Selling For Stu

"He must have been an important man," said a friend when I was telling him about Stu Olds' funeral, held yesterday. I replied, "Yes, he was an important man. But even important men don't draw that many people to their funeral unless people also love them. People came to honor Stu because he had made them feel important."

On the flight back home last night, I was reflecting on the funeral, which was standing-room-only in a church that seats about 2,500 people. Every seat was taken, the balcony was packed, and there were people lined up 20 rows deep outside the sanctuary. Following the funeral, a ballroom at the Italian Club in Stamford filled more tables than most industry conventions for a lunch gathering in honor of Stu.

Women and men came from all across the country to say goodbye to Stu. It was like a family reunion of broadcasters from the last few decades in radio. I spotted and talked with dozens of former broadcasters whom we've not seen at industry events since the mid-'90s.

People flew in from all corners of America to honor this man not because of the position he held, but because he always focused on uplifting others. The common theme, expressed time and again, was Stu's compassion and how he spent his life encouraging others. His greatness came from his ability to make everyone feel important by taking the time to listen and to care.

Stu not only and encouraged his team members and advertisers (all of whom he referred to as his partners), he gave them countless examples of how he believed in them. He lived by helping people see things in themselves they didn't know were there.

The legacy Stu Olds left the radio industry is as an example of true leadership. When Dave Ramsey spoke at our Forecast meeting Tuesday, he talked about how great leaders focus on service to their employees, always keeping in mind the deep responsibility to the families of those employees as well. He discussed how great leaders serve at all levels.

The best way we can honor Stu is to try to emulate his interest in serving others, and by emulating his deep care for and belief in his people and his calm and cheerful outlook. Katz's success was based on Stu's ability to empower others through, as John Hogan called it, a "fierce loyalty" to his people.

When your interest is in serving others, you change the nature of business. That brings stronger, deeper, more meaningful success. People will go through brick walls for you when they serve a greater purpose. Reflecting Stu's example is a greater purpose.

The loss of Stu Olds leaves a giant void in each of our lives and in our industry, as a friend and colleague,  because of the leadership he showed by his contribution to industry initiatives and boards, and because his leadership built the largest and greatest radio rep firm of all time. He led a team dedicated to growing national revenue for radio, the majority of which has come from Katz over the last few years.

Stu may have been radio's greatest salesman. People told stories of how he went into every deal believing he would win, and knowing he would make every sale. He approached business with big ideas, and fought for and finessed every deal he could get.

We will never get over the loss of Stu Olds, but each of us, his friends, his colleagues, and his employees, must move on. In true Stu spirit, he would probably have said, with a twinkle in his eye, "OK, you attended a funeral this morning. But did you make a sale this afternoon?"

Radio Ink honored Stu by dedicating our Forecast Conference to him on Tuesday, and Stu received a grand sendoff yesterday. But probably the best way we can honor Stu Olds is to make a sale in his honor. He would probably like that more than anything.

So, all next week, why not set some lofty goals, make some big-dollar presentations, and close the business in honor of Stu? It doesn't have to be a sale for Katz or Clear Channel, or even the companies he represented. A great sale for the good of radio would be a great honor for him. Will you do that for Stu Olds next week?

Also, I'd like to announce that, as part of our annual Radio Ink Radio Wayne Awards, we will create a new award, the Stu Olds Award, to keep his memory alive for future generations of broadcasters.

Eric Rhoads
Radio Ink

Addendum: We still have some of our new Mighty Red HD 2 radio's left, which make great advertiser and employee gifts. TO GET CHRISTMAS DELIVERY, THEY MUST BE ORDERED BEFORE DECEMBER 15th. Every station with HD will soon be enabled to run graphics in sync with audio so you can place your logo along with photos of your events, personalities, advertisers and artists played on the touch screen of this radio. To learn more, go to www.mightyredhd.com.



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