15 Minutes

Terri Welisek jumped into the sales arena because she thought it would lead her to her ultimate career goal of vice president of sales and marketing. Once there, Welisek, owner of Sherwood, Wisconsin-based Stratosphere Sourcing, realized she had a flare for sales in the printing industry.

"I quickly realized that selling in a consultative style that solved problems was my forte," Welisek said. "Trust and long relationships formed as a result. I was employed by other national printers including Moore Business Forms as a pressure sensitive products specialist and then Nashua Label Products in a national accounts sales manager capacity, the experiences being instrumental to my present independent success in forming Stratosphere Sourcing, LLC in 2003."

From there, she never looked back.

Here, Welisek talks about what's happening with her company and what's hot in the industry.

Print Professional (PP): Tell us about your background—where did you grow up, what school did you attend, your degree?

Terri Welisek (TW): [I was] born and raised in a family of six children in Cary, Ill., a small 2,500-resident, rural suburb of Chicago. [I] attended Cary-Grove High School where I met and eventually married [my] sweetheart after finishing a bachelor's degree in business and economics from Carroll College in Waukesha, Wis.

PP: How did you end up in the printing industry?

TW: [I] held a position as a market manager for SPSS, Inc. in downtown Chicago for several years before transitioning to the print industry where I took a job with UARCO as a product manager and sales trainer. An internal transfer to the sales force occurred when [I and my] husband Jim moved to Appleton, Wis. and [I] joined the small team there selling labels and business forms.

PP: What is your greatest business accomplishment?

TW: I'm still proud of the day I introduced myself to my largest customer account, International Paper, in my brand new sales position and was told frankly, "Why are you here? Your company is arrogant and complacent—you no longer have this business." That was an eye-opener and that became the best piece of business advice I ever received. I managed to hold onto that account in spite of the rocky start by convincing my client that my attention to detail, forthrightness, integrity and ethics would remain strong and they did, with regular performance meetings and continuous updates. I still employ this hands-on strategy today, nearly 20 years later, calling my customers to confirm an order ship date, following up with end-users on product satisfaction and making sure I'm available at a moment's notice to make an onsite visit or quote a new project.

PP: What do you think is the most exciting, cutting-edge thing your company is doing right now? Why?

TW: Now looking forward, Stratosphere Sourcing, LLC has taken two actions to drive business. First, especially in this economy, just holding on to your existing customers is key. Volume in printed products is down only slightly for us in 2010, so I'm pleased with that performance. I saw an opportunity to help small local businesses and two years ago started Flash To Finish, LLC, a small team of independent contractors that supply website design and maintenance, marketing and photography under a virtual office concept. It's our way of responding to the pressures on the print industry. We've seen direct mail and yellow pages advertising drop in favor of website marketing so it made sense to move into that arena to recapture some lost dollars.

PP: What is the best part of your business day?

TW: Best part of my day? Seriously? Finishing a day filled with calls, solving problems and sharing ideas so I can spend time with my Airedale terriers Amelia and Lindbergh before dinner on our sailboat with my husband, at sunset, of course.

PP: What would people be surprised to learn about you?

TW: Most folks are surprised to learn that I ride a Harley Davidson Heritage Softail. I enjoy pheasant hunting, [I] am a licensed private pilot and have several telescopes for observing the vast universe. Astronomy helps me remember how small and insignificant I truly am.