Since 2001, Ben McConnell has been researching the effects of word of mouth on customer loyalty. Forbes calls his work (along with partner Jackie Huba) "the word of mouth gospel."

Ben is the author (with Jackie Huba) of Citizen Marketers: When People are the Message, for which the Wall Street Journal proclaimed "drop everything and read this book." He is also the author of Creating Customer Evangelists: How Loyal Customers Become a Volunteer Sales Force, which the New York Times called "the new mantra for entrepreneurial success." He is also the co-author of the Church of the Customer blog.

As a speaker and business advisor, Ben has worked with Starbucks, Microsoft, Ulta, Discovery Education, Eli Lilly, PBS, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting as well as thousands of small and medium businesses at association conferences. For 8 years, Ben was a journalist at the Dallas Morning News. He is a graduate of Arizona State University.

His work in researching passionate customer loyalty has been profiled by the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Fortune, Businessweek, U.S. News & World Report, the Financial Times, Fast Company and several thousand blogs.