From the diary of Elinor Stutz's story
Life and Experiences
- Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself? Some fun facts and anecdotes from your life.
- Where are you from originally? What are some of your favorite memories as a child?
- Would you like to share one of your memorable pictures?
- How do you maintain the balance between your professional and personal life?
- What do you do to relax? Any therapy you would like to share?
- They say that first impressions last and are made in the first few seconds of meeting someone. What personal attributes convey a positive first impression to you?
- Which people helped you to get where you are today and what did they do for you?
- Who or what inspires you?
Professional Career
- Can you briefly share your professional journey?
- What is your current role in the industry, and what are you aiming for in the future?
- Did your career turn out just the way you wanted it to?
- What impact has your educational background had on your professional activities?
- Can you share some of the interesting projects you are working on these days?
Leadership Advice
Elinor Stutz's story
Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself? Some fun facts and anecdotes from your life.
By age 4, I was taught, ‘Speak up for yourself because no one else will.’ I became an avid goal-setter in Elementary School. Being left-handed, I was in agony upon breaking my left arm. No one would help, so I set goals to learn to use my right arm. Upon healing, I used my ambidextrous ability to my advantage, especially when playing Ping Pong.
I would play by changing hands during the round to confuse my opponents, making it impossible for them to realize where the ball would land next. My Dad’s friend was proud that he beat an Olympian during one game, and we were encouraged to play a game together.
Continuing with goal setting, I challenged myself to learn to hit the ball on the edge of the table on either side; it would instantly drop to the ground, making it impossible for others to hit it back. Upon experiencing my unique technique, the man angrily quit to leave our party and go home. My Dad took pride in my willingness to take the challenge and win!
Unbeknownst to me, all the above proved to be the perfect training upfront for entering the highly competitive sales profession and then entrepreneurship!
From the diary of Elinor Stutz's story
Life and Experiences
- Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself? Some fun facts and anecdotes from your life.
- Where are you from originally? What are some of your favorite memories as a child?
- Would you like to share one of your memorable pictures?
- How do you maintain the balance between your professional and personal life?
- What do you do to relax? Any therapy you would like to share?
- They say that first impressions last and are made in the first few seconds of meeting someone. What personal attributes convey a positive first impression to you?
- Which people helped you to get where you are today and what did they do for you?
- Who or what inspires you?
Professional Career
- Can you briefly share your professional journey?
- What is your current role in the industry, and what are you aiming for in the future?
- Did your career turn out just the way you wanted it to?
- What impact has your educational background had on your professional activities?
- Can you share some of the interesting projects you are working on these days?
Leadership Advice
Elinor Stutz's story
Where are you from originally? What are some of your favorite memories as a child?
I grew up in Los Angeles with beautiful orange groves between L.A. and San Diego; sadly, that’s long past. At that time, the standard marketing strategy was via billboards and television commercials; the latter included captivating jingles set to music.
On Sundays, everything was closed, so my parents put us in the backseat of the car to drive a long distance. I paid careful attention to each billboard. As disagreements arose at home and in school, I would quote each billboard and then ask, how can you disagree with a significant company?
Questioning became embedded in my style of learning and finding the right solution. My great-aunt frequently asked me to substitute for her weekly Canasta game with her friends as a teenager. One day, she was monitoring my plays and said in a frustrated voice in front of everyone, ‘You are playing the game all wrong!’ My response was, if that’s true, how come I always win?!’ And then I heard, ‘Because you are unusually lucky.’
Conclusion: Combining talent with luck is my winning combination for everything I set out to do.
From the diary of Elinor Stutz's story
Life and Experiences
- Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself? Some fun facts and anecdotes from your life.
- Where are you from originally? What are some of your favorite memories as a child?
- Would you like to share one of your memorable pictures?
- How do you maintain the balance between your professional and personal life?
- What do you do to relax? Any therapy you would like to share?
- They say that first impressions last and are made in the first few seconds of meeting someone. What personal attributes convey a positive first impression to you?
- Which people helped you to get where you are today and what did they do for you?
- Who or what inspires you?
Professional Career
- Can you briefly share your professional journey?
- What is your current role in the industry, and what are you aiming for in the future?
- Did your career turn out just the way you wanted it to?
- What impact has your educational background had on your professional activities?
- Can you share some of the interesting projects you are working on these days?
Leadership Advice
Elinor Stutz's story
Would you like to share one of your memorable pictures?
I refer to my book, Nice Girls DO Get The Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results, as ‘A corporate tell-all with names changed to protect the guilty.’
Between sharing how I dealt with the corporate meanness directed at me and my secret sales strategies, the book quickly became an International Best-seller and is Evergreen – among the classics!
Greg Jenkins shares his perspective:
‘Elinor Stutz claims, 'people first, sales last' for client success. Using your authentic style to earn trust will also garner a returning and referring clientele. The stories may make you cringe, but Elinor's actions will make you laugh out loud! Any sales or businessperson desiring to succeed will do well to read her International Best-Selling and Evergreen book, Nice Girls DO Get the Sale: Relationship Building that Gets Results, Sourcebooks.’
From the diary of Elinor Stutz's story
Life and Experiences
- Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself? Some fun facts and anecdotes from your life.
- Where are you from originally? What are some of your favorite memories as a child?
- Would you like to share one of your memorable pictures?
- How do you maintain the balance between your professional and personal life?
- What do you do to relax? Any therapy you would like to share?
- They say that first impressions last and are made in the first few seconds of meeting someone. What personal attributes convey a positive first impression to you?
- Which people helped you to get where you are today and what did they do for you?
- Who or what inspires you?
Professional Career
- Can you briefly share your professional journey?
- What is your current role in the industry, and what are you aiming for in the future?
- Did your career turn out just the way you wanted it to?
- What impact has your educational background had on your professional activities?
- Can you share some of the interesting projects you are working on these days?
Leadership Advice
Elinor Stutz's story
How do you maintain the balance between your professional and personal life?
Family life was always first for me, and work was second. Should an essential manner need attention, I would complete the task after the children were asleep.
Strategy: One sales manager taught me to maintain a running task list to avoid wasting time while accomplishing the necessities and avoiding wasting time by forgetting. I continue with the same but add timelines for everything and prioritize all actions on the list. As an entrepreneur, I schedule daily work around personal matters, ensuring everything finishes on time.
From the diary of Elinor Stutz's story
Life and Experiences
- Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself? Some fun facts and anecdotes from your life.
- Where are you from originally? What are some of your favorite memories as a child?
- Would you like to share one of your memorable pictures?
- How do you maintain the balance between your professional and personal life?
- What do you do to relax? Any therapy you would like to share?
- They say that first impressions last and are made in the first few seconds of meeting someone. What personal attributes convey a positive first impression to you?
- Which people helped you to get where you are today and what did they do for you?
- Who or what inspires you?
Professional Career
- Can you briefly share your professional journey?
- What is your current role in the industry, and what are you aiming for in the future?
- Did your career turn out just the way you wanted it to?
- What impact has your educational background had on your professional activities?
- Can you share some of the interesting projects you are working on these days?
Leadership Advice
Elinor Stutz's story
What do you do to relax? Any therapy you would like to share?
My relaxation or therapy is to enjoy nature via bike or hike when the weather permits. During winter, I use the gym to work out. Exercise allows my mind the freedom to wander and often brings about creative thoughts for testing upon my return.
From the diary of Elinor Stutz's story
Life and Experiences
- Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself? Some fun facts and anecdotes from your life.
- Where are you from originally? What are some of your favorite memories as a child?
- Would you like to share one of your memorable pictures?
- How do you maintain the balance between your professional and personal life?
- What do you do to relax? Any therapy you would like to share?
- They say that first impressions last and are made in the first few seconds of meeting someone. What personal attributes convey a positive first impression to you?
- Which people helped you to get where you are today and what did they do for you?
- Who or what inspires you?
Professional Career
- Can you briefly share your professional journey?
- What is your current role in the industry, and what are you aiming for in the future?
- Did your career turn out just the way you wanted it to?
- What impact has your educational background had on your professional activities?
- Can you share some of the interesting projects you are working on these days?
Leadership Advice
Elinor Stutz's story
They say that first impressions last and are made in the first few seconds of meeting someone. What personal attributes convey a positive first impression to you?
No matter the style of the encounter with another, an equal exchange vs. someone dominating the conversation is essential for me. A two-way dialogue based on posing questions and carefully listening is necessary to understand one another better. We advance to story-sharing and laughter, providing the desire to do business together.
When people strive to bridge the gap between one another by listening carefully to answers and then digging deeper with more questions, it demonstrates a genuine interest in doing business. Underlying the conversation is checking for inconsistencies that rule out truth and honesty. My one requirement is working with people who demonstrate integrity.
From the diary of Elinor Stutz's story
Life and Experiences
- Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself? Some fun facts and anecdotes from your life.
- Where are you from originally? What are some of your favorite memories as a child?
- Would you like to share one of your memorable pictures?
- How do you maintain the balance between your professional and personal life?
- What do you do to relax? Any therapy you would like to share?
- They say that first impressions last and are made in the first few seconds of meeting someone. What personal attributes convey a positive first impression to you?
- Which people helped you to get where you are today and what did they do for you?
- Who or what inspires you?
Professional Career
- Can you briefly share your professional journey?
- What is your current role in the industry, and what are you aiming for in the future?
- Did your career turn out just the way you wanted it to?
- What impact has your educational background had on your professional activities?
- Can you share some of the interesting projects you are working on these days?
Leadership Advice
Elinor Stutz's story
Which people helped you to get where you are today and what did they do for you?
My family is my inspiration; they help me every step of the way, just as I strive to help each of them.
Teenage Son Asking: ‘Why can’t I ever win an argument?’
Me: Instantly sitting down to look him in the eye and apologize. From that moment forward, my promise was to always listen first before replying. The gateway secured my success in sales by weighing the pros and cons of suggestions foreign to me, enabling me to be a top sales producer at every company where I worked.
Lesson: No one knows every answer; the Q&A, as noted above, differentiates successful people.
Husband: Speaking to my back as I worked on the computer, stated, ‘I know what you should do for a living. You have the personality of a salesperson!’
Me: Standing up to look my husband in the eye, ‘Is that a compliment or an insult?!’ Admittedly, the years proved him correct.
Lesson: Learn from every person and every experience.
Daughter: ‘Mom, you earned every sale you ever set your mind to achieving. The name of your company is to be Smooth Sale.’
Me: I interpret the name Smooth Sale as earning a returning and referring clientele.
From the diary of Elinor Stutz's story
Life and Experiences
- Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself? Some fun facts and anecdotes from your life.
- Where are you from originally? What are some of your favorite memories as a child?
- Would you like to share one of your memorable pictures?
- How do you maintain the balance between your professional and personal life?
- What do you do to relax? Any therapy you would like to share?
- They say that first impressions last and are made in the first few seconds of meeting someone. What personal attributes convey a positive first impression to you?
- Which people helped you to get where you are today and what did they do for you?
- Who or what inspires you?
Professional Career
- Can you briefly share your professional journey?
- What is your current role in the industry, and what are you aiming for in the future?
- Did your career turn out just the way you wanted it to?
- What impact has your educational background had on your professional activities?
- Can you share some of the interesting projects you are working on these days?
Leadership Advice
Elinor Stutz's story
Who or what inspires you?
1. Who or what inspires you?
My near-death experience due to a deemed 'irreparable broken neck' changed my life for the better. While on a stretcher awaiting admission to the hospital, two visions appeared before me. The first indicted I was to become a speaker, to which I immediately replied, 'Yes, that's what I always wanted to do!'
The first vision faded, a brilliant gold light encased my entire body, and the second vision appeared, proving humiliating. I had high life marks on the left side, but the right side was completely blank and entitled 'Community Service.'
Immediately, I pledged to begin giving back to communities in any way I could, but negotiation was vital. To give my best, I would need to leave the hospital without assistance to return home and plan my future service.
Instantly, the gold light encasing my body slowly disappeared, and a sudden blink of a gold light replacing the two visions appeared. I viewed it as a signal that I would recover well. Miracles continued throughout the evening, again indicating my recovery. I mentally laid out a plan for my forthcoming entrepreneurship that evening in the ICU.
Sales skills saved my life. The following morning, after being heavily medicated for surgery, I met the surgeon who declared, 'Mrs. Stutz, when you wake up, most likely you will be paralyzed.'
My life experience in that instant became a 360. Given the previous night's experience, I spoke up with every ounce of energy to say, Doctor, 'When I awake, I fully expect to be well!'
The surgeon was standing over me after surgery to say, 'Mrs. Stutz, there is no rhyme or reason for what happened, but in four days, you will walk out of this hospital by yourself.'
Inspirational quotes come to mind ever since, and these signify the experiences:
1. 'Our worst experiences are our gifts in disguise.'
2. 'Believe, Become, Empower.' (Believe you can do it, Become that person, and Empower others to do the same.)
3. 'Tomorrow is a blank canvas; begin painting your future today.'
4. 'Live life without regret.'
From the diary of Elinor Stutz's story
Life and Experiences
- Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself? Some fun facts and anecdotes from your life.
- Where are you from originally? What are some of your favorite memories as a child?
- Would you like to share one of your memorable pictures?
- How do you maintain the balance between your professional and personal life?
- What do you do to relax? Any therapy you would like to share?
- They say that first impressions last and are made in the first few seconds of meeting someone. What personal attributes convey a positive first impression to you?
- Which people helped you to get where you are today and what did they do for you?
- Who or what inspires you?
Professional Career
- Can you briefly share your professional journey?
- What is your current role in the industry, and what are you aiming for in the future?
- Did your career turn out just the way you wanted it to?
- What impact has your educational background had on your professional activities?
- Can you share some of the interesting projects you are working on these days?
Leadership Advice
Elinor Stutz's story
Can you briefly share your professional journey?
Upon graduating college, the only jobs available for females were secretarial, which was disheartening. A friend suggested we start a party-giving business, which I gleefully accepted. We named the company ‘Details Details.’ Due to the unusual venture for the time, we received much publicity, including being featured in the Los Angeles Times and on the cover of Mademoiselle Magazine!
Next, we contracted with KFWB – the premier rock ‘n roll station in Los Angeles, to create their unique client party at Universal Studios. The party was a huge hit, but sadly, the stock market crashed, KFWB transformed into a news station, and we needed to succumb to secretarial work for a while.
The next entrepreneurship as a stay-at-home Mom in the early years, I created a processing business entitled ‘Words On The Go’ to enjoy working with professionals in varying industries.
Upon realizing the need to help put children through college, I endured an 11-year sales career requiring a new job every year due to my embarrassing the men upon becoming the top producer at every company. After my near-death experience, I created Smooth Sale to become a keynote speaker, sales trainer, and an International Bestselling Author. Upon an across-country move, I became the Smooth Sale Blogger.
From the diary of Elinor Stutz's story
Life and Experiences
- Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself? Some fun facts and anecdotes from your life.
- Where are you from originally? What are some of your favorite memories as a child?
- Would you like to share one of your memorable pictures?
- How do you maintain the balance between your professional and personal life?
- What do you do to relax? Any therapy you would like to share?
- They say that first impressions last and are made in the first few seconds of meeting someone. What personal attributes convey a positive first impression to you?
- Which people helped you to get where you are today and what did they do for you?
- Who or what inspires you?
Professional Career
- Can you briefly share your professional journey?
- What is your current role in the industry, and what are you aiming for in the future?
- Did your career turn out just the way you wanted it to?
- What impact has your educational background had on your professional activities?
- Can you share some of the interesting projects you are working on these days?
Leadership Advice
Elinor Stutz's story
What is your current role in the industry, and what are you aiming for in the future?
The Smooth Sale Blog morphed into a community service project where guests and I provide stories concerning our worst moments and how we transitioned into finding success. At the bottom of each post, I add ten sales tips to empower the readers' journeys. The goodwill effort attracts attention, and the blog now links to Fortune 100 and 500 companies.
Future vision includes varying collaborative efforts to spread inspirational messaging and know-how for business and career growth, motivating many to realize their success to create a chain effect of teaching and empowering those following their lead.
From the diary of Elinor Stutz's story
Life and Experiences
- Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself? Some fun facts and anecdotes from your life.
- Where are you from originally? What are some of your favorite memories as a child?
- Would you like to share one of your memorable pictures?
- How do you maintain the balance between your professional and personal life?
- What do you do to relax? Any therapy you would like to share?
- They say that first impressions last and are made in the first few seconds of meeting someone. What personal attributes convey a positive first impression to you?
- Which people helped you to get where you are today and what did they do for you?
- Who or what inspires you?
Professional Career
- Can you briefly share your professional journey?
- What is your current role in the industry, and what are you aiming for in the future?
- Did your career turn out just the way you wanted it to?
- What impact has your educational background had on your professional activities?
- Can you share some of the interesting projects you are working on these days?
Leadership Advice
Elinor Stutz's story
Did your career turn out just the way you wanted it to?
My career far surpassed all expectations! Growing up with ongoing ridicule makes the constant media attention almost incredulous, as are the opportunities coming forth regularly.
My favorite example is attending a new conference in a new City to be ridiculed and laughed off the stage upon announcing I was a sales trainer. The experience came from Silicon Valley - a credible location! Thankfully, a woman relayed, ‘To establish credibility, you need to write a book!’ My phone wasn’t ringing, so I had nothing to lose.
I left the humiliation behind to become an International Bestselling Evergreen Author for Nice Girls DO Get The Sale: Relationship Building That Gets Results that is among the classics!
From the diary of Elinor Stutz's story
Life and Experiences
- Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself? Some fun facts and anecdotes from your life.
- Where are you from originally? What are some of your favorite memories as a child?
- Would you like to share one of your memorable pictures?
- How do you maintain the balance between your professional and personal life?
- What do you do to relax? Any therapy you would like to share?
- They say that first impressions last and are made in the first few seconds of meeting someone. What personal attributes convey a positive first impression to you?
- Which people helped you to get where you are today and what did they do for you?
- Who or what inspires you?
Professional Career
- Can you briefly share your professional journey?
- What is your current role in the industry, and what are you aiming for in the future?
- Did your career turn out just the way you wanted it to?
- What impact has your educational background had on your professional activities?
- Can you share some of the interesting projects you are working on these days?
Leadership Advice
Elinor Stutz's story
What impact has your educational background had on your professional activities?
One phrase still resides with me from 7th-grade science: ‘Survival of the Fittest.’ My college subject major was Anthropology and Archaeology, which I found fascinating, and international travel led me to visit many archaeological sites. The evolution of humankind teaches us never to give up but to find a better way, which aligns with my thinking.
From the diary of Elinor Stutz's story
Life and Experiences
- Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself? Some fun facts and anecdotes from your life.
- Where are you from originally? What are some of your favorite memories as a child?
- Would you like to share one of your memorable pictures?
- How do you maintain the balance between your professional and personal life?
- What do you do to relax? Any therapy you would like to share?
- They say that first impressions last and are made in the first few seconds of meeting someone. What personal attributes convey a positive first impression to you?
- Which people helped you to get where you are today and what did they do for you?
- Who or what inspires you?
Professional Career
- Can you briefly share your professional journey?
- What is your current role in the industry, and what are you aiming for in the future?
- Did your career turn out just the way you wanted it to?
- What impact has your educational background had on your professional activities?
- Can you share some of the interesting projects you are working on these days?
Leadership Advice
Elinor Stutz's story
Can you share some of the interesting projects you are working on these days?
The Smooth Sale Blog: https://smoothsale.net is my primary focus being my community service project. Given the pushback regarding inequities in the workplace on many levels, I strive to support those working toward diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Upon quitting the highly competitive corporate scene, I learned to embrace collaborative efforts to realize that it is the secret ingredient for achieving expansive results and surpassing initial expectations.
From the diary of Elinor Stutz's story
Life and Experiences
- Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself? Some fun facts and anecdotes from your life.
- Where are you from originally? What are some of your favorite memories as a child?
- Would you like to share one of your memorable pictures?
- How do you maintain the balance between your professional and personal life?
- What do you do to relax? Any therapy you would like to share?
- They say that first impressions last and are made in the first few seconds of meeting someone. What personal attributes convey a positive first impression to you?
- Which people helped you to get where you are today and what did they do for you?
- Who or what inspires you?
Professional Career
- Can you briefly share your professional journey?
- What is your current role in the industry, and what are you aiming for in the future?
- Did your career turn out just the way you wanted it to?
- What impact has your educational background had on your professional activities?
- Can you share some of the interesting projects you are working on these days?
Leadership Advice
Elinor Stutz's story
What advice would you give to anyone seeking a career in your industry?
Successful selling depends upon listening and observing to ask thought-provoking questions to uncover the previously unspoken. Omitting assumptions and digging deep for better understanding, plus delivering on promises with exceptional service, will slowly enable you to build trust. The extraordinary work converts into the enjoyment of realizing a returning and referring clientele.
From the diary of Elinor Stutz's story
Life and Experiences
- Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself? Some fun facts and anecdotes from your life.
- Where are you from originally? What are some of your favorite memories as a child?
- Would you like to share one of your memorable pictures?
- How do you maintain the balance between your professional and personal life?
- What do you do to relax? Any therapy you would like to share?
- They say that first impressions last and are made in the first few seconds of meeting someone. What personal attributes convey a positive first impression to you?
- Which people helped you to get where you are today and what did they do for you?
- Who or what inspires you?
Professional Career
- Can you briefly share your professional journey?
- What is your current role in the industry, and what are you aiming for in the future?
- Did your career turn out just the way you wanted it to?
- What impact has your educational background had on your professional activities?
- Can you share some of the interesting projects you are working on these days?
Leadership Advice
Elinor Stutz's story
What advice would you give newbie entrepreneurs about being successful?
Success is typically slow as we experience many setbacks within and beyond our control. The best we can do is to examine every angle of what went wrong to adjust and improve moving forward.
Most of all, use declarations of ‘that’s impossible’ and other negative commentary as your motivator to prove the naysayers wrong!
‘Purpose, Passion, and Perseverance will get you to goal and beyond.’
From the diary of Elinor Stutz's story
Life and Experiences
- Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself? Some fun facts and anecdotes from your life.
- Where are you from originally? What are some of your favorite memories as a child?
- Would you like to share one of your memorable pictures?
- How do you maintain the balance between your professional and personal life?
- What do you do to relax? Any therapy you would like to share?
- They say that first impressions last and are made in the first few seconds of meeting someone. What personal attributes convey a positive first impression to you?
- Which people helped you to get where you are today and what did they do for you?
- Who or what inspires you?
Professional Career
- Can you briefly share your professional journey?
- What is your current role in the industry, and what are you aiming for in the future?
- Did your career turn out just the way you wanted it to?
- What impact has your educational background had on your professional activities?
- Can you share some of the interesting projects you are working on these days?
Leadership Advice
Elinor Stutz's story
In the Information Age, millennial s tend to be interested in leadership roles. Do you have any advice for millennial professionals starting their careers?
To be a leader others admire necessitates:
- Beginning in the trenches to realize what others experience,
- Embracing all the lessons hurled at you and for you.
- ‘Never give up; find a better way.’
- Commit to continual learning.
- Convert all experiences and lessons into your unique style.
- Teach others to work similarly.
- Become the admired leader in your field.
