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Michael Stoll
PRESIDENT & CEO
FREESTYLE MARKETING, SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA
NUMBER OF DIRECT REPORTS:
10
NOMINATED BY:
Linda Blum and Andrea Stoll
Michael Stoll learned the
promotional products
business under the tutelage
of his father, David Stoll,
who owned Lees/Keystone,
Inc. He joined the business
1971 and helped grow it to
become one of the largest
distributors in the Northeast.
He then spent five years as
vice president, eastern region
for HALO Branded Solutions
before continuing the
family business by opening
Freestyle Marketing in 2001.
Fifteen years later he keeps
busy by running the thriving
family business using the
management experience he’s
gleaned over nearly 50 years.
Whenmanaging others,
experience counts and
employees appreciate what
Stoll brings to the table.
“Michael has knowledge
fromyears of working in
every facet of the industry
and shares themwith us from
firsthand experience,” says
nominator Linda Blum, an
account executive who has
reported to Stoll for 15 years.
“He has led the company
throughmany interesting and
successful evolutions over the
years—all the while creating
andmaintaining a family
environment and keeping us
moving in a forward-thinking
direction. We have a great
relationship. He provides
what I have needed to remain
successful andmotivated for
all these years.”
Blum adds that another
way Stoll creates a cohesive
and motivated team is by
always celebrating company
and personal successes.
For example, he set a big
sales goal for the team in
2015. “Once we conquered
our sales target, he took us
to an all-expense-paid trip
to Cancun, Mexico. It was
incredible!” she says.
But her admiration for
him goes far beyond material
things. “What I like the most
about Michael’smanagement
style is that you always know
where you stand with him,”
she explains. “If you are a
person who needs a lot of
hands-on management
and constant feedback, he
is able to provide that for
you. If you are like me, and
appreciate more of a laid-
back management style, we
work great together as long
as I am staying on top of my
targets. Michael has a great
understanding of people in
general, but the pulse he has
on his employees is what
makes him such a great boss.
“Anytime I struggle,
he always is there for
encouragement. He’ll always
say, ‘Just be yourself, that is
why I hired you.’ Having a
boss that has confidence in
me gives me the motivation
to run through a wall to
deliver for the company.”
Nominator Andrea Stoll likes
the energy her father-in-law
and boss, Michael Stoll, brings
to the business. Also pictured
is Andrea’s son and Michael’s
grandson, Indy.
Most important lesson learned
as a boss:
Don’t micromanage;
allow people on your team the
room and flexibility to set goals,
make suggestions, decisions
and, yes, even mistakes.
Philosophy for successfully
managing people:
Work
with the team you have in
understanding our goals
and then get out of their way
and let them succeed.
To create a positive team
culture:
Our entire staff
knows that no matter how
many years I have been in
this business, no one has all
the answers and things are
changing too fast for experience
to be the end-all. Everyone
has input on our decision-
making, and their ideas,
thoughts and suggestions are
valued—and they know that.
Best advice for other
people managers:
Listen
more, talk less; it’s amazing
how much others know.
Best boss ever:
My first boss
out of college was at AT&T. He
taught me not to come to him
with a problem unless I had
suggestions for fixing the matter.
He said, “If I have to come
up with all the answers, why
do we need you?” Now, that
makes you think—and grow.
ONE-ON-ONE WITH
MICHAEL STOLL
Don’t
micromanage;
allow people
on your team
the room and
flexibility to set
goals, make
suggestions,
decisions
and, yes, even
mistakes.
2016
MICHAEL’S COOL FACTOR
“Michael is an avid
learner,” says nominator
Andrea Stoll, his daughter-
in-law, who handles sales
and business development
for the company. “He is
always seeking and open
to new ideas, technologies,
partners, etc. Despite his
40 years in the industry,
every day is new and every
project an adventure.”
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OCTOBER 2016
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FEATURE
|
Best Bosses