Ross Shafer is a six-time Emmy Award-winning comedian, motivational speaker, business author, and former TV personality. Responsible for coining the name ‘Bill Nye the Science Guy’, rescuing 23 businesses from bankruptcy, and working with more than 3,000 corporate clients, his humour, innovation, and smart thinking make him 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, as well as 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 works, publishing works like ‘Nobody Moved Your Cheese', 'Customer Empathy', 'No More Customer Friction', and 'Rattled'. His iconic WOW vs POW method has revolutionised customer loyalty, demonstrating that removing frustrations is more powerful than flashy perks.
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 has worked with some of the world's most recognisable brands, such as Apple, Microsoft, Hilton, Toyota, FedEx, Adobe and more, Ross's fantastic stage presence connects and engages with a variety of audiences. Whether delivering unforgettable keynote speeches or offering vital business insights, Ross offers organisations the tools needed to stay relevant, build loyalty, and thrive through change.
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:
The Relevant Culture: How Will Humanity Co-Exist with AI?
- This fun and engaging keynote was born from Ross’s bestselling book, ARE YOU RELEVANT? But his content has been updated to address the technology and talent revolution we are currently navigating.
- Relevance Is a Moving Target – A relevant culture must be constantly curated. AI can provide granular data and keep you current with new efficiencies, but only humans keep you relevant through empathy, judgment, and showmanship. Ross will inspire your teams to realise their human value in the Age of AI.
- Customer Expectations Have Evolved – Taking from his book, No More Customer Friction, Ross shows why his WOW vs. POW coaching escalates satisfaction scores. Preventing “customer gut punches” matters more than delivering surprise gestures.
- The Relationship Secret That Builds Instant Rapport – Ross shares the talk-show interviewing technique he used on ABC, NBC, USA, and FOX to create instant rapport and trust. This tactic is crucial in our new “deepfake” world. People are suspicious about what they see, hear, and read. AI can tell people the words and videos are real. But only personal engagement and genuine curiosity can read the room for reality.
- The Final Moment Determines Loyalty – Customers may forget the first touch, but they’ll never forget the last. Ross shows how to design final moments that cement loyalty for life.
How to Tell Stories that Sell Your Brand and Humanise Your Sales Stories
- A funny and unforgettable keynote by six-time Emmy Award-winning comedian, TV host, and business author, Ross Shafer.
- Authentic, Emotional Storytelling – While AI can write copy, AI can’t make people feel confident in their purchase. Ross will teach your teams why verifiable, human stories differentiate your organisation from your competitors.
- Weaving Your Sales Stories into Your Personal Brand Story – Audiences crave real human journeys. Ross uses his own life story (including coaching and launching Bill Nye, the Science Guy) as a blueprint for leaders to establish trust among your customers and your team.
- Why Do Some Stories Go Viral? – Ross shows you how to create compelling stories your customers and fans can’t wait to share. In a world of AI-generated noise and deepfakes, human word-of-mouth engagement can go viral just as fast.
- Create an Endless Inventory of Authentic Stories – Ross teaches a reliable way to harvest fresh, ethical stories from outside your industry. With this secret, you’ll have an endless supply of emotional tales that make your brand unforgettable.
WOW-ing Customers Doesn't Guarantee Loyalty
- Ross explains why loyalty is won in the battle of WOW vs. POW. WOW moments are nice gestures, but quickly forgotten. By eliminating the POW moments, you can raise satisfaction scores because reliability reduces customer friction and frustration.
- Proven Thought Leadership – Author of five best-selling customer experience books and 16 training films on the customer experience, customer effort, and reducing friction, Ross shares research-based strategies that blend beautifully in the AI era.
- AI Can Help—but NOT Replace Humans – AI can track orders and automate refunds. But even ChatGPT admits it makes mistakes. It can actually hallucinate! Your organisation cannot afford to make unforced errors, gaslight customers through chatbots, or generate misrouted deliveries. Ross simplifies loyalty by showing how to remove the pain points and blend AI efficiency with human empathy.
- Engaging Style – Ross’s energetic style—fueled by humour, storytelling, and real-world examples—makes complex strategies simple and funny.
Ross Shafer is Your Ultimate Emcee
- Ross brings polish, humour, and energy to multi-day events. A seasoned talk-show/game-show host, he effortlessly:
- Moderates executive panels
- Interviews celebrities
- Recaps sessions with humour and clarity
- Keeps audiences energised between sessions
(Bonus: Ross weaves in topical AI/business humour so your event feels timely and future-focused.)
- Ross brings polish, humour, and energy to multi-day events. A seasoned talk-show/game-show host, he effortlessly:
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 humour, lessons, and anecdotes in support of our message. True professional.” - Tim, Leadership Development, QinetiQ US
"Ross tailored his content perfectly to our theme. His genuine, funny, authentic presentation really resonated.” – Valet Living CEO
“Ross is a hidden gem! Everyone can relate to his humour, and he put in the effort to truly understand our program.” – Vertafore
“Ross Shafer was brilliantly funny. More than engaging, he was riveting. His insights were as impactful as they were entertaining.” – RMLS President & CEO
“Ross far exceeded our expectations. We wanted someone relevant who could get people buzzing—and the standing ovation said it all.” – GWN Securities
- 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.
