Jim Knight

JIM KNIGHT Renowned keynote speaker, author, and training and development expert Jim Knight teaches organizations of all sizes how to attain their own “rock star” status. An experienced professional, having led Global Training for Hard Rock International for two decades, Jim’s customized programs show how to amp up organizational culture, deliver world-class differentiated service, and build rock star teams and leaders. Jim’s role at Hard Rock involved many facets of organizational training including creating and managing all staff and management training materials and programs; facilitating Hard Rock’s Corporate University; overseeing management training locations; producing training videos; directing company e-Learning initiatives; facilitating leadership transitions; and traveling to properties to deliver onsite classes and measure company standards. Jim put his experience and creativity to work, which consistently developed cutting-edge training concepts. During his time with the Hard Rock brand, his team won coveted video Telly Awards (Guest Service in 2000, Menu Rollout in 2007, Harassment & Discrimination Prevention in 2008); garnered Training Directors Forum’s 1998 prize for Reengineering Training; and won Brandon Hall’s Gold Best in Class Award for their Service Recovery e-Learning course. Jim was also recognized by Training Magazine as representing one of the top 125 training companies in the world out of all industries and businesses. He has since been featured in Forbes Magazine, Inc. Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, Nation’s Restaurant News, Business News Daily and Fox Business News. Before life at Hard Rock, he started his illustrious career at Gatorland Zoo, received his Music Performance degree and was a public middle school teacher for 7 years. He is a lifetime member of CHART (an Association of Hospitality Trainers); previously sat on the Certification Governing Board of the National Restaurant Association; and started a local networking group (The Training Summit: CHART’s 1st Regional Training Forum) with over 100 active members in Central Florida to share best practices and discuss common issues with other industry professionals. Jim is the Owner & CEO of Knight Speaker, delivering numerous programs worldwide on leadership, organizational culture, customer service, and employee experience. He is also the best-selling author of Culture That Rocks: How to Revolutionize Your Company’s Culture, now in its 2nd edition, which was featured in Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the “5 Books That Will Help You Transform How You Do Business”. Jim’s new book, Leadership That Rocks: Take Your Brand’s Culture to Eleven and Amp Up Results, launches May 2021. Along with his business partner, Brant Menswar, Jim hosts a weekly leadership podcast called, Thoughts That Rock, which includes a rock star guest and presents two life-changing pieces of advice in 30 minutes. Jim and Brant offer a leadership training program called, Certified Rock Star, as an edu-taining, Rock ‘n Roll-inspired experience for leaders looking to amp up their business in a variety of areas. They are also the founders of bookstarPR, a digital book marketing company that helps authors extend their books’ reach. A portion of Jim Knight’s book sales, podcast revenue, speaking fees, and training program proceeds goes to No Kid Hungry to eliminate childhood hunger in the U.S. and Cannonball Kids’ Cancer, which funds innovative, accessible research for children fighting cancer with better treatments, quality of life, and new options for those told they have run out of options. Learn more at www.KnightSpeaker.com