About Us

Referral Ready™ was developed by John Suarez using the proven “Concept Keys” approach.

Concept Keys, Inc. was founded in 2004 by Dr. Will Powers, an award winning professor and workforce development consultant. With great input from workforce development leaders, he began to create a systematic method of extending and enhancing workforce development efforts that would generate immediate and lasting participant improvement. The Concept Keys Application System has been tried and proven during extensive R&D with thousands of participants.

Will Powers (Ph.D.) has been an executive consultant in the area of workforce development for over 30 years. His candid and pragmatic focus upon organizational leadership and communication systems has helped thousands of business owners and executives reduce the headaches and heartaches of managing to succeed. As he achieved an international reputation, he was in the unique and fortunate position of being able to focus intensively upon a small number of organizations each year while frequently speaking to key organizations.

Professional Highlights

Business Owner, Consultant, and Trainer for over 35 years
Full Professor (previously served as Department Chair, Associate Dean & Acting Dean: College of Communication, Texas Christian University)
A.A., B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in management, organizational, and interpersonal communication
Published over 150 books, articles, and papers
Served as Reviewer or Editorial Board member for six academic journals and three professional associations
Numerous awards and recognitions for outstanding teaching, research and service
Highly involved in community associations and activities
Consulting and training activities associated with a variety of organizations and industries

As the former Director of Training for the Missouri/Southern Illinois and eastern Kansas franchise of Business Networking International (BNI), John Suarez trained and worked side-by-side with thousands of professionals in a wide range of industries. In addition to creating Referral Ready™, he designed and delivered innovative classroom and online referral training programs impacting 2,000 BNI members in the St. Louis market.

A Certified Networking Professional whose expertise includes the art and science of networking for referrals, John helps sales and non-sales professionals lead more connected, prosperous, and referral-driven lives. John was a contributing author to Dr. Ivan Misner’s 2007 best seller “Masters of Sales” which also featured articles by Brian Tracy, Tony Robbins, and Jack Canfield.

For testimonials about John’s classroom training programs, click here, or sign up for free articles from the Referral Ready™ blog.