.R.E.S.H. at work every day!".

Karen is an engaging speaker who delivers fast paced and entertaining presentations that give audiences practical tips for growing engaging leaders. In her spare time, she engages with life through her love of ballroom dancing, gardening and spending time with her cat Prince Frederick!

dancing gardening Prince Frederick

* CSP is the highest international accreditation designated by the International Federation for Professional Speakers (IFFPS)
and achieved by less than 10% of federation members.

Some of Karen’s recent clients include:

Corporates

ABN Amro Morgans
Acclaim Apprenticeship Services
ActewAGL
Astra Zeneca Pharmaceuticals
Bentleys MRI
EDAW
Electrolux
Henzells Real Estate
Honda
Lenards
MiniMovers
Moore Stephens HL
Petronas
RACQ
Radisson Resorts
Rendezvous Hotels & Resorts
SAI Global
Tabeel Lutheran Home
WorkCover Queensland
Zarraffa's

Government

Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation
Boroondara City Council, VIC
Brisbane City Council
Centrelink
Department of Child Safety, QLD
Department of Consumer and Employment Protection, WA
Department of Defence
Department Education, Training and Arts
Department of Tourism, Regional Development and Industry, QLD
Gladstone Regional Council
Power and Water Authority, NT
PartnerOne
PCYC QLD
QLD Fire and Rescue Service
Sport and Recreation ACT
Sunshine Coast TAFE
TAFE NSW and QLD
Tourism Queensland
University of Queensland

Associations and Not for Profits

Australian Human Resources Institute
Australian Institute Credit Management
Australian Institute of Management
Australian Institute Office Professionals
Chamber of Commerce, NT
CPA Australia
Law Institute of Victoria
Local Government Managers Association
Longwall Miners Conference, NSW
International Not for Profit Convention
New Zealand Federation Disability Information Centres
Northern Australia Regional Performing Arts Centres Association
Parks and Leisure Australia
Recruitment & Consulting Services Assoc
Real Estate Institute of WA
RSPCA
Seeing Eye Dogs Australia
Urban Development Institute NSW
Vetmark

When you engage the services of a speaker you want to know what to expect in terms of service. At Let’s Grow! we know that when you make the decision to invest time and money in professional development you want value in return. Karen Schmidt, along with her assistant Lisa Humphries, have put in place a range of systems and processes designed to give you maximum return on your investment.

Service standards

We pride ourselves on:

Returning phone calls and emails in a timely manner
Promptly responding to requests for information
Keeping you informed at every stage of the process
Being easy to deal with and easy to contact
Only making promises we can keep
Treating anyone you refer to us with the same high level of service

What we need from you

As the client, you play a vital role in the success of the event. In order to help Karen provide you with the best possible outcome, here is what we need from you:

Provide all relevant information relating to the participants, venue and event program
Respond to requests for information promptly
Keep us informed of anything relating to the event which may impact on the session
Promptly pay any invoices and assist us with the processing of the payment
If you believe we have delivered on our promises, to feel comfortable in referring us to your colleagues, customers and suppliers

Her process

When you book Karen here is what you should expect:

To receive a confirmation letter, deposit invoice and request for briefing information within 3 days of your verbal or email agreement to proceed
A briefing meeting or teleconference to be organised prior to the event to gather further, more specific information on your needs
One week prior to the event, to be contacted by telephone or email to make final arrangements and confirm details
On the day of the event to arrive on time and immediately report to your key contact, the MC and /or the AV people to be briefed
During the session to run to time, deliver the content as agreed and adapt to changes along the way
Where practical, to provide an immediate debrief on the day after the session to your key contact
Within 3 days of the event to send documentation to finalise the booking, including the final invoice and a feedback request form
Within 7 days of the event to process any newsletter sign up requests and product orders and provide any follow up information
Within 7 days of the event to have a face to face or telephone meeting to discuss feedback on the event

"Alive, entertaining, just the right degree of enthusiasm without going over the top. A keen observer of the human species!!" Carol Wood, Conference Organiser, New Zealand Federation of Disability Information Centres

"Unquestionably, Karen is a master of her subject. She mixed fun with actionable information in a way that gained her total credibility with the audience. Karen avoided the typical motivational speaker pitfall of preaching; rather she discussed the subject in a way that the participants could identify with the issues" Mark Stoermer, General Manager, Moore Stephens Australia

"Extremely vivacious, energising, passionate and knowledgeable on her subject matter of Generation X and Gen Y" Shayne Brown, Learning and Development Manager, Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation

"Karen provided great insight into mindsets within the workplace and gave us valuable skills to break free of attitudes which prevent us from performing at our best "Helen Robertson, Gladstone City Council

"The content was relevant, current and well linked to real situations and examples. Her style is energetic, interesting, engaging and she has a great ability to react to and work with comments that are made on the day. That is really valuable when debriefing from activities and running question/answer sesions" Naomi Cole, Associate Director, EDAW

“It has been a busy year of review and change and your [FRESH approach] workshop was just what was needed. I would certainly recommend it to organisations that have gone through an intense period of change or just want to reinvigorate and support their staff” Leigh Garwood, CEO, Seeing Eye Dogs Australia