Susan Salgado

Leadership Expert on Workplace/Workforce Culture, Director of Culture and Learning Under Danny Meyer and the Shake Shack Brand, Thought Leader, One of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business

Topics: Customer Experience, Corporate Culture, Branding & Marketing, Business, Business Growth, Business Leadership, Communication, Creativity, Employee Engagement, Future of Work, Leadership, Productivity, Professional Development, Strategy, Success, Teamwork, TED Speakers, Thought Leadership, Women Leaders

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Biography

Susan Salgado is a consultant, speaker, and thought leader whose expertise lies at the intersection of organizational culture, leadership, and customer experience.

Susan partnered with famed restaurateur Danny Meyer for 15 years as Director of Culture and Learning for some of New York City’s top-rated restaurants. In this role, she created and implemented the company’s leadership training programs, which were a fundamental component of its success in growing its culture throughout significant growth, including creating and scaling the Shake Shack brand.

As a popular keynote speaker and advisor to corporate leaders, Susan draws on her expertise in assessing, building, and sustaining culture through effective leadership to help organizations continually and intentionally evolve their culture over time and across geography, particularly during rapid growth. Speaking clients include Hyatt, JPMorganChase, Wisconsin Restaurant Association, Ford Motor Company, Assa Abloy Group, Barron’s, Coca-Cola, Novartis, Health Connect Partners, Edward Jones, and Marine Hotel Association.

As the business world pivoted during 2020 and 2021, Susan responded to the critical issues of The Hybrid Workforce and The Future of the Workplace with tailored keynote speeches to industries as diverse as automotive, pharmaceutical, financial services, and manufacturing.

In addition to her Ph.D. from NYU-Stern School of Business, Susan holds a BS and an MBA from Lehigh University. Susan has been a contributor for Inc. Magazine, is a TED speaker, co-founded the NYC chapter of Conscious Capitalism, and was named one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business.

Susan lives in NYC with her husband and daughter.

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Testimonials

Susan has truly been a gift to Ford Motor Company. She has an incredible gift of storytelling, to bring to life extremely important lessons on hospitality and culture in the modern business world. We have worked with Susan at both in-person and virtual events. She has been engaging and inspirational in both settings. Susan works hard as a partner to understand our key messages, and helps support and amplify our story through her lessons on culture. Our dealers continually tell us she is the star of the show. If I could only pick one person to speak to my team about customer experience, culture, and hospitality… it would be Susan Salgado.

– JASON H. SPRAWKA, DIRECTOR, GLOBAL CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, FORD

We really wanted to engage a speaker who could get our teams thinking differently about achieving our goals. Susan was the perfect choice. She has such a compelling vision on how to develop cultures centered around delivering on the customer experience.

– COLLEEN KARETI, VP OPERATIONS, HYATT HOTELS CORPORATION

Rated one of our top speakers, Susan delivered a powerfully engaging talk about adopting strategies to put hospitality at the center of the business model. We couldn’t agree more that it’s all about how you make your customers feel.

– MARK GALANTE, SVP, CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER, PURE INSURANCE

Susan delivered an amazing keynote during our first virtual sales meeting. We were thrilled with how much time she spent with us before the meeting, learning about our company, talking to employees, and listening to executives speak before her session. Her message was perfectly aligned with our focus on creating exceptional culture, and we received amazing feedback from our attendees – they all thought she knocked it out of the park, as did we!

– JESSICA MCGRATH, CMP, EVENTS MANAGER, ASSA ABLOY DOOR SECURITY SOLUTIONS

Susan Salgado was the perfect voice to help us hone in on the importance of culture and the role of the leader in shaping it. Her conversational style, stepped approach and engagement of the team resulted in an audience that spent the rest of the conference quoting her and applying her tools to their go-forward plans. Her experience and passion for the industry shone through and we are a stronger team after her guidance.

– LISA HAMMOND, VP HUMAN RESOURCES, LM RESTAURANT GROUP

When looking to bring in a dynamic speaker who would be able to relay timely leadership insights about organizational culture, we were thrilled to work with Susan. In this new world of virtual presentations, she not only was keen on making the presentation interactive but also delivered a message that transcended the format. It was a delightful experience all around!

– ORDAN BEYERGRASSROOTS, ADVOCACY MANAGER, NORTHWEST CREDIT UNION ASSOCIATION

Susan was able to immediately capture the attention of our seasoned luxury retail audience. She was captivating with her simple ‘truths’ about the culture of customer experience. Her warm and engaging presence was matched with her expertise to deliver a strong message about how a few fundamental key elements can set you apart from your competitors, resulting in client loyalty and employee retention.

– KATHY DAVOUDI-GOHARI, PRESIDENT, RODEO DRIVE COMMITTEE

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Blog Posts

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How Finding Your Purpose Can Save Your Life

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Unlock a Growth Mindset with This Simple (And Powerful!) Formula

The Power of Positive Self-Talk in Cultivating a Growth Mindset https://youtu.be/84ip82DN-AI How much power does...

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Reviews & Ratings

     Excellent  
     Based on 74 reviews 
    
 
 
   
 
 
        
   Tim Mooney 
 August 20, 2024
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Seth was on point and tremendous help before and after the event! Two thumbs up!
  
 
       
   Anthony Veneziale 
 August 14, 2024
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Seth is the real deal -- he knows the best speakers to make sure your event is successful. I've had the pleasure of working with Seth and The Keynote Curators and he's top notch. Also, his podcast is chock full of great insights and important topics. Thanks Seth!!
  
 
       
   M.D Milloy 
 August 8, 2024
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Seth is a great host, very inspirational and professional. Highly recommend!
  
 
       
   Aaron Farzam 
 August 3, 2024
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Keynote speaker searches have been overwhelmingl for me and my team.  Seth made the process easy.  Our expectations were exceeded. Great company. Highly recommended.
  
 
       
   Dante Fabro 
 July 29, 2024
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Keynote Speaker knowledge is unrivaled by Seth Dechtman and his team at The Keynote Curators.  If your event or conference requires a keynote speaker, call The Keynote Curators.  They are thorough and deliver the goods.  Seth makes sure that you get what you are looking for...in spades. Not to mention, Seth is very down to earth and speaks to people as equals. I really appreciate that. I'd recommend The Keynote Curators any day!
  
 
       
   Jamie Wright 
 July 25, 2024
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Found out about these folks through The Keynote Curators podcast - really great stuff!!
  
 
       
   Alison Levine 
 July 10, 2024
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great podcast with a wide variety of speakers, topics, and themes. You can learn something unexpected from every episode!
  
 
       
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 June 27, 2024
 
 
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   Justin Chaffee 
 June 20, 2024
 
 
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Timely, professional, and most of all hit the mark. Cannot recommend them with more emphasis.

If you need a speaker for your event conference or any program, do not hesitate to contact Seth and his team.
  
 
       
   Brandon Grimm 
 June 12, 2024
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Seth Deckman is the only Keynote Curator you’re ever going to need for your events and conferences that require the best Keynote speakers. His attention to detail and true concern about meeting your event’s needs to go above and beyond. I cannot recommend him highly enough call him as soon as you have your speaker need for your next conference or meeting.