About
Meet Dr. Christiane
pronounced [kris-tee-AH-nuh]
The Small Steps Doctor · Confidence and leadership, built one rep at a time
The Researcher Behind the Keynotes
Where peer-reviewed science meets the stage.
For 20+ years I’ve stood in front of rooms of every kind, from lecture halls to boardrooms to global conference stages, and taught more than 10,000 professionals and students how to turn big ideas into clear, doable steps.
My work blends rigorous behavioral research with something rarer on a keynote stage: tools an audience can actually use on Monday morning.
Small steps. Real progress. Results that feel like you.
The Journey
How It All Started
Taught
Podcast
Spoken In
Reviews
What I Believe
The Idea That Changes Everything
You don’t need to do more. You need a system that makes your expertise clear and your next step obvious.
Petite Practice® is my framework for exactly that: turning big goals into small, repeatable actions that work with how the brain actually makes decisions, not against it. It is the throughline in every keynote I give, and the philosophy behind 20+ years of research and three books.
See Dr. Christiane on Stage →We selected Christiane as our TEDx kick-off talk. Top-notch. Consummate professional. She reflects the TED ethos: ideas change everything.
The Small Steps Doctor, Answered
The quick answers to who she is and how she got here. Tap any question.
Who is Dr. Christiane Schroeter?
Dr. Christiane Schroeter is a behavioral economist, TEDx speaker, and leadership strategist known as The Small Steps Doctor. She is the host of Happy Healthy Hustle, a top 1% global podcast named 2025 Woman Podcaster of the Year in the education category, and the creator of Petite Practice®.
She has advised more than 10,000 professionals over 20 years.
What are her credentials?
She holds an award-winning PhD in health economics from Purdue, is a Fulbright Scholar, and a professor at Cal Poly with 33 peer-reviewed articles, including in the Journal of Health Economics.
Her research is on how a one-percent change ripples through an entire system. Small steps compound is not a slogan she borrowed... it is her own work.
What is Petite Practice® and the STEP System?
Petite Practice® is her method for change through small, steady steps. Its engine is the STEP System: Simplify, Tell, Examine, Praise, Repeat.
Its edge over habit-only approaches is awareness... the pause-and-examine step that automation skips.
What does she speak about?
She speaks on leading through change, communicating with confidence, and building momentum through small steps.
Her TEDx talk is How Small Steps Create Big Change, the talk that introduced Petite Practice®.
Want her on your stage?
Explore her keynotes →
Stay Connected
Let’s Continue the Conversation
Whether you’re curious, planning an event, or just want to say hi, I’d love to hear from you.
Get in Touch →Keynotes · Workshops · Media
A 3-Minute Diagnostic
Find Your Petite Practice® Power
Curious where your momentum is leaking? This quick, research-backed quiz gives you a personalized scorecard, so you know exactly where to focus next. No fluff, just clarity.
Take the Free Quiz →Free · 3 minutes · Instant results
