Ross Shafer is an American comedian, motivational speaker, entrepreneur, and former TV personality. Responsible for coining the name ‘Bill Nye the Science Guy’ and having rescued 23 businesses from bankruptcy, his humour, innovation, and smart thinking are further evident in his 11 published books. Blending comedy with meaningful insights, Ross is a stand-out speaker at any event.
Beginning his career operating the only stereo/pet shop in America, Ross served as an advertising manager for the Squire Shops retail chain. After winning the Seattle International Comedy Competition, Ross became the opening act for several touring comedians. In the mid-1980s, Ross pitched, created and hosted Almost Live! On NBC Seattle before hosting the game show Love Me, Love Me Not on USA Network. Ross was then the co-host of Days End on ABC. He was then asked to host The Late Show on Fox and then the Match Game revival on ABC. Since leaving television, he has been a keynote speaker, a writer and a producer of 14 human resource films.
His prominent career has not gone unnoticed. He is the recipient of 6 Emmy Awards for his TV work, has been inducted into the National Speakers Association’s Hall of Fame, and is a top Fortune 500 keynote speaker. He combines his knack for satire with genuine business advice in his authored work, publishing works like ‘Behave Like a Startup’, ‘Grab More Market Share’, and ‘Rattled’.
One of the funniest and most sought-after speakers on customer friction, personal growth, reinvention, resilience, and market relevance, Ross is a fantastic addition to a multitude of events. He recently spoke at Bill Nye the Science Guy’s Hollywood Walk of Fame Star Ceremony, where he demonstrated both his side-splitting comedy and deft business acumen. A speaker who is both entertaining and impactful, Ross delivers a fantastic stage presence, connecting and engaging with a variety of audiences.
Social Media
Books
Rattled: Crazy A** Stories of Extreme Resilience to Help You Go from Shook to Solid
Grab More Market Share: How to Wrangle Business Away from Lazy Competitors
Behave Like a Startup
Ross Shafer's official speaking topics are listed below:
How to Tell Better Sales and Brand Stories
- Whether you want to influence buying habits in your favour or coach team members within your company culture, you’ll be far more impactful when you’re telling a strong story.
- In this funny and unforgettable keynote, six-time Emmy-winning comedian, talk show host, and bestselling business author Ross Shafer proves he’s the perfect person to teach your audience how to master the art of compelling sales storytelling. Without a doubt, being a persuasive storyteller is the fastest route to building a strong brand and increasing sales volume.
How to Sustain a Relevant Culture
- Reset Your Culture and Innovate Your Operations
- In this wildly entertaining keynote, your attendees will benefit from these takeaways:
- A culture must be constantly curated. Your team members want to be part of a dynamic organisation that is nimble enough to adapt on demand. Ross will inspire your teams to replace complacency with out-of-the-silo thinking. Ross shares tactics for cultivating an endless supply of fresh ideas and solutions.
The WOW vs POW Customer Engagement Method
- Customer expectations have changed. What do they want now?
- In this wildly entertaining keynote, your attendees will benefit from these takeaways: Ross has rescued 23 companies from bankruptcy – buying them from bankruptcy courts well below book value and selling them for a profit.
A Clean, Corporate Comedy Show
- What’s funny these days?
- Ross Shafer knows. And better yet, he knows how to make your audience laugh without making anyone uncomfortable. His material is non-political, non-controversial, and completely HR-approved—perfect for corporate events, association meetings, awards banquets, and team celebrations where the goal is to keep things fun, inclusive, and uplifting.
- With six Emmy® Awards and a background in network television and stand-up comedy, Ross has mastered the art of smart, relatable humour. His comedy draws from real-life misadventures, behind-the-scenes showbiz stories, and his surprising journey from department store manager to TV talk show host to business author and keynote speaker. It’s the kind of storytelling that keeps audiences laughing and inspired—because they see themselves in every punchline.
Ross Shafer, The Ultimate Emcee
- As a network TV talk & game show host, Ross Shafer is frequently asked to be the interactive “traffic cop” for multi-day conventions. He frequently interviews world leaders and celebrities and is extremely comfortable hosting an executive roundtable or panel of experts. Ross engages the audience to set the tone of your event, reviews what they’ve learned, and gets everyone excited for what’s coming next. He often likes to present “from the floor” so that he can thread the dialogue throughout your conference.
Ross Shafer also offers a virtual keynote
Option A
- Ross works with you to customise a 30/40-minute keynote grounded in your key initiatives. He uses slides and videos to augment the entertainment value of the session.
Option B
- In advance, Ross studies your key meeting goals and supplies your in-house “host” with a list of questions for Ross. He then connects his funny stories and enlightening case studies related to achieving your teaching/coaching goals. Ross can also take random questions from your audience. Ross is very entertaining on the fly.
Official Feedback from In-person & Virtual Events
"Ross Schafer is one of the funniest guys I know" - Jay Leno
"I wouldn't be the comedy genius I am without Ross Schafer' - Joel McHale
“After waiting for over a year and a half to get you booked into our national conference LIVE, you eclipsed our wildest expectations. The gushing feedback keeps pouring in.”- Castle Building Centres
“Ross Shafer spent a lot of time studying our challenges so he could build a customised keynote, designed to offer solutions our clients could put to use immediately. He also scored very high on our laugh meter. I’ve heard good things from attendees ever since.” - Kathleen, Vice President, Royalty Rewards
“Although you’ve probably heard it several times by now…once again, you made the A.C.E.C Intl. Engineering Awards DC’s best entertainment ticket of the night! Well done again!” - American Consulting Engineers Council
“Ross Shafer’s brilliant combination of humour and highly humanistic messaging got a thunderous and sustained standing ovation from our nearly one thousand top performers. After talking about the importance of showing respect to others and creating relationships, Ross stayed for an additional two hours to satisfy the scores of our agents who wanted to take selfies and chat with Ross.”- Home Services of America
“Truly enjoyed having Ross be part of our conference — he was great! Truly appreciate how he absorbed our five imperatives and shared humor, lessons, and anecdotes in support of our message. True professional.” - Tim, Leadership Development, QinetiQ US
- 2021 – Co-authored 'Rattled' with Allison Dalvit
- 2017 – Published 'No More Customer Friction'
- 2016 – Published 'Behave Like a Startup' and 'Success: It’s on You'
- 2015 – Co-authored 'Absolutely Necessary'
- 2011 – Published 'Grab More Market Share'
- 2009 – Published 'Are You Relevant?'
- 2006 – Published 'The Customer Shouts Back'
- 2003 – Published 'Nobody Moved Your Cheese!'
- 1991 – Published 'Cook Like a Stud'
- 1990–1991 – Hosted Match Game revival on ABC daytime
- 1988–1989 – Hosted The Late Show on Fox
- 1988–1989 – Co-hosted Days End on ABC (rotating hosts, incl. Matt Lauer, Spencer Christian)
- 1986–1987 – Hosted Love Me, Love Me Not (Canadian game show, aired on USA Network)
- 1984–1989 – Created and hosted Almost Live! on KING-TV (NBC Seattle), earning multiple Emmy Awards
- Early 1980s – Won Seattle International Comedy Competition; became opening act for touring comedian
- Late 1970s–Early 1980s – Owned and operated a stereo/pet store in Puyallup, WA; later advertising manager for Squire Shops retail chain
How to hire Ross Shafer
Contact the Champions Speakers Agency to provisionally enquire about hiring Ross Shafer for your next event, today. To get in touch, simply call an official booking agent on 0207 1010 553 or email us at [email protected] for more information.
** We do NOT accept requests for autographs, signed merchandise, fan mail, birthday messages or any other non-commercial contact with the speakers or acts. Each speaker on the website may not have necessarily worked with Champions in the past but are known to perform such engagements within the industry.
