TESTIMONIALS

 

Speaker Testimonials

National Career Development Association

 

Human Resources Association of Calgary

 

 

 

International Association of Business Analysts

 

Building Tomorrow Today Conference

 

Pearl Loewen, Human Resources Manager, Bennett Jones, SLP

“Herky is engaging, energetic, and enthusiastic about helping people learn and grow to become their best selves. His facilitation and presentation skills made the training immensely practical and relevant. He is creative, displays a warm sense of humor, and was fully present to each member of the team.

Thank you, Herky, for your inspiration and investment in the wellbeing of our organization’s leaders. As one participant’s evaluation stated so succinctly, ‘Please come back!’”

 

Jennifer Aleman, Executive Director, Brooks & District Chamber of Commerce

“I just wanted to share a quick note and let you know that you did an amazing job at our Business of the Year Awards Gala. I’m so glad we decided to work with you. It’s really great how easy and seemless it was to book and arrange the details.

Your presentation was helpful, relevant, and engaging. I know the whole audience enjoyed it. Now to find another event so we can see you again! Thanks Again!”            

 

Brady Schnell, Economic Development Officer, Town of Claresholm

“The Town of Claresholm and the Chamber of Commerce hired Mr. Herky Cutler to speak at the 2018 Claresholm Business Conference. Herky was one of many presenters, however he truly went above and beyond by attending both day’s events and crafting thoughtful dialogue with the participants throughout the conference.

His presentation on “How to Engage Employees” was filled with knowledge and helpful perspectives that can be applied to almost any person, regardless of your line of work, or position within an organization.”

Cinda Spirig, President, Cardston & District Chamber of Commerce

“We had Herky speak at our AGM for the Chamber of Commerce. His presentation was engaging and informative and filled with good energy. It was fun and entertaining.

Several attendees commented on how grateful they were to reflect on the principles he shared and they hope businesses will put them into practice because it would make a difference for our town and the customer experience.”

 

Ray Henson, Program Coordinator, State of Arkansas Department of Career Education

“The wit and wisdom you provided for us as a keynote speaker, trainer and lunchtime entertainer at the Arkansas Career Guidance Association was very well received by everyone. Your anecdotal view from personal awareness and surveys of youth and employers regarding generational differences or the lack thereof was eye-opening to our audience of career guidance teachers.

It provided great inspiration and insight into the treatment and training of Gen-Y students. Thanks for enlightening us in Arkansas.”

 

Angie Zuba, Executive Officer, Canadian Home Builders’ Association – Lethbridge Region

“Herky spoke to my association on generational differences in the workplace and I have to say that his material was amazing. Herky was able to learn about our association and utilize that knowledge to make the material relatable which made it that much more enjoyable.

Listeners walked away thinking about the presentation and the feedback I received was that they were actually putting the material into action in the workplace. This tells me that we chose the right presenter with the right skills to engage our membership.”

 

Darcy Smereka

St. Mary’s University

“Herky is a pro! His very dynamic presentation on taking risks brought up the energy level on our staff retreat day, and left us with something to think about. I appreciated that Herky spent time beforehand asking lots of questions and getting to know our organization, what we do, the people in it, and what our staff retreat day was all about.

He had never been on our campus before yet, because of his prior “research” he seemed already familiar with who we are. Thanks again Herky for bringing your message and ideas to our event!”

 

Ann Evans, Careers and Graduate Employment Adviser, Student Services | The University of Queensland

“I recently attended the NCDA Conference in the states.  I really found your seminar very inspirational and you opened my eyes with your many and varied creative ideas. In fact I have downloaded your e-book and plan to use one(or more) of your ‘work’ tunes in a workshop we are running on  preparing our students for their internship.” 

 

JP MIchel, Founder - SPARKPATH; Trailblazing Career Development

"Always a pleasure Herky! I knew I could just up and count on it being something worth my time. And you delivered, as always. Thanks for being you!"

Marlene Barker, VP Corporate Development, International Institute of Business Analysts, Calgary 

 “We had an incredible session with Herky. He delivered many practical ideas and got us on our feet to better understand the concepts through experience. His humorous and entertaining style was a refreshing and effective approach to a serious topic.” 

 

Dr. Ray Davis, South Carolina State Department of Education

“Herky is a great performer, career development professional, and speaker who infuses his passion for music into a wonderful workshop! He truly lifts spirits while he teaches valuable skills!”

Brenda Slomka, Assistant Director Student Affairs, University of Northern British Columbia 

This was by far the best session for me @cannexus – being asked to engage and risk myself & to consider what it means to be an “artist” at work. Sometimes you need to find that session that allows you to be a better version of yourself so that you can then be a better career practitioner.”

 

Trainer Testimonials

McBride Career Group

 

Herky Teaching Laugh Yoga

 

 

Piikani Employment Services

 

Beaverlodge High School

Heather Lussier, People & Culture Advisor, Alberta Central

“Dynamic. Energetic. Humorous. Inspiring. Herky Cutler provides all of the above in his training sessions and delivers the organizational message in uniquely powerful ways. From getting employees to produce creative songs from scratch, getting 100% participation in a blindfolded trust walk around a 4 story building, to designing a parade float where they demonstrated newly acquired collaboration techniques, our employees leave each of Herky’s delightfully motivating development sessions with learnings they can easily apply back in the office environment.

Herky’s enthusiastic yet easygoing approach ensures participants remain engaged throughout the session and prompts thought-provoking dialogue that stretches the building blocks of their learning. I would highly recommend Herky for any of your organization’s learning and development needs.”

 

Jordan Brown, Owner / Operator, JJ Brown Food Services LTD
McDonald’s Restaurants

“I’m thankful for the opportunity to get to know and work with Herky over the last few years. As an Operator for McDonald’s Restaurants in Southern AB, I can wholeheartedly endorse that the training that I and my team have received from Herky have had a positive impact on our lives as well as our business results.

His love for people is evident the moment you first say hello when he asks how you’re doing – he truly actually cares about your answer and will hold you accountable to the words you say. I believe this is an example of what sets Herky above the other trainers I’ve worked with in the past. He uses his ability to connect with people in a special way with all the individuals that he’s training which builds a unique level of trust and engagement to participate and learn more.

Herky’s training doesn’t just apply to business, but also how to be a better person in life. He will challenge your ways of thinking in a caring and fun way and through it your mind will grow. And when you take action with the learnings from the training, so will your impact on those around you as well as improve your business results.

My team always looks forward to our next session with Herky and they know it will not only be a fun but also a time we step out of our comfort zones to grow our leadership skills so be can be better together.”

 

Emily Sylvester

Alberta Works

“Herky has taught our staff how to help clients find work and how to access and use good labour market information. Our staff rave about Herky – in a good way. They call him ‘awesome.’ They found his training both practical and engaging.

Herky made time for structured practice and ensured everyone’s participation. Herky ‘really listened’ and ‘understands our material and our work very well.’ He knows his material and ‘brought the material to life, he could relate it to what we are doing.’ Herky found ways to teach ‘for all learning types.’ For myself,

I have known Herky as a career professional for a number of years. He is an energetic, committed, well-connected, and a positive activist in the field of career development. When Herky offers a course or session, I recommend people take it. I do.”

Lori Skriver, Executive Associate, Lethbridge Family Services

”Our recent session on positivity in the workplace, delivered by Herky, was exactly what we needed. We were engaged and challenged throughout the morning. I, myself,  appreciated being nudged out of my comfort zone.

We would not have any reservations about working with Herky again in the future as there was a great amount of positive feedback from all participants. This workshop is a gift to give hardworking administrative professionals.”

 

Adam Grose, Manager of Recreation Services, Town of Pincher Creek

“We had 16 swimming pool staff (lifeguards, instructors, front desk staff and management) attend Herky’s ½ day training session. These employees ranged in age from 15 to 23. Herky was very well planned for this training, and kept the participants engaged throughout the session, and at the end the staff felt it could have gone even longer.

I was amazed at the quality and depth of the discussions and the conversations that were generated by Herky’s training through his well thought out plan. I feel that both staff and management came out of the session with a better understanding of different generations in the workplace, and I would recommend Herky for a training session in the future.”

 

Kristen Cumming, Career Insight Consulting

“Herky and I have co-facilitated training workshops under contract to Life-Role Development Group for Alberta Employment and Immigration. Herky is a talented and experienced facilitator who is able to create a safe environment to support participants in their learning and their expression of new ideas.

He creates elegant opportunities for networking and team building within groups that enhance the overall training experience.He is a supportive and adventurous co-facilitator, ready to try new approaches and resources and constantly in search of creative ways to support participants in their learning. He brings abundant humour, kindness and insight to the training room.” 

 

Levi Little Mustache, Youth Programs Officer, Blood Tribe Employment & Skills Training

“I first met Herky when he was teaching our group of employees to become certified career development practitioners. It was then that I realized he was great at what he does. I have been utilizing Herky since then to facilitate 1-2 day workshops for our Youth Programs at Blood Tribe Employment & Skills Training.

Herky’s energy, motivation and genuine approach to career development makes for a very inspirational workshop to have for clients who need clarity in developing their career path.”

Nikki Griffin, Alberta Vocational Services Manager, CBI Health Group

 “We really liked the two informal assessments that Herky walked us through. Thanks also for the reminder that there are more than just our beliefs in any relationship. It’s also important for us to remember to make the client do more/backing off with clients, and waiting for them to engage.

This presentation was genuine, energetic and informative and Herky is a great listener who really seems to care.”

Michael Huston, Counsellor, Mount Royal University

"Herky, good to see you again and I’m so glad I came to your session.  What a thoughtful, useful session!...and expertly facilitated.  Wonderful stuff."

Shawn Christenson, Highly Inspired Solutions

“I had the pleasure of video taping one of Herky’s ‘Using Music as a Career Development Tool’ interactive presentations. It was a great experience to be part of. I was one of probably many who walked in there going ‘What the heck is this going to be about?

How does music relate to Career Development?’ Well let me say – he made me a believer. He brings it into such simple to understand terms and strategies that I was instantly convinced he had struck upon a true gem of delving deep into what someone would enjoy doing in their life.

Herky is a welcome change to some of the events I have previously recorded and edited. He creates a fun and energetic atmosphere – as well as letting his attendees know right away that he’s not there to waste their time, and he appreciates they won’t be wasting his.”

 

Alnoor Damji Coaching and Consulting

“Over the years I have had the pleasure of hearing Herky on two separate occasions. On both these occasions, Herky engaged, inspired, motivated and enlightened. Herky has a wonderful way of facilitating workshops and training sessions by bringing his wit and wisdom along with music. 

On both occasions, Herky targeted his presentations to the organization and walked the talk by sharing ideas and his tool kit. My colleagues and I echo in our admiration for his ability to bring laughter and meeting of minds. Thank you for the laughter yoga Herky!”

 

Annie Lok, CAO, Crowsnest Pass Senior Housing

“Herky connected very well with our group, everyone thoroughly enjoyed his session, and it brought a sense of cohesiveness to our team.”

Quinton Crowshoe, Marketing and Events, Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump

“Herky is professional, enthusiastic, passionate and, down to earth fun! The information he provided to our organization will have long-lasting and positive effects.”

Comments From Alberta Central Credit Unions Staff on "Positivity Matters" Workshops

“High energy, he made  the session very comfortable even for those stretching themselves/Excellent, fun & engaging/Herky was great – very interactive and got a lot out of our group/Great presentation skills, knowledgeable and positive attitude/He instantly connected with the room and had excellent skills, rapport and credibility/Funny, interesting & knowledgeable/Excellent use of time and engaging the audience/He was awesome!/Outgoing with energy/Herky was very effective, knowledgeable, personable & relatable/It’s the best so far, bar none! The three hours went by very fast!/The ‘Positive Partner’ is a unique idea that is going to be interesting to put in place to try/Herky was the best facilitator we’ve had at Alberta Central – Energetic, funny and got us all taking risks, bonding & smiling/Herky was fabulous, presenting in a positive and humorous manner, and he has a very comforting speaking voice/The best course I ever had/Excellent facilitator/His positivity was infectious/ Very knowledgeable and made learning fun/Fantastic & upbeat.”

Johanna Bravo, Senior People & Culture Advisor, Credit Union Central Alberta

Facilitator Testimonials

Champions Career Centre 

Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump

 

Building Tomorrow Today Conference 

Ignite Your Passion

Dr. Tracy L. Edwards, President and CEO, Lethbridge College

“Herky, with little notice, customized a musical team building experience for 60+ of our leaders at Lethbridge College. And we couldn’t have asked for a better more worthwhile activity that promoted risk taking and team building in a fun relaxed atmosphere.

Everyone participated and we won’t soon forget the songs we composed and performed in seven minutes. We are hoping to work with Herky again in the future and would heartily recommend him to others.”

 

James Woodall, Executive Director, Crowsnest Community Support Society

“On behalf of Crowsnest Community Support Society, I would like to thank Herky Cutler for the Team Building sessions that he facilitated for our society. Prior to these team building sessions I had not had the opportunity to meet Herky, so I was not sure what to expect from the multi-day sessions.

However, after the process was completed, I was very impressed with Herky’s style of facilitation. The initial brainstorming sessions that were conducted in smaller groups allowed employees to get to the roots of employee concerns/conflicts, but they also allowed employees the opportunity to explore the positive aspects of the society.

Herky then took all of the information from these smaller sessions and came up with a number of core issues that employees needed to address. He then had a session with all the employees, where he divided the group into smaller groups in order to tackle these main concerns. The follow-up session brought all of the groups together to discuss the issues they had been given and to look at what solutions had been proposed and/or implemented. I feel that these sessions have created a solid base that the society can use to hopefully build a stronger team dynamic.”

Dr. Deirdre Pickerell, Vice-President, Life Strategies Ltd.

“Herky Cutler has been instructing within Life Strategies’ Career Management Professional Program since Fall 2012. The engaging, dynamic, and humour-filled approach Herky is known for transferred seamlessly into the online environment.

He is incredibly knowledgeable and never hesitates to expand content to ensure our students achieve their learning goals. He is consistently rated as one of our top instructors. We are thrilled to have him as part of the Life Strategies LearnOnline team.”

Spencer Philippo, Director, Social Programs and First Nations Relations Treaty 8 at Indian and Northern Affairs Canada

Thanks very much for the learning event last week, it was amazing and a perfect fit for the group. As you have noted, these teams work in exceptionally difficult situations and have jobs and goals that are amazing, heart breaking, and very important. The intent of having a learning event was to bring this large and diversified group together, in both a learning and team building atmosphere where they could remove stress and remember the importance of working together.

You met the full intent of the training event. Thank you for bringing everyone together to teach them that learning and working together is something that can always be fun and rewarding. Everyone enjoyed this very much, and we thank you for the time and energy you brought. If ever you need a reference, everyone at the event would be pleased to provide one.”

 

Paula Wischoff Yerama , Executive Director, Career Development Association of Alberta

“Herky is a long-standing and respected member of the Career Development Association of Alberta and so it was an honor to have him present to our members for our Annual Professional Development event. His half day workshop on “Cutting Edge Work Search Tips and Tools” engaged and captivated his audience. Leave it to Herky to provide each and every member of a room full of experienced professionals with a handful of new tools, strategies, and activities to better support their clients and themselves in their work search!

The tools Herky shared are accessible, relevant, and most certainly CUTTING EDGE. Herky is not only engaging and inspiring but his sense of humor, creativity, and passion for his work bring life and meaning to the concepts he presents. As a workshop facilitator Herky is first class!”

James Martin, Site Manager, Head Smashed In Buffalo Jump

“This was great Herky. Thank you again for a very successful team-building session that also encourages appropriate behaviors in the workplace between employees and towards visitors.

I am forwarding this email and the session comments to my Regional Manager, as he will have great interest in encouraging other historic sites to take advantage of your excellent sessions. Your expertise comes with a local perspective and that has worked very well with our staff.”

 

Jac Quinlan, Manager, Vocational Services at Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board

“Herky presented at our annual conference. The workshop was titled “Step Out of the Box – Innovative Career Development Tools”. He closed out the conference and did a very good job. As promised, his presentation was innovative and creative using music as his vehicle to engage the group and provide a fun atmosphere.”

Rod Ruff, Marketing and Communications Coordinator, McBride Career Group

 “Days like this are often overlooked or brushed aside, but it was truly great to be able to take the time to look inward for once and also get to see my co-workers do the same.”

Philip Uglow, President, Renshi Consulting Group Ltd.

“Herky is an amazing leader who has led an organization of counselors whose goal is to improve the lives of high school students. Herky has the rare skill of providing well-defined structures that allow both students and staff to excel.”

Lena Holmes, Graduate, Career Management Professional Program, Life Strategies, Inc.

“I just wanted to say thanks for all your great feedback on my assignments and for being an awesome instructor. I was so happy to have you for my very last course. You’re super fun to learn with and always really engaged and responsive in all the discussions.

It’s much appreciated by me and probably all of the other students! Thanks so much for all the great tips, tricks and overall great instruction in the few courses I’ve had with you! Really appreciate the learning!” 

 

Amandeep Arora, Career Development Student

“I took an Ethics course 2 years ago with you. It still feels like I took it 2 months ago. It was really a great course and the activities/discussions/assignments that you made us engage in were really meaningful in making learning effective.

Also, I feel more confident in what I do and think in terms of work and workplace. Thanks once again.”

 

 

Testimonials From Conference Participants

Interactive and very engaging/A pleasure to listen to/A great speaker/Made me question my work habits/Authentic/Engaged and engaging/Very good at making you think about how you do things/Hands-on materials and resources/Introspective and full of learning opportunities/Passionate, knowledgeable, entertaining/Full of wisdom/Fun, informative and practical/Dynamic/Challenging/Enlightening/Helpful and interactive/Pushes participants to put “work” into the “shop”/Rich with self-awareness/Direct in the best kind of way/An enthusiastic presenter who challenges us to move ahead/An experiential learning environment facilitated by a very knowledgeable and experienced career practitioner/Informative, easy-going and inspiring/Awesome, passionate, risk-taking presenter without judgement

The Art of Career Development

This was a great course and was structured so that all of us would see a benefit with our expectations at the end/ It was very inspiring and he kept all of us engaged throughout the day/ I gained a great insight into employee engagement and have already been sharing this information with my direct supervisors on how we can change our methods to inspire employees and keep them engaged/ I thoroughly enjoyed this course/ Herky was an excellent instructor! He knew his material well and I loved how he engaged us throughout the day. He had us learning and laughing all day long.

Employee Engagement

Very insightful. Loved the Song – well done!/Using our native culturally sensitive program such as Dr Brokenleg as a demo was awesome/ Great presenter – can change your lives if you choose to follow his teachings/I liked this session’s focus on overcoming barriers. Great to help get people thinking about their own stuff and how it translates into how it may impact others/ Engaging presenter and content/ Loved that he shared his “deficits of character” and brought authenticity to this. Super/ Very inspiring. I just want to say thank you so much for being your true self Herky!/ Great presentation, always informative/ Herky is the best because he engages w/audience/ Not only he is funny/humorous, he made me think about myself and how I interact w/my clients/ You are the best! Always walk away with knowledge transferred/ Definitely opened my eyes to change with clients how to work from our authentic space, give to our journey fully/ Tremendously exceptional/ Really entertaining & engaging speaker.

Courageous Career Development

Top notch pre-conference session today. Learned a lot about myself and how to work with clients/ Non-traditional assessment tools that Rock – of course the session and its leader will be non-traditional, and Rock/ Great, engaging session, Herky could have kept us in rapt attention for hours!/ Herky is phenomenal!!! Keep up the good work/ Herky Cutler presentation was amazing, truly inspired me to change up what I do and gave me so much insight on career development! /The facilitator was awesome! /Herky knew the challenges we face and provided excellent suggestions for the group. Furthermore, he inspired me to try new approaches/ Dynamic and simple tools to use with a variety of clientele.

CANNEXUS

Engaging, light-hearted, genuine…The presenter’s rapport with the group….was outstanding! /Wonderful understanding of his technique and GREAT facilitator!/ I had a wonderful time/ In my opinion, it was the best workshop of the conference/ It was an awesome presentation!

Alberta Literacy Coordinators Conference

Awesome and so effective!/ I loved this session and would love more information about using this in my practice/Outstanding session!/ Very creative and insightful!/Eye opener! New way to engage young and old in change/ Excellent experiential/technical opportunity to explore new techniques/ What fun!/ Thought-provoking – motivating/ Very engaging. Fun, exciting/ Something I will definitely incorporate into my practice/ The best one I’ve seen so far/ I got really concrete, tangible ideas to use with my groups/ Very creative, makes me think about using unconventional tools/ The best learning occurs when you are having fun! Lots of energy, humour.

Building Tomorrow Today

I want you to come back again! /Well taught…I learned something I never knew would actually work/ Herky is awesome. I hope I am like him some day! /Definitely helped me gain insight into my inner being/ Helped me to see even more about a person more quickly than usual.

University of Lethbridge

Creative and innovative/ Excellent presenter and topic/This was the best presentation I’ve seen so far!/ Could have listened and talked about the subject all day/ Engaging, thoughtful, practical, inspiring/ Great instructor, fun presentation, yet very powerful.

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Herky Cutler
Keynotes, Training & Coaching

305 11 Ave. SW, High River, AB T1V 1A6

(403) 432-0360
 
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