Let's Grow - About Karen Schmidt

Karen Schmidt

Karen Schmidt from Let’s Grow! describes herself as a workplace gardener who is on a mission to grow managers into engaging leaders.

The seeds for her role as a speaker, workshop leader and facilitator were planted early in her career when she encountered disengaging managers and colleagues who were performing below their capabilities. In order to help people to not just survive but thrive at work, she made it her goal to grow herself from a secretary into a leadership and engagement expert. Along the way she experienced the workplace from the point of view of a staff member, manager, recruiter, contractor and consultant working in organizations of all shapes and sizes. To add to her 20 plus years of practical experience she has formal qualifications in Human Resource Management and Adult Education.

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!".

Today she works with current and future leaders across Australia, New Zealand and Asia in a diverse range of industries to help them create more engaging workplaces. As well as helping her growing corporate, government and association client base she also enjoys cultivating leaders of the future by working with educational institutions and community groups.

Karen continues to grow her knowledge base and practical experience through her membership of organisations such as the:

National Speakers Association of Australia
Australian Institute of Management
Institute of Learning Professionals

In her spare time she likes to tend her own garden and grow her skills as a social ballroom dancer.

gardening

* 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
Greater Union Organisation
Henzells Real Estate
Honda
Lenards
MiniMovers
Moore Stephens HL
Petronas
Queensland Country Credit Union
RACQ
Rendezvous Hotels & Resorts
Servier Laboratories
WorkCover Queensland
Zarraffa's

Government

Australian Bureau of Statistics
Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation
Boroondara City Council, VIC
Catholic Education Brisbane
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
Nursery and Garden Industry Association
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 receive a report on the event included recommended follow up action

"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