Kevin D’Ambros-SmithKeynote speaker. Entrepreneur. Investor. Business coach.Send your room home with a plan,
not a pep talk.
An inspiring talk that changes nothing wastes your audience’s day. Your owners get 30+ years in business, 60+ global brands and 9 companies founded or co-founded, turned into a plan they can act on the next morning.
Keynotes, workshops and coaching for SME owners across the USA and New Zealand. In person or live online.
- Companies founded or co-founded
- 9
- Businesses coached one-on-one
- 200+
- Client NPS
- +72*
- Global brands worked on
- 60+
* Net Promoter Score from coaching clients surveyed through The Icehouse (New Zealand).
Over 30 years in business, including DDB, Ogilvy and Saatchi & Saatchi. Approved Regional Business Partners Network provider and partner of The Icehouse in New Zealand.
Kevin has worked with 60+ global brands, including:
At DDB, Ogilvy and Saatchi & Saatchi
- McDonald’s
- BMW
- General Mills
- IBM
- GSK
- Heineken
- Unilever
- Telecom
- Kimberly-Clark
- Daewoo
- Woolworths
- Lion Breweries
- NZ Dairy Foods
- Monsanto
- NZI
Running his own businesses
- Samsung
- Nestlé
- Johnson & Johnson
- Westpac
- Mattel
- BNZ
- Fonterra
- Colgate
- Hasbro
- Purina
- Heinz
- Reckitt
- Procter & Gamble
- Clarins
- Fujifilm
The room tells it best.
Owners, program leaders and industry bodies on what happens when Kevin takes the stage.
Kevin D’Ambros-Smith is a New Zealand-based keynote speaker, entrepreneur, investor and business coach. He has presented on The Icehouse Owner Manager Programme and led Growth Presentations for BNZ clients across New Zealand, drawing on 30+ years in business, 9 companies founded or co-founded and 60+ global brands.
Steve HollowayFounder, Between Two Beers Podcast (Winner, Best Business Podcast, NZ Podcast Awards)“Kevin D'Ambros-Smith presented on the Icehouse Owner Manager Programme and he was brilliant… it was the most notes I have ever taken from any speaker.”
Gareth BaylissSales Manager, The Icehouse“Kevin doesn't just present—he electrifies the room and drives massive, real-world value!”
Darilyn KaneCoaching and Advisory Lead, The Icehouse“Dynamic, empowering, and absolutely transformative! Kevin leaves every audience armed for victory.”
“The energy in the room was palpable.”
“It was a fantastic presentation, we were hanging on every word.”
“I could have listened to you for hours.”
+72
Net Promoter Score from coaching clients surveyed through The Icehouse (New Zealand)
Keynotes, presentations and workshops
Talks that change what owners do on Monday.
Eight topics, each plain-English, story-led and practical, and each built around your audience, your market and the one decision you want them to make.
Know Your Future
Picture the business and the life you want from it, then work backward to the moves that get you there.
Truly Understand Your Customer
Who really buys, why they choose you and what they say about you, and how to use what you learn.
Find Your Secret Sauce
What makes your business different and worth choosing, in words your customers will repeat.
Why Your Marketing Isn’t Working (and what to do about it)
Why marketing spend falls flat, and the fixes to make before you spend another dollar.
Powering Up Your Sales
Sales conversations and habits that win more of the business you already attract.
Making It Happen (Strategy In Action)
The plan turned into weekly actions with owners, dates and measures, so it gets done.
Grow It Yourself – Marketing Made Simple with AI
Plan, create and run your own marketing with AI tools, with no agency retainer needed.
The Age of the Owner© (Local knowledge. Big-brand systems.)
Why the advantage is moving to owners, and how to take it. Kevin’s signature keynote.
Three things have come together.
Your vision. Kevin’s corporate knowledge and systems. The power of AI. Where they meet is the sweet spot.
your local knowledge,
your customers
and systems, distilled
for SME owners
to work, now
for your business
scaled
automated
OF THE
OWNER
Meet Kevin D’Ambros-Smith.
Kevin D’Ambros-Smith is the founder of Simple-Growth. His career spans over 30 years: first in advertising at DDB, Ogilvy and Saatchi & Saatchi, working on 60+ global brands including BMW, General Mills, Samsung, Colgate, Nestlé and Johnson & Johnson; then as a founder or co-founder of 9 companies across eCommerce, digital media, engineering and healthcare logistics.
Since 2017 he has coached 200+ businesses one-on-one across 30+ industries, from 7-figure operators to $100m+ companies. Coaching clients surveyed through The Icehouse return a Net Promoter Score of +72.
“Working with Kevin D'Ambros-Smith has given us the space to pause and reflect — on where we are now, where we want to be and how we get there.”
Gabby Kirk, Papier HqKevin’s full storyCoaching clients
What changes for you when you work with Kevin.
Owners across industries on what Kevin's coaching did for their business.
RichardChem Suppliers“I have grown my business 5x since working with Kevin. … Everything Kevin told me to do was the complete opposite of what I had been doing. Working with Kevin has truly been a complete game changer.”
Curtis HaconGive A Sh!T“Kevin is an absolute powerhouse! He doubled our business's profits in the first month alone with lots more of his recommendations still to be rolled out.”
John RobertsCo-owner & COO, Oragene“I catch up with Kevin once a week and it is definitely the highlight of my week. Kevin being from a creative, advertising agency background, he just sees different opportunities so clearly. I would not have considered the B2C market as an opportunity before working with Kevin and now it is a major focus for us. He has opened up so many new opportunities for us.”
Heidi JohnstonWindowmakers“Kevin understood a manufacturing and trades business from day one. No jargon, no theory, just clear advice on where to focus so that we had clear targets and ideas we could act on straight away to improve our customer acquisition and engagement.”
Simon KeepaPhysioACTION“Kevin worked with us at PhysioACTION to develop a positioning that sets us apart, 'PhysioACTION - A better experience', then helped us build the experience to match. In every part of the business we ask how to make it better for our customers and our team, and that's now the standard we hold ourselves to.”
Annelies LeitchFounders at Home Lab“Kevin really understands online retail. He has a knack for identifying what makes the biggest impact on our business, from identifying the right customers to focus on to finding ways to turn browsers into repeat customers.”
Sarah TalyancichBodyreform“Kevin has taken the time to truly understand my business, listen to my short- and long-term goals, and helped me to create a progressive, achievable plan. His encouragement, strategic guidance, and ongoing support have been instrumental in driving significant growth in my business and advancing my career pathway. Kevin is more than an adviser; he is a trusted partner who challenges, supports, and keeps me focused on what matters most for the future.”
Client feedback shared with permission. Results are specific to each business and are not typical.
Work with Kevin
Two ways to start building the business you pictured.
Close the laptop at midday on Friday, with the business still running. Start at the level that fits where your business is right now.
From $97
Simple-Growth Online Courses
Quick Wins, Make It Happen and Know Your Future. Learn the Simple-Growth System at your own pace.
Show me the coursesOne-on-one
Simple-Growth Ultimate
Kevin coaches a limited number of owners one-on-one. Apply to see whether there is a place for you.
Apply for my placeQuestions owners ask.
Who is Kevin D’Ambros-Smith?
Kevin D’Ambros-Smith is a New Zealand business coach who has coached 200+ companies one-on-one across 30+ industries. He is also a keynote speaker, entrepreneur and investor, has worked on 60+ global brands at DDB, Ogilvy and Saatchi & Saatchi and in his own businesses, and has founded or co-founded 9 companies.
What does Kevin speak about?
Kevin presents eight topics: Know Your Future; Truly Understand Your Customer; Find Your Secret Sauce; Why Your Marketing Isn’t Working (and what to do about it); Powering Up Your Sales; Making It Happen (Strategy In Action); Grow It Yourself – Marketing Made Simple with AI; and The Age of the Owner (Local knowledge. Big-brand systems.). Each can run as a keynote, presentation or workshop, built around your audience.
Can I book Kevin for an event in the USA?
Send the details on the speaker page: your audience, date, location or online format, and the outcome you want. Kevin replies personally. Keynotes and workshops can run in person or live online.
Can I work with Kevin from the USA?
Yes. Kevin coaches owners in the USA and New Zealand, with online sessions on Google Meet. Start with a free 30-minute call to see whether there is a fit.
What is the Simple-Growth System?
A practical growth system for SME owners, built on four pillars: business strategy, marketing and communications, sales, and productivity and implementation. It turns Kevin’s 30+ years across global agencies and 9 companies founded into step-by-step plans, templates, training and coaching you can apply straight away.
The Inside Track
Big-brand growth ideas for you, twice a week.
Kevin’s free newsletter lands every Tuesday and Thursday, with ideas you can put to work in your business the same day. Join the owners who are building The Age of the Owner.