Sam Geist is President of Geist & Associates Inc. based in Toronto, Ontario. His focus for the past 15 years as a speaker, consultant and facilitator, is business strategy, leadership, customer service, marketing, the changing marketplace and maximizing employee and corporate productivity. A previous twelve years of retail business experience, together with 14 years of advertising and marketing experience enables him to utilize the perspective of both client and marketer.
As president of The Outdoor Stores, he personally grew his single location sporting goods store into a 15-store national chain, directing its day-to-day operations as well as developing and executing its long-term strategy. After selling to his largest competitor he capitalized on his extensive experience by opening his own advertising, marketing and consulting firm, serving a wide variety of clients, including franchisor/franchisee, retail, manufacturing and service organizations. His agency grew into a 32-man shop with billings over $35 million.
His years of hands-on experience in a great many industries and business sectors as well as a degree in business management enables him today to speak, facilitate and consult with clients who operate in a wide business arena including:
- Industry associations – retail, franchising
- Institutional – government, financial, health, insurance
- Corporations – construction
- Entrepreneurial – retail, manufacturing
Clients especially appreciate Geist’s customization process which maximizes participant engagement and re-enforces the actionability of the strategies he presents. Geist ensures interactive discussions by using the Socratic method— encouraging participants to question themselves, and to think about their businesses in new and innovative ways. He insists that asking tough questions—and answering them honestly—is crucial to the well being of every organization, no matter its focus. Geist is a regular speaker at business conferences and meetings. He is an active board member of several business organizations.
Geist has written several business books including Why Should Someone Do Business With You… Rather Than Someone Else? Would You Work for You and Execute… or Be Executed.
