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Top 5 Global Customer Experience Thought Leader · Ten Consecutive Years

All Business Is Personal.

The high-energy, high-impact keynote speaker booked when leaders need their teams to attract and retain customers in the AI era, built on decades of consulting for iconic brands.

Insights drawn from years inside
Nearly four decades of proven impact.
  • Years of global consulting and research
  • Countries where Joseph has consulted or presented, across six continents
  • Books, including #1 bestsellers
Joseph Michelli portrait, taken backstage
The differentiator

Why leaders bring Joseph to their stage.

For nearly four decades, Joseph has partnered with the leadership teams behind Starbucks, Ritz-Carlton, Mercedes-Benz, Zappos, Airbnb, UCLA Health, and One Medical. That work became twelve books, including #1 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and BusinessWeek bestsellers.

Today he works at the frontier of customer experience, where AI is reshaping every interaction and human connection is becoming a welcome differentiator.

He will help you and your team navigate the tectonic shift by deploying human-centered design principles that put technology to work for the people you serve, so you delight your customers and earn referrals.

THE

All Business Is Personal

FRAMEWORK

A human-centered approach to designing experiences that build loyalty, referrals, and lasting impact.

LASTING IMPACTThe impact you choose to makeADVOCACY AND GROWTHRepeat business and referralsTHE WAY WE SERVEThe feeling you create, drawn from your valuesCULTUREAspirations · ValuesLEADERSHIPIntent · Choices · Modeled behaviorPEOPLE · PRODUCTS · PROCESSES · TECHNOLOGYDesigned around the person being servedHuman Experience Pyramidwhat leaders build — the system
LListento what's said & unsaidEEmpathizefeel their realityAAdd Valueresourcefully assistDDelightexceed expectationsL.E.A.D. Modelwhat every person does — the delivery
Human Experience Pyramid™what leaders build — the system
L.E.A.D. Model™what every person does — the delivery
LListento what's said & unsaid
EEmpathizefeel their reality
AAdd Valueresourcefully assist
DDelightexceed expectations
The Pyramid is the system·L.E.A.D. is the delivery
JOSEPH MICHELLI

Twelve Books. Powerful Insights.

A comprehensive library on customer and employee experience elevation and leadership — each written from Joseph's work inside organizations that set the standard.

All Business Is Personal cover

All Business Is Personal

One Medical's Human-Centered, Technology-Powered Approach to Customer Engagement

Technology amplifies human connection when it's designed to remove friction, not replace judgment — the One Medical playbook for leaders rebuilding trust in the AI era.

The New Gold Standard cover

The New Gold Standard

5 Leadership Principles for Creating a Legendary Customer Experience Courtesy of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company

Inside Ritz-Carlton's leadership system: the five principles behind "ladies and gentlemen serving ladies and gentlemen," and how to embed legendary service into a culture at scale.

The Starbucks Experience cover

The Starbucks Experience

Five Principles for Turning Ordinary into Extraordinary

The five principles Starbucks used to turn a commodity into a ritual — and how leaders apply them to make every customer feel seen, valued, and eager to come back.

Driven to Delight cover

Driven to Delight

Delivering World-Class Customer Experience the Mercedes-Benz Way

How Mercedes-Benz built a service standard worthy of its product — and the leadership discipline premium brands need to make every touchpoint live up to the logo.

The Airbnb Way cover

The Airbnb Way

5 Leadership Lessons for Igniting Growth Through Loyalty, Community, and Belonging

Belonging, not transactions: the five leadership lessons behind Airbnb's growth through community, trust, and a relentless focus on making both hosts and guests feel at home.

The Zappos Experience cover

The Zappos Experience

5 Principles to Inspire, Engage, and WOW

Why Zappos hires for culture first and empowers every employee to own the customer relationship — and how that approach translates to any business that lives or dies by loyalty.

High Energy. High Impact. What Leaders and Event Planners are Saying.

  • Adcock Financial Group
    People really enjoyed the touch of humanity you bring to a conversation around AI. Best one yet!

    Brian Adcock

    President · Adcock Financial Group

  • Capital One
    The audience was blown away. Laughter, cheers, and even tears.

    Dora Gougoufkas

    Senior Vice President · Capital One

  • One Medical
    Joseph has an extraordinary ability to translate complex challenges into simple, powerful actions.

    Amir Dan Rubin

    President & CEO · One Medical

100

Net Promoter Score

From post-keynote audience surveys. A score Joseph and his team work to earn at every event.

Four Distinct Offerings. Consistently Measurable Outcomes.

Every format is built to spark emotional engagement, loyalty, and referrals. Keynotes are available in person, virtual, or hybrid; the virtual option is broadcast-quality from Joseph's certified studio. Workshops and offsites are designed for in-person teams.

  • Opening or closing keynote

    High-energy. Sized to anchor or close out a general session. 45–60 minutes.

  • Extended keynote with audience Q&A

    Pairs the core framework with a moderated audience exchange, ideal for leadership audiences who want to engage with the material. 75–90 minutes.

  • Workshop or masterclass

    Interactive deep-dive for leadership teams. Frameworks become exercises; case studies become live coaching with the group. 3–4 hours.

  • Executive offsite & facilitation

    Board retreats, leadership offsites, and strategic working sessions. Joseph facilitates the session while the team applies the frameworks directly to your business. Half-day to multi-day.

Recognized by

Independently credentialed.

Professional Speaker. Customer Experience Practitioner. Human Experience Pioneer.

  • Certified Speaking Professional (CSP), National Speakers Association

    Certified Speaking Professional

    National Speakers Association

  • Certified Customer Experience Professional (CCXP), Customer Experience Professionals Association

    Certified Customer Experience Professional

    Customer Experience Professionals Association

  • CXPA Impact Award Winner

    Impact Award

    Customer Experience Professionals Association

Frequently asked

Practical questions.

Want a real answer to something not listed here?

Contact us
  • How do we explore availability?

    Start with the form on the contact page. Joseph's team responds within one business day. The conversation begins with fit: what is the purpose of the event, who will be in the audience, and what outcomes matter most to you.

  • What does an engagement include beyond the presentation?

    Every engagement includes stakeholder listening sessions, a custom-built presentation developed from that input, pre-event coordination to ensure seamless execution, on-site A/V coordination, and post-event tools designed for immediate use. If you'd like it, Joseph can also produce promotional video content to build audience anticipation. He follows up after every engagement to ensure the desired impact was achieved.

  • What is Joseph's travel radius?

    Worldwide. Joseph has delivered presentations on six continents and in 33 countries. For remote engagements, Joseph delivers broadcast-quality virtual presentations from his certified studio and holds the eSpeakers virtual presenter certification.

  • What are Joseph's fees?

    Joseph's fees reflect the depth of preparation, customization, and post-event support that come with every engagement. Budget is part of the conversation. It's not a barrier. Where there's a strong fit and a genuine opportunity for impact, Joseph's team will work to make the right engagement possible.

Next step

Bring Joseph to your next event.

Let's start with a conversation. Keynote, workshop, or culture intensive — tailored to senior leaders, middle management, frontline teams, or your entire organization.