Patrick Schwerdtfeger is a leading authority on global business trends including 'big data', demographics and the social media revolution. He is a keynote speaker who has headlined events for Bloomberg TV, Marriott, Bank of America, Trek Bicycles, Comcast Cable, Research in Motion (BlackBerry), Time Warner Cable and United Healthcare among many others, as well as dozens of conferences and conventions around the world. His programs focus on business trends, small business marketing and the social media revolution.
Patrick is a passionate and dynamic speaker who focuses on delivering valuable content and highly practical strategies people can implement immediately to e actual results. His programs consistently get strong reviews and leave attendees burning to put their new strategies to work.
Patrick's expertise encompasses modern business trends and communication strategies. The intersection of these two explain the focus his books have on small business marketing and social media, but today's mega trends directly impact communication channels for large corporations and governments as well.
Previous experience
Speaking: Patrick spoke about Learned Intuition at the TEDx Sacramento event in August 2012.
Patrick spoke about Global Mega Trends at the 18th annual GCC eGovernment & eServices Conference in Dubai (May 2012) and has contributed to other innovation and leadership events across the United States and Canada as well as destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean, South America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. He is best known for his motivational keynote about the social media revolution and its impact on consumer behavior and market leadership. Patrick's strategic perspectives make his programs inspiring and thought-provoking for attendees.
Author: Patrick is the author of the award-winning book Marketing Shortcuts for the Self-Employed (Wiley, 2011), as well as Webify Your Business: Internet Marketing Secrets for the Self-Employed (Lulu, 2009) and Make Yourself Useful: Marketing in the 21st Century (Lulu, 2008).
Education: Patrick was born in Vancouver, Canada, and received his Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing and Finance) from Carleton University in Ottawa (1993). He never knew he was an American citizen until he was 27 years old and moved to Los Angeles just six days after receiving his first American passport. Patrick now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Talking Points
Big Data and Artificial Intelligence
The explosion of big data technologies and the Internet of Things (IoT) have led to dramatic advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning. These technologies are fueling innovation in predictive analytics, autonomous vehicles, virtual reality and countless other fields. Patrick has accumulated dozens of case histories and success stories in a variety of different industries, allowing him to explain the trends in a way that people understand. His technology keynotes don’t get into technical specifications. Instead, they highlight trends and strategies for executive and managerial audiences.
Big Data and Artificial Intelligence
Blockchain Protocol and Cryptocurrencies
Bitcoin was the first application of blockchain protocol. Since 2009 when it was officially launched, the bitcoin blockchain has never been hacked. This distributed public ledger technology is now finding its way into hundreds of different applications. Its popularity is part of a larger trend from centralized to decentralized structures. Ironically, the industries that are most threatened by blockchain technology (banks, insurance companies and other financial services) are the ones investing in it most aggressively. Patrick explains the risks as well as the opportunities that today’s executives need to know.
Blockchain Protocol and Cryptocurrencies
Embracing Disruptive Innovation
Disruptive innovation invalidates existing business models. That’s why it’s become so important for executives around the world. Technology is evolving along an exponential curve. Entire industries are collapsing as new (mostly digital) business models provide better outcomes for fewer dollars. Disruptive innovation generally comes from the edges of industries, not the center. It comes from ‘adjacent markets’ often catching executives by surprise. Patrick dissects the topic and leaves attendees with a series of questions they can use to spot possible threats and also opportunities within their business models.
Embracing Disruptive Innovation
Anarchy and Decentralization
Technology enables decentralization, and decentralization enables anarchy. Today’s media environment is a case in point. Everyone has strong opinions, and they all accuse each other of “fake news.” All industries will trend towards this model over time. Success amidst anarchy requires defiant leadership. Business executives need to identify their target market and ignore the haters and trolls. Those who like you will love you! Those who hate you don’t matter.
Anarchy and Decentralization
Digital Marketing and Social Media
Marketing has been forever changed by the Internet and social media, but online channels are converging with offline channels. The secret to successful marketing is to convey compelling stories on both online and offline channels simultaneously. This is done with (1) event-based ‘launch’ campaigns or (2) ongoing ‘drip’ campaigns. Patrick has dozens of fascinating and entertaining success stories for each strategy. His programs leave attendees inspired to revolutionize their businesses with cutting-edge marketing techniques.
Digital Marketing and Social Media
Think Bigger! (leadership)
Build a culture of innovation! Build a team of leaders! These are exciting times. The next ten years will be nothing like the last ten! That’s the primary message in Patrick’s ‘think bigger’ leadership program. By reviewing technology developments at a strategic level and identifying the trends tying them all together, the ‘think bigger’ program energizes attendees and gets them thinking more expansively about modern technology as well as the leadership opportunity they have in exploiting it. Patrick’s ‘think bigger’ keynote is a great opening session to get your attendees thinking bigger right from the opening bell.
Think Bigger! (leadership)
Predict the Future … Today!
Patrick also facilitates interactive strategy sessions for senior executive teams. Not only will we identify the seeds of disruption in your industry, but you will also be introduced to a series of predictive models and proprietary frameworks that Patrick uses to filter technology developments and anticipate where the trends are leading. The agenda consists of a 60-minute presentation followed by a coffee break and then an interactive workshop-type session where we apply the models and frameworks to your specific business environment. This powerful program can reshape your entire business strategy in a single three-hour session.
Predict the Future … Today!
