He says, "As a sales professional, I worked with a lot of business owners to help make their businesses work better. That experience, plus starting and managing my own businesses, gave me the knowledge and desire to help people as a consultant, which is what I do now. I enjoy learning about people's companies because each one is different. Then helping them make their companies work better — that is a thrill for me."
Among the factors which led to his decision to work in sales and consulting was observing his father at work and the delicate and vital relationship he established with those who sought his expertise.
"Growing up watching my dad work with his clients, listening to their stories, and seeing what an impact they made on him — that was something I wanted in my career."
A native of Burnsville, Minnesota, where he resides today, Stirtz attended the Minneapolis campus of the University of Minnesota. He was involved with various campus organizations, having been a member of the Alpha Kappa Psi fraternity and also having been elected to the West Bank Union Board of Governors.
"It was a fantastic experience. I loved college because it was all about meeting new people and having new experiences," he affirms.
His first job after leaving college was a decidedly unconventional one, though it would lay the groundwork for his future career in revitalizing struggling businesses.
"My first job after college was working for the government in a small town. My job was to turn around their child support collection office. I converted it to a computer-based system and implemented processes to make things more efficient as well as bring community awareness to the program. It was fun but also a challenge. It also taught me the government was not going to be my professional home for the long term!"
From there Stirtz would move on to several other positions which solidified his business skills, including starting his own computer hardware business in Minneapolis in the early 90s. Soon, other opportunities beckoned.
| Q. What do you do for fun? A. Go for walks with my wife and our dog; read, write, hike, and watch movies. Q. What CD is in your CD player right now? A. It's a CD from Larry Wilson (co-author of The One Minute Salesperson) with whom I had lunch recently. Q. What is the last magazine you read? A. Speaker (the magazine of the National Speaker's Association). Q. What is your favorite TV show? A. Burn Notice. Q. Who is your role model? A. My dad, Larry Stirtz. Q. What makes you laugh? A. Irony, satire, and people having fun — especially kids. |
"After growing and selling that business, I turned around an environmental non-profit organization. I followed that by starting a small community publishing company which I sold. That led me to consulting, which is what I do now."
Among his most memorable professional experiences over the last two decades has been one which became unexpectedly personal, bringing the focus away from sales techniques and increased profits and onto the lives of the individuals involved.
"After college I took a job which put me in charge of converting a paper-based (and poorly managed) child support agency into a fully computerized operation. This took a lot of selling skills since we brought a big amount of change to the agency. But, the result was, the program collected more money and got it to the people who needed it faster. And because we were in a small town, I could see who the program helped. They were real people, not just case numbers."
And what is the most important lesson he's learned along the way? It pays — literally — to have someone in charge who understands more than the bottom line.
"In the early 90's I worked in sales for two small technology companies. Both were under-funded and under-managed. In those jobs I learned a successful business required more than just successful selling. You need someone managing the business who knows what they're doing, who has a purpose, and who is willing to let everyone be a part of the success."
Stirtz's success has not been singularly achieved, and this he readily admits. Several individuals have had a hand in crafting his marketing acumen, but none has been more influential than his father.
"My father has always been my number one mentor. Learning from his advice, but even more, from his actions has helped me make better decisions in all areas of my life. As a younger sales person, I had a mentor who was also in sales. I was always amazed at his dedication to helping me succeed. No matter how busy he was, he was always available. More recently, as a consultant, I have a mentor who is a legend in his business. He constantly goes out of his way to help me with advice, connections, resources — you name it. Any success I've had, I owe to having wonderful people mentor me."
For the aspiring business leader or sales professional, Stirtz advocates guidance as the most important factor on the path to career success: "Get a mentor. It might be an older business person with a lot of experience. Or it might be someone just a few years older who has been where you are. But find someone who is willing to spend time with you to help guide your decisions, someone you can call on for advice who will be unbiased but also supportive."
Smart advice, indeed.
