Ken Schmidt: How Harley-Davidson Transformed from Commodity to Lifestyle Brand

Ken Schmidt: How Harley-Davidson Transformed from Commodity to Lifestyle Brand

From The Excellence Project with Eric Worre by Eric Worre

April 21, 2025 · 1h 39m

About this episode

Ken Schmidt discusses the transformation of Harley-Davidson from a struggling manufacturer to a lifestyle brand.

In this episode of The Excellence Project, Eric Worre sits down with Ken Schmidt, the former Director of Communications at Harley-Davidson who played a pivotal role in one of the most celebrated brand turnarounds in business history. Ken shares the inside story of how Harley-Davidson transformed from a struggling motorcycle manufacturer on the brink of bankruptcy to a lifestyle brand with unprecedented customer loyalty. Throughout the conversation, Ken reveals the powerful strategy of creating "visual words" that differentiated Harley from competitors, the importance of humanizing business interactions, and practical ways any business can shift from being product-focused to becoming truly memorable in customers' minds. TimeStamps [00:00:40] - Ken's Beginning at Harley-Davidson - How Ken joined Harley-Davidson in the mid-80s when the company was struggling and most expected it to fold after 80+ years in business. [00:05:02] - The Market Situation - Ken explains how Harley went from owning 95% market share to collapsing as Japanese competitors entered with lower-priced, well-made motorcycles. [00:09:40] - The Mission to Reposition - Ken describes his job to improve Harley's image…

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