Tim Hoelter

In the summer of 1981, Tim Hoelter left his secure partnership at a respected Milwaukee law firm to pursue an exciting opportunity – joining the executive/investor group, as the only outsider, purchasing Harley-Davidson from its parent, AMF Incorporated. His timing, however, was terrible. From awful quality problems, a negative brand image, foreign competition and staggering debt, to the deepest recession since the Great Depression causing sales to plunge, Tim realized he had put his family at risk by making the worst decision of his life. But thankfully, that’s not where the story ends. With incredible teamwork, fierce courage and steadfast commitment, the Harley-Davidson buyout group overcame horrendous odds. Tim shows how it’s possible to motivate and inspire any organization by taking you behind closed doors for a detailed and emotional account of the meetings, strategic decisions and innovative business changes Harley-Davidson made during those trying years. The end result today is an American success story and one of the world’s strongest brands.

The name Harley-Davidson is ranked among the best brands in the world. It’s instantly recognized, deeply respected and profitable. In fact, Harley-Davidson generates tens of millions of dollars annually in royalties thanks to Tim Hoelter.

So it may be hard to believe that not so long ago the Harley-Davidson brand was in crisis and the company was in real danger of losing ownership. Counterfeiting had gone unchecked and knockoffs with drug paraphernalia and racist items were dragging it through the mud. Making it his Top Priority, Tim showed strategic vision and leadership by singlehandedly launching a no prisoners taken effort that rescued the brand, secured Harley-Davidson’s ownership and turned the brand into a cash cow. In the process the law department became a key instrument in revitalizing the brand – a motivational story of innovation and unprecedented achievement.

Tim also strategically positioned the company to compete globally. Traveling far beyond the company’s headquarters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he gave Harley-Davidson a “seat at the table” in the International Motorcycle Manufacturers Association in Geneva, at the UN, the WTO and in the International Trade Administration in Washington DC.

After 30 years in leadership roles at Harley-Davidson, Tim is able to share narratives of huge significance that inform his audience – he’s an inspirational leadership and strategic management keynote speaker with stories only he can tell.

Harley-Davidson sits on top of the world heavyweight motorcycle market. More than a motorcycle, the brand fulfills dreams of personal freedom and inspires cult-like devotion among legions of riders around the world, some of whom proudly ink their bodies with permanent artwork. Despite increasingly fierce competition, Harley commands 50% of the U.S. market and sells more motorcycles to young adults, to women and to African American and Latino adults than any other motorcycle company. These accomplishments are the result of strong leadership, strategic management and innovative business practices. Tim Hoelter gives a firsthand account of how Harley became one of the first U.S. manufacturers to combine just-in-time inventory practices, employee involvement and Deming’s principles of quality into a triad of success that drove costs down, increased productivity and turned out motorcycle after motorcycle exceeding customer expectations. He shows how any company can forge a Harley-like bond with its customers and implement sales and marketing programs to run circles around competitors.

Tim Hoelter and the Harley-Davidson buyout group persevered to overcome many daunting obstacles in the early years. With the specter of bankruptcy always hanging over their heads, they were a team united that had each other’s backs. However, when it came to the threat posed by the company’s 4 Japanese competitors, they were a team divided.

In the midst of the deepest recession since the Great Depression, Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki and Suzuki were flooding the market and threatening the company’s fragile turnaround. How could the approaching tsunami possibly be averted? Only Hoelter, who went to his boss with the idea, and CEO Vaughn Beals, were willing to risk everything with a long shot effort to avert disaster.  What those two accomplished, first at the International Trade Commission and later with the Reagan White House, is still talked about in Washington trade circles. Their strategic victory gave Harley the critical breathing room it so desperately needed to complete its turnaround and become the world-class competitor it is today. Tim Hoelter shows you how perseverance and a can do attitude pay off. He alone reveals to his audience the numerous closed-door meetings, the critical considerations and Ronald Reagan’s strategic thinking that ultimately led to success and secured Harley-Davidson’s unprecedented victory.