Candidates in the Crowd: Ken Stolman
Today's Candidate in the crowd is Kenneth Stolman
As The #ShuftanJobReport roars with OVER 11,000 subscribers!!!!!!, I am rolling out my second phase to help people. I post the report on M/W/F and want to use T/Th to feature excellent candidates. I built this community as a way of bringing together job searchers and those who are hiring. As an homage to Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd," I titled "Candidates in the Crowd." This is a white space for candidates to discuss their previous work, hopes, and dreams and show off anything to the network. The Candidate will capture a hiring manager's attention, and good things will happen.Make sure you are following The Shuftan Job Report for all prior Candidates in the Crowd posts and job postings.
Meet Ken Stolman, Chicago's biggest fan (he literally bleeds deep dish and Wrigley Field vibes). Ken's all about community, sports, and making the world a better place—one handshake and high five at a time. His pillars in life? Family, Cubs games, mentoring, and bringing people together.
Ken kicked off his career post-Northwestern with a move to NYC, just in time to walk straight into one of the most tragic days in American history—9/11. While many fled, Ken decided to double down, channel his inner superhero, and help families affected by the tragedy through a nonprofit, "The Gift of New York." Who knew a kid from Chicago would be handing out Broadway tickets and helping rebuild hearts in the Big Apple?
Fast forward to his MBA from NYU, and Ken realized something was off during his time in brand management. Spoiler: it wasn't just the endless supply of Kraft mac & cheese. He made a pivot, leaving the land of cheese and beer behind to jump into strategic sales—and he's been crushing it ever since. From integrating brands into Xbox and Skype at Microsoft (yes, he probably sold you that ad you've been skipping for years) to leveling up mad SaaS skills at Salesforce, Ken is a sales ninja who loves solving problems with a smile.
Now, with big and small company experience, he most recently took on a new challenge at a Series B start-up, building teams, scaling processes, and casually sprinkling kindness and empathy on everything he touches. His motto? EQ > IQ and always leave things better than you found them (just like cleaning up after a Bears tailgate).
When Ken's not making sales magic happen, you'll find him at concerts jamming to Pearl Jam, Phish, or The Grateful Dead (because one does not simply listen to music—they jam), serving on Deerfield's Plan Commission, dreaming of warm beaches, or attending his kids' sports events. Oh, and he's probably collecting sports memorabilia or diving deep into his next travel adventure. Mexico, anyone?
Enjoy his entry:
Hello all! My name is Ken Stolman.
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Born in Buffalo Grove, IL, and currently in Deerfield, IL...I bleed all things Chicago. Civic involvement, love for our sports teams, mentoring, coaching and supporting my community are my pillars in life. Relationships are everything to me. My wife, kids, mom and family are my world and I always try to lead by example.
After attending Northwestern for undergrad, and studying abroad in Spain, I moved to NYC to begin my life post college for a job in advertising. And I was thrust into the real world pretty quickly, as I walked to work on 9/11, popped out of the subway, saw the planes hitting the buildings and subsequently fall. The horrors of 9/11 unfolded right in front of me. While most transplants left NYC, I doubled-down and stayed. I knew I needed to stay, and in the end, I forged an incredible path for 6 years. For those first few years, from 2001-2004, I joined a philanthropic start-up called The Gift of New York. This non-profit was created to distribute experiences (sports, museums, Broadway, film) and we curated entertainment while building community between the families of those who perished. The idea was to look after the families to guide them in an unprecedented time. It was an unbelievable experience, to be a kid from Chicago, and play a central role in the 9/11 rebuild. My NYC experience culminated with a full time transition to NYU Stern School of Business where I earned my MBA in 2007. I loved my time in the West Village and made incredible friends.
It was time to move home and return to my roots. While I worked in brand management with Kraft and MillerCoors for 4-5 years, I knew something was off. I was not happy, I felt unfulfilled, and was not in the right professional place.After consulting many, I did what I needed to do: transition to strategic sales. I saw the world differently from marketers. And that is where I've been for the last 14 years. From 2011-2015, I worked for Microsoft's advertising sales business. We integrated major brands into the consumer platforms like X-Box, Skype, etc and created unique engagements. While it was fulfilling, I saw the writing on the wall as the ad world moved to programmatic and our type of sale was changing. At the same time, I knew I wanted to see how c-level execs transformed their business. That is why I went to business school.
Enter Salesforce. 2015-2023, here I got another MBA and really honed the SaaS skills. Traversing all throughout the midwest, I watched as the company grew from 9,000 to 80,000 employees ($3BN to $30BN in revenue). I was a strong performer, hitting Presidents Club multiple times and really enjoyed what I was doing. This is where I also transitioned into leadership. I love building teams, strengthening culture, helping people progress in their careers...and partnering with customers to change and modernize how they do business. And this year, with a series B start-up, I now have experience (big and small companies). Closing that sale is in my blood, but I must do it the right way. Bottomline: I am always searching for the right way to make a positive impact and my non-negotiable is that I want to do it with the right people. My motto: always leave it better than when you found it.
What do I enjoy? What am I looking for? Bottomline: I love scaling a business, working with a team of like-minded people and creating positive change. I thrive on EQ>IQ, lead with empathy and believe in kindness. Always. Networking, connecting people, solving challenging problems together, consulting and building relationships are what keeps me going. These things fill my cup. My values guide me.
Personally, you'll find me watching or attending Cubs games, collecting cards and sports memorabilia, listening to Pearl Jam, Phish or The Dead, attending concerts, dreaming of scuba diving and traveling to warm places (Mexico!). I am always at travel baseball games, ice skating practice and competitions and trying new restaurants with my wife and friends. I am deeply spiritual, committed to my jewish heritage, always praying for a better tomorrow...and I am honored to be featured here.
Thank you, Dan.
President, Krit Consulting
2moLove this! Kenneth Stolman is the best!
Business Development @ Foremost Media, Inc | Client Relations
2moLove this
Director of Member Services Development - Chicago District Golf Association
2moGo ‘Cats Kenneth Stolman !!
TV Personality & On Camera Lifestyle Expert. Former Producer at MSNBC, CNN, and The Oprah Winfrey Show
2moThis amazing! Congrats to Kenneth Stolman
Forbes 50 Entrepreneurial CMOs | Global Leader | Insights/Analytics/Customer Experience | Start Ups and Transformation | Coach and Mentor | Board Member and Advisor
2moWhoever hires Kenneth Stolman is getting a leader with hustle, heart, and humility. He's a mensch and a talent. Highly recommend.