Speaker topics
Signature Speaking Topics
Profit With a Pulse, Make Money. Meaning Economy
Today’s customers expect more than a good product. Michele explores how brands can connect purpose with profit in a way that feels authentic—not manufactured. Discover how meaningful action, powerful storytelling and shared values can build deeper loyalty, strengthen reputation and drive growth.
The Invisible Customer: What Your Data Isn’t Telling You
We have more customer data than ever before—and still misunderstand why people buy. That lets you bring in customer psychology, qualitative research, social listening, customer experience, and the danger of making strategic decisions based only on dashboards.
Leadership in a Hybrid, AI High-Change World
Today’s leaders must inspire through uncertainty. In this session, Michele explores the art of coaching-based leadership, emotional intelligence, AI and leading remote teams with clarity and connection — transforming disruption into opportunity.
The Trust Factor: Protecting Your Brand in AI
We will explore together what happens when every competitor sounds the same. How do leaders protect reputation when misinformation can spread instantly? Where does human judgment still need to override automation?
Profit With a Pulse: Why Meaning Makes Money
Today’s customers expect more than a good product. Michele explores how brands can connect purpose with profit in a way that feels authentic—not manufactured. Discover how meaningful action, powerful storytelling and shared values can build deeper loyalty, strengthen reputation and drive growth.
Trust Is the New Currency: Is Your Brand Bankrupt?
Customers are more skeptical than ever, and one wrong move can drain years of brand trust. Michele reveals what builds—or destroys—credibility and how leaders can use authenticity, transparency and smart communication to protect reputation, strengthen loyalty and turn trust into a competitive advantage.
Leading Change: Empower, Inspire, transform
Change is the one constant in today’s fast-paced world, and those who navigate change with confidence are the ones who drive success. Learn how to empower you and your team to take ownership, inspire innovation in uncertain times, and transform challenges into opportunities for growth. This is more than leadership—it’s about shaping a resilient future, no matter what comes your way.
From Burnout to Breakthrough
Learning to understand and overcome stress may seem impossible. Together we explore practical tools to manage anxiety, burnout, rebuild your energy, and transform your work experience into one of balance, focus, and sustained success.
AI & the Future of Public Relations
AI is changing the way brands earn attention and trust. This session shows how to harness smart tools for storytelling, media relations, and reputation management—without losing authenticity or ethics. Learn how data-driven insights and human creativity work together to shape the future of PR.
Creating a Company Culture that Captivates Talent
Creating a company culture that captivates talents implies employer branding executives, HR specialists, and brand managers – and other responsible officials – all working together to answer questions such as: How to create a company culture that will attract a larger pool of potential employees? How to devise a recruiting process more appealing to job candidates? How to strike the perfect balance of job responsibilities and perks? How can I retain long-term employees to reduce my turnover to save money? Answering these questions will help you develop an attractive, collaborative, and healthy working environment.
The Confidence Comeback: Lead Through Doubt, Pressure & Change
Pressure, change and setbacks can shake even seasoned leaders. Michele reveals how to stay grounded, trust your judgment and lead decisively when circumstances—and your confidence—are constantly shifting.
Talent Sourcing, Employer Branding & Future Skills
Winning the war for talent takes more than perks — it takes purpose. This session shows how to attract top performers through authentic employer branding, personalized recruiting, and internal mobility programs that build a future-ready workforce.
If you have a topic you are looking for please inquire. She offers customized talks and training.
Here’s what audience members had to say
Meeting Planners
Let us make your life as simple as possible leading up to our time together!
Feel free to use any of the language, links, or images on this page to promote my appearance, either before or during the engagement. I’m also happy to provide customized assets, such as personalized social media posts, upon request. If there’s anything else you need or any way I can help make your job easier, don’t hesitate to reach out!
FEATURED IN
Photos
Below are headshots you can use to promote my speaking appearance.
Looking to copy and paste website or social media URLs? We’ve got you covered:
Linkedin:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/bakercreative
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLa2Bd7K2NqYhtq79t8CC2b-1l72MyVhcN
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/bakercreative1
Long Bio
Michele Cuthbert is the founder and creative director of Baker Creative, an award-winning marketing and brand strategy firm she founded in 2003. For more than two decades, she has helped organizations turn customer insights, strategy and creative thinking into stronger brands and business growth.
A three-time Ohio Business Magazine Ohio 500 honoree, Michele was named by Columbus CEO as one of Ohio’s top female leaders and received Chief Marketer’s Market Like A Mother Award. Her experience includes work with OhioHealth, McDonald’s, The Ohio State University, Columbus Crew, Columbus Blue Jackets, Jiffy Group, NAPA and Visit Florida.
Michele’s insights and work have appeared in Fast Company, HuffPost, Mashable, Crain’s New York Business and other media. She has taught at Columbus State Community College, Capital University and Columbus College of Art & Design and is a Cornell University-certified Brand Strategist. She is also a graduate of the Nasdaq Entrepreneurial Center entrepreneurship program, Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses and executive leadership programs through Marathon Oil and Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business.
Michele is the creator and host of the multi-award-winning BusHuddle podcast, which has generated more than half a million YouTube views. Today, she speaks on the intersection of marketing, AI, leadership, brand trust and human behavior—challenging leaders to think differently about how they lead, communicate and connect.
Short Bio
Michele Cuthbert is the founder and creative director of Baker Creative and a three-time Ohio Business Magazine Ohio 500 honoree. Named by Columbus CEO as one of Ohio’s top female leaders, she has more than two decades of experience working with brands including OhioHealth, McDonald’s, The Ohio State University and Visit Florida.
A Cornell University-certified Brand Strategist and former adjunct professor, Michele’s insights and work have appeared in Fast Company, HuffPost, Mashable and Crain’s New York Business. She is also the creator and host of the multi-award-winning BusHuddle podcast. Michele speaks on marketing, AI, leadership, brand trust and human behavior.
Michele is a recipient of the Columbus Business First “40 Under 40” award, given to the brightest entrepreneurs and won a WE 300 award. She was recognized as one of the leading female CEOs by “Columbus CEO” magazine. She was a digital behaviorist expert for WBNS 10TV, a CBS affiliate, about cyberbullying, social media safety, digital apps, online tools, etc. She graduated from the 10,000 Small Business program scholarship by Goldman Sachs and Marathon Oil Executive Leadership program.
Michele has been an adjunct professor at Columbus State Community College, Capital University and Columbus College of Art and Design. She is a certified Brand strategist by Cornell University.
Her firm has been recognized by Ohio Business Magazine as being among the Best Workplaces in Ohio and Best in Ohio Business and received the Torch Award for Ethics from the Better Business Bureau of Central Ohio. Cuthbert also received a scholarship provided by IBM to attend the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council – Tuck Capstone Program held at the Dartmouth University Tuck School of Business. She is a featured columnist for Smart Business Columbus and its affiliated publications.
Michele will deliver her presentation using PowerPoint from her computer to minimize any tech issues. All that’s needed is an internet connection (a hardwired connection is ideal but not mandatory). The presentation can be displayed in full-screen mode from any web browser on your in-house computer. Michele will control the slides from the stage using your clicker or her laptop. Some videos may be played and linking the sound to her computer is required. Please provide a podium where she can place her computer for the presentation.
Michele prefers to see audience questions during any remote presentations so she can be responsive. A list of participants in advance with company name, role, and emails is useful so she can send any information after the presentation, have enough copies for in-person events and for presentation prep.
We ask that presentation recordings need to be approved by Michele in advance. In the event the talk is recorded she requests a copy of the recording and permission to utilize it at no additional fee.
Michele prefers a confidence monitor on stage if possible. Her preferred microphone options are countryman or lavalier.