Michael Stoll
President & CEO
Freestyle Marketing, Scottsdale, Arizona
Number of direct reports: 10
Nominated by: Linda Blum and Andrea Stoll
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.
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.”
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.
When managing others, experience counts and employees appreciate what Stoll brings to the table. “Michael has knowledge from years of working in every facet of the industry and shares them with us from firsthand experience,” says nominator Linda Blum, an account executive who has reported to Stoll for 15 years. “He has led the company through many interesting and successful evolutions over the years—all the while creating and maintaining 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 and motivated 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’s management 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.”
One-On-One With Michael Stoll
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.
