We are not happy, unless you are thrilled. We've touched many people and many organizations through our training, consulting, coaching,and other services.  We'd love to be a key partner to your success! 


some companies we have worked with: 


rave reviews

Training, Leadership Development, and Coaching

Our team has had the pleasure of working with Madeline to revise and relaunch our leadership development program over the past year, and we have been consistently impressed with the expertise and the passion that she has applied to the initiative. Madeline constructed a new framework to meet our needs and developed modules tailored to our organization that are grounded in best practices and practical advice. She is an excellent communicator and a skilled facilitator, able to engage individuals and groups in meaningful discussions that promote growth and development. We look forward to advancing this effort further with you – thanks Madeline!

~ Justin Arch, CEO at Blistex, Inc.


"Madeline Schmidt is the most gifted corporate trainer I’ve had the privilege of working with in the past thirty-five years. There are many qualities that set Madeline apart. They include versatility, effectiveness and results. For example, she is versed in training on a variety of subjects from strategic leadership for C-suite executives to tactical training on subjects such as self-leadership and sales to entry level employees. Madeline also possesses the unique gift to engage those who attend her training regardless of how they are wired (generalist to specialist; introverts to extroverts) or their preferred learning style (visual, auditory, verbal, kinesthetic, etc.) Most importantly, she has a way to download information in a way that employees retain and then leverage into increased measurable results. I highly recommend and endorse Madeline Schmidt for all corporate training needs."

~ Carroll Whaler, Executive Vice President, H.G. Fenton Company


“I’ve had the pleasure of partnering with Madeline on various learning and development initiatives for my company over the last two years. She is truly a master at translating our needs into meaningful programming and is always helping us find creative ways to sustain and reinforce the concepts and frameworks we’re teaching. We like to joke that Madeline has a “fan club” at Neurocrine because she’s so passionate, knowledgeable and just an absolute joy to be around. As the pandemic swept the country over the course of last year and forced us into a remote work environment, she was there every step of the way to help us ensure our employees and leaders were equipped to work and lead remotely and balance their personal and professional lives throughout this unique and challenging time. I would highly recommend Madeline for anyone seeking high quality customized learning and leadership development solutions delivered with enthusiasm and care.”

~ Diane Kuca, Talent Development, Neurocrine Biosciences


“Madeline did a fantastic job of creating a customized, interactive management training curriculum for us to use across 4 continents and several sites. Her experience, expertise and corporate background was the perfect fit to develop content to our wide variety of managers across several regions, functions and levels. Her creativity and experience led to a program that drove core fundamentals integrated with our company culture and values. We now have an extremely valuable training coursework that includes video training with personalized instruction delivering a rich learning environment excelling our growth and fulfilling our team. Madeline was a pure delight to work with showcasing extreme professionalism, flexibility, innovation and expertise across all facets of our project. She can add significant value that you wouldn't recognize until you bring in a seasoned expert. I can't recommend Madeline enough to help your team no matter your size, discipline or challenge.”

~ Kevin Shimamoto, Chief Marketing Officer, Memjet Technology


“I had the pleasure of working directly with Madeline. She was our Director of Employee Lifestyle at HG Fenton Company. She did a complete overhaul of our leadership training program and was an excellent resource when working through challenging leadership issues. Madeline has the ability to create and deliver training programs like I’ve never seen! If you have the chance, I would highly recommend working with her.”

~ Brian Gates, CEO Coach & Peer Advisory Board Chair, Vistage Worldwide, Inc.


“Madeline is the best! She led a 3/4 day on-site communication training (DISC) with our company of 60 employees. Madeline is engaging, friendly, funny, and truly knows her stuff about DISC and how to effectively weave it into your corporate culture. If you are looking for someone to do any leadership, professional skills, interpersonal skills, etc. with your company, look no further....Madeline. Trust me, you won't go wrong. We are looking forward to having you come back in the future to do more training with our team.”

~ Brett Pugliesi, Head of People Operations, Reflexion Health


“Our company had the pleasure of working with Madeline as she guided us through the rollout of a new leadership development program. Her experience with various tools such as 360 Reviews was invaluable to our organization. She partnered with us to help us accurately decipher the results of a review of our leadership team, and form action plans that created results. I can confidently say that our leadership team is better now - and still improving - thanks to her assistance! In addition, I have personally worked with Madeline as an executive coach for the past year. She has an amazing ability to listen closely to my challenges, and provide thought leadership that enables me to make good decisions and improve my leadership characteristics. I highly recommend her!”

~ Marcus Dudoit, Partner/CEO SYCON International


“I'm fortunate to have been a part of learning and development programs designed and led by Madeline. Madeline brings a real-world approach to organizational training classes that so many others lack. She avoids the fluff, and gets straight to the issues. Time is not wasted in her courses. Her enthusiasm in teaching and guiding leaders is apparent and infectious. Her skills extend beyond a classroom environment, as she invests time following up with leaders, and ensures that the materials applied in the classroom are being implemented within the organization. Madeline transformed Learning and Development into an asset at Provide Commerce, and I actively encouraged team members to take her courses and seek her out for skill development and advice on a number of topics. I can't recommend the work that Maddi does enough!”

~ Rick Sliter, CEO BioClarity / Adigica Health, Inc.


“In the latter part of 2019, Madeline partnered with my Talent Development team to design our first change management workshop for Dexcom leadership. What started as one in-person session, quickly shifted in 2020 to a virtual instructor-led workshop that can be customized for both leaders, individual contributors, and intact departments experiencing specific change. The bar we set was high, especially once it went virtual and we wanted to ensure a high level of engagement and interactivity. Madeline is someone we've found to be very dependable, responsive, open-minded and creative. Those who have participated in these workshops, whether facilitated by her or our trainers, have found it to be helpful, relevant, applicable and super engaging! We look forward to our continued partnership with Madeline well into the future!”

~ Carrissa Gonzales, Senior Manager, Talent Development, Dexcom


"The short of it is that Madeline does an amazing job in training sessions and putting together engaging material. I've been fortunate enough to work with her through training as well as other general, employee-related (HR) matters which she handles wonderfully but I would guess her passion is in the coursework and setting people up with the right tools to succeed.

As it relates to my industry, I've worked both in smaller regional companies as well as the two largest in the U.S. and I find that Madeline educates in a way that is personal enough like the former but would be a refreshing take in the training sessions of the latter; she completely avoids gimmicky training scripts, genuinely drives conversation amongst participants, and is wonderful at reading the room to adapt or increase participation.

In my opinion—particularly if you're looking to train low-patience individuals with high emotional intelligence (sales people come to mind)—you'd be wise to set up some time with Madeline to discuss your organization's needs!"

~ Kevin Grayson, Community Director, H.G. Fenton Company


"When it comes to professionals in the field of organizational learning and leadership development, you won't find much better than Madeline. From an academic perspective, Madeline has it all. She's studied and read from the best of the best thought leaders in this space. And, it goes well beyond that. Madeline doesn't just talk to talk, she walks the walk. She models leadership and self-development in way that inspires others to be the best version of themselves. I personally have gained invaluable career development from my time working with Madeline. She is a true leader, authentic, passionate, personable, dependable and driven!"

~ Josh Rab, Director, Intuit
 


"Madeline has been great to work with for training, team building and individual coaching. She was instrumental in getting my team through a year of transition and growth; her process helped us get back on track and work as a team and we are now having our best year ever! Madeline's approach encourages people to participate and really be engaged in the process. I also benefited from her one-on-one coaching and insights which have helped me to better understand my impact as a leader and get the most out of my team. Madeline's unique approach has given me tools I use everyday to grow and succeed."

~ Jeff Diltz, Asset Management/Commercial Portfolio Leader, H.G. Fenton Company


"For the 3+ years I worked with Madeline, I was always been impressed by the energy, passion and enthusiasm she brought to her role. With a clear vision for what role learning & development should play for the company, she successfully launched a number of high impact programs that were widely embraced by the organization. An excellent strategic thinker, Madeline is also a dynamic speaker, trainer, and executive coach that earns people’s trust and keeps them focused on the most productive parts of career development."

~ David Estrin, VP Digital Marketing, Road Runner Sports


"I honestly can not say enough wonderful things about Madeline and the work that she does. I had the privilege of working with her and she helped me in so many ways. From coaching me through difficult conversations and how to deal with an employee who had mentally resigned, to helping me map out and successfully transition into an entirely different department and career path, she has made a huge difference in my life. She is such a wealth of knowledge and really understands how to help someone not only recognize their growth opportunities, but to realistically implement strategies to develop in these areas. I attended pretty much every training session of Madeline's that I could, even if it was on a topic or area where I didn't feel like I needed much help because I knew that there would be some unexpected take away that would benefit me. It has been such a privilege to have her support over the past few years and I don't think I would be where I am without her."

~ Desiree Sellars, Assistant Property Manager, H.G. Fenton Company


"I had the privilege of reporting directly to Madeline at Encore Capital Group when she hired me as her Manager of Training and Leadership Development. Madeline was and is the most influential leader/coach/mentor I have had in my professional career. Madeline has a true gift when it comes to leading and communicating at all levels within an organization. As a leader Madeline has a way of challenging you without setting you up to fail. She supports you without question, provides you with both constructive feedback and praise in a specific timely manner allowing you to continually grow as an individual. I would follow Madeline to any organization, it would be an honor to work for or with Madeline again."

~ Tabatha Addison, Consultant (former VP of Learning)


"I have had the pleasure of going through several different training seminars with Madeline. Each session has provided valuable information, but Madeline goes way beyond just presenting the information. She relates to each participant by sharing personal examples, giving multiple opportunities to practice new skills and encouraging participation. Madeline's warm and engaging approach makes training sessions enjoyable to attend and there are always practical take aways I can put into use immediately. I could not recommend her more highly to help your organization train and empower its leaders and workforce!"

~ Dawn Baker, Sr. Commercial Property Manager, H.G. Fenton Company


"Madeline is a talented training professional who is skilled at training needs analysis, training development, design and training delivery. She excels at creating and customizing course curriculum specifically in the area of line manager skills and interpersonal behaviors. She has a detailed no nonsense approach to project management and can be relied on to deliver high quality projects, on time and within budget. I highly recommend her work."

~ Alison James, Chief Human Resources Officer at BIC


"Madeline did an exceptional job during her time as Director of Training and Leadership Development at Encore Capital Group. Specifically, I appreciated her approach to understanding the needs of the business and allowing those to be the drivers of the organization’s training strategy. She partnered with organization leaders to shape the strategy and deliverables and ensured her team had the talent and resources to execute it.


As she identified organizational needs, she recognized opportunities to establish a core of certified experts to deliver Situational Self Leadership to individual contributors and Situational Frontline Leadership to all managers. She also brought in Egonomics to help organizational leaders to understand the positive and negative impacts of their egos on the business.


In addition to partnering with outside parties to improve learning in the organization, she worked to develop and deliver an internal leadership development curriculum. Some of the topics she developed or supported include training to on the job performance, new manager development and effective meetings.

During the time I worked with Madeline, she consistently presented herself as a well-balanced training professional. She is a skilled designer, instructor and leader. She has proved she can enter an organization and understand the operational needs and leadership challenges. More importantly, she brings solutions to the table that are relevant to advancing the business.

It is my privilege to recommend Madeline to an organization looking to make an impactful investment in developing its talent."

~ Rick Palmer, Sr. Mgr Learning Design & Development, 7-11 Corporation


Strategic Organizational Development, Learning, Culture

"Having hired Madeline twice to lead Learning & Development / Leadership Development, I'd highlight her strengths as:

- strategic (identifying the needs of the business definitively; often calling out what hasn't been addressed or recognized, yet is critical to business growth), 
- coaching (she is a stellar coach of leaders - from up & coming managers through executives; her insights and suggestions are world-class)
- design (of programs, technology application, competency models, executive presentations, etc.)
- culture development (aligning values with executive behaviors, with company norms and processes, i.e. talent reviews)

Rarely have I encountered someone who can strategize at 100,000', design and collaborate at 25,000', secure support at 10,000' and deliver to an audience at ground level."

~ Marc Brown, SVP Chief Human Resources Officer, Bridgepoint Education & Zovio


"Madeline is a high impact talent, learning, and OD professional, and she is one of the best and brightest I've met in her field. She takes a strategic approach to talent and leadership development ensuring programs solve the business needs and deliver maximum value to the organization. 

She is passionate, enthusiastic, and an excellent coach supporting and inspiring leaders to grow to new levels."

~ Melissa Reinking, VP/GM Marketing, BioClarity


"Madeline is a true agent for change. She created world-class learning and leadership programs at our company, which changed how our leaders communicate and lead for the better. In addition to attending all of her management development courses, I had the privilege of Madeline's one-on-one coaching as part of the 18-month Leadership Development Program she built, which was infinitely valuable for my professional and personal growth. Additionally, Madeline introduced a Women’s Leadership Network and subsequent peer-mentoring programs, which were ground-breaking for our company. She not only created an inclusive community of men and women, but through her dedication, raised awareness at all levels regarding diversity of thought and increased support for women in our organization. Madeline is an inspirational and enthusiastic partner, leader, and coach - who thinks beyond basic training, and is able to innovate and build a strong culture of leadership, diversity and continuous improvement within a company."

~ Megan Schrimmer, Sr. Director, FTD Companies


"Madeline is a strategic and talented leader. She is driven to make a difference and understands the value of one of the most important resources in an organization which is the people. Madeline knows how to motivate and lead all levels of talent from the CEO to entry level individuals. She is fearless and passionate about organizational learning and development. I personally worked with her as she created a women's leadership network at Provide Commerce. I was so impressed with the program she created from amazing speakers to work sessions that hit the heart of leadership skills that are critical for women to develop in business. Madeline has made a huge impact on people's lives at Provide Commerce because she is candid, open, friendly and honest with feedback. She is someone that I highly recommend because of her strategic view of human talent and how to leverage the talent to deliver financial success for companies."

~ Terri Funk Graham (former VP Marketing Red Envelope), Board Director, Sprouts


"Madeline is the best talent and development leader I have had the pleasure to work with at Provide Commerce or elsewhere. Madeline built a best in class leadership development program at Provide Commerce including all levels of the organization. Madeline is comfortable leading and teaching from C-level to the rest of the organization and is able to engage people in the content by making it practical and relevant to current business challenges. She is obviously passionate about her work and her energy and enthusiasm is infectious throughout the organization. I happily recommend her and I hope to work with her again in the future."

~ Scott Sabins, Director of Marketing, FTD Companies


"Madeline is a leader and innovator in the learning and development space. She is a strategic thinker who can see the big picture and also dive deep when needed. She has a passion for developing and coaching leaders at all levels. Madeline is a pleasure to work with and an amazing thought partner!"

~ Angie Robinson, Director Global HR Operations & HRIS, Encore Capital Group


"It has been a genuine pleasure to work with Madeline over the past year at the Hard Rock Hotel. In her position as Director of Talent Development, Madeline was instrumental in helping our executive team define our company’s core values and guiding us in how to weave our culture through every touch point in the employee experience. Madeline has repeatedly demonstrated that she is a visionary who excels in aligning organizational goals and implementing tactical planning to bring a cultural vision to life. I personally appreciated the engaging, upbeat and creative energy Madeline brought to our team and her true professional expertise in creating and delivering relevant, contemporary training courses for our company."

~ Donna Winkler, Corporate Director of Finance, Evolution Hospitality


"Madeline is a competent learning professional, with a strategic outlook and talent for creative design and implementation of learning initiatives. During her tenure at AMN, Madeline developed a broad curriculum of leadership development programs which addressed our growing need to strengthen the skills of new and experienced leaders. She worked well with our executives - often overcoming hurdles to gain their buy-in to make important investments in our people. Madeline is capable of building learning initiatives from the ground up, and employs problem solving and a drive for results."

~ Karen Von Boetticher, Learning & Development Leader, AMN Healthcare