Renowned keynote speaker, podcaster, author, and training and development executive Jim Knight teaches organizations of all sizes how to attain their own “rock star” status.

Although his illustrious career started at Gatorland, a working alligator farm in Florida (and he has scars to prove it) – Jim cut his teeth in the hospitality training industry and eventually 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.

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 founded the networking group, The Training Summit (CHART’s 1st Regional Training Forum), which includes over 100 active members in Central Florida to share best practices and discuss common issues with other industry professionals. Jim was also a part of the GOOD Network’s inception.

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 3rd edition, which was featured in Entrepreneur Magazine as one of the “5 Books That Will Help You Transform How You Do Business”. Jim’s latest books, Leadership That Rocks: Take Your Brand’s Culture to Eleven and Amp Up Results and Service That Rocks: Create Unforgettable Experiences and Turn Customers into Fans were all Amazon #1 Best Sellers.

A portion of Jim Knight’s book sales and speaking 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.