|
Bergdahl has appeared on CNN, CNBC, CNN FN, CBS National Radio and Bloomberg TV. He is considered an authority on Wal-Mart. The giant retailer’s own Public Relations Department has referred Bergdahl to interviewers interested in gaining insights into the company. He is a columnist for VNU Publications and his articles have appeared in Retail Merchandiser, Investor’s Business Daily, Convenience Store News, Progressive Grocer, Convenience Store Decisions Magazine, the Grocery Manufacturer Association’s FORUM Magazine, the National Community Pharmacists Association’s America’s Pharmacist Magazine, American Management Association’s MWorld Magazine and the National Association of Convenience Stores Magazine.
He wrote a book about his experiences working for the World’s largest retailer entitled: What I Learned from Sam Walton: How to Compete and Thrive in a Wal-Mart World, which was published in the USA and Internationally by John Wiley in August 2004. His book is being translated into versions in Chinese, Thai, Korean, Russian, Japanese and Spanish. He wrote his book to help Wal-Mart’s domestic and international competitors develop proactive success strategies. Interestingly, his book is sold on both the Wal-Mart and Sam’s Club web sites.
He recently completed his second book entitled,Sam Walton’s Golden Rules for Success: 10 Ways to Prosper Personally and Professionally in Today’s Wal-Mart World, which will be published in early 2006.
Michael Bergdahl is a motivational speaker who is one part business, one part inspirational, one part storyteller and one part entertainment. He has spoken at association and business conferences domestically and internationally to groups who are interested in improving their ability to compete successfully.
He wrote his book to help Wal-Mart’s domestic and international competitors compete, survive and thrive in the shadow of the retail giant. He designed the book around the acronym “P.O.C.K.E.T.S.” based on the fact that to succeed in a Wal-Mart World you have to carve out a “niche” or “business pocket” in order to be successful. Each of the letters in the acronym represents a chapter in the book as follows: P. – Price, O. – Operations, C. – Culture, K. – Key Item Promotion/Product, E. – Expenses, T. – Talent, S. – Service. In each chapter he addresses some of the inside strategies and tactics utilized by Sam Walton and Wal-Mart that make competition with them so difficult. Retailers, non-retailers, manufacturers and suppliers will gain competitive knowledge of the strategies and tactics necessary to compete, survive and thrive in a Wal-Mart World!
Programs and brief descriptions:
When Michael Bergdahl speaks, people don't just listen. They learn.
Experience, insight, and a powerful, personable presence combine to make Michael Bergdahl the must-have speaker for any business that's serious about competing in today's market. With an upbeat, high-energy style that entertains as it teaches, Bergdahl makes complex business strategies and tactics easy to understand and apply.
Following are synopses of Michael Bergdahl's most powerful and popular speeches.
- What I learned From Sam Walton: How to Compete and Thrive in a Wal-Mart World
Horror stories abound about Wal-Mart’s entry into new markets and the subsequent destruction of competitors and downtown areas. In this speech, using the acronym, “ P.O.C.K.E.T.S.”, which stands for Price, Operations, Culture, Key Item Promotion, Expenses, Talent and Service, Michael Bergdahl describes several effective strategies competitors can and have used to counteract the inevitable pressure created by “big box” retailers. Finding Your niche in the market or “POCKET” is the key to Your survival! The key is to avoid the temptation to compete on price. You’ve got to make the commitment to differentiate yourself by looking for “POCKETS”! You will learn some secrets other companies have used to compete with Wal-Mart and survive”!
- Sam Walton's Golden Rules for Personal & Professional $ucce$$
Do you want to achieve greater levels of success in your personal and professional life? The answer of course is everyone does. In Michael Bergdahl's forthcoming book called, Sam Walton's Golden Rules For $ucce$$: Ten Ways to Prosper Personally & Professionally in Today's Wal-Mart World, he shares the success secrets of the world's most successful entrepreneur. In this speech, he will discuss Sam Walton's self professed ten rules for success which Mr. Sam embraced as he grew Wal-Mart from a single site to a 5000 store global enterprise. Audience members will take away success strategies they can use in both their personal and professional life.
Here are Sam Walton's 10 Golden Rules for Success:
- Rule #1: COMMIT to achieving success and always be passionate
- Rule #2: SHARE your success with those who have helped you
- Rule #3: MOTIVATE yourself and others to achieve your dreams
- Rule #4: COMMUNICATE with people and show you care
- Rule #5: APPRECIATE and recognize people for their effort and results
- Rule #6: CELEBRATE your own and other’s accomplishments
- Rule #7: LISTEN to others and learn from their ideas
- Rule #8: EXCEED the expectations of others by setting high standards
- Rule #9: CONTROL your expenses and save your way to prosperity
- Rule #10: SWIM UPSTREAM, be different, and challenge the status quo
- F.I.R.S.T – Secrets to Outperforming the Pack
From his experiences working for World Class “Best Practice” Companies like Pepsico’s Frito-Lay Division and Wal-Mart, Michael Bergdahl shares with you some of the secrets of their success. As a turnaround team member at American Eagle Outfitters and Waste Management, learned what it takes to turn a failing company around. He shares the secrets of outperforming the pack in this speech using the acronym F.I.R.S.T. which stands for; Focus on the Customer, Inspirational Leadership, Results through People, Succession Planning/Bench-Building & Tactics for Driving the Business. Combining energy, storytelling and humor with his practical experience working with executives like Sam Walton, Bergdahl will entertain and provide practical and actionable business ideas to those in attendance.
- Building Bench – Attract/Retain & Upgrade
What is your standard for staffing talent in your organization? How do your people compare to those of your competitors? Are you selective in choosing very bright, high potential people for your business or do you settle for whoever walks through the door and applies? Are you getting your share of “A” Players? The selection and retention of quality employees is the foundation upon which every one of your other strategies is based. Staffing should be one of your most important competitive advantages. In this speech Bergdahl will challenge your staffing paradigms. He will share with you “World Class” Staffing strategies and tactics from his experiences working for PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay Division. He will review the methods of creating a “human inventory” or “bench strength” analysis for your organization to help you improve your ability to compete. In the competitive world we live and work in the companies with the best talent…WIN!
Client Testimonials:
"Your 'P.O.C.K.E.T.S.' speech at our annual meeting exceeded our expectations. I heard nothing but positives from everyone who attended. One of our petroleum marketers expressed it best, saying he was 'spellbound'. Thanks for being so easy to work with and for your contribution to making our convention a great success!"
-- Mississippi Petroleum Marketers & Convenience Store Association
"Dynamic, exciting, no nonsense, no pie in the sky, no wishful thinking but nuts and bolts, guts and glory as to how to become successful delivering your product to the world…speaking directly to people, communicating directly to people, with a timely and important message."
-- Bell Atlantic Yellow Pages
Books:
|
