As well as being an attorney and accountant, Jeff Stoller is an expert in brand management and one of the most experienced executives in the hospitality/entertainment fields, having been an owner, operator, executive and consultant with more than 20 years in product and brand licensing. In 2005, Stoller was presented the “Innovator of the Year” award based on his taking a good but under-productive brand and making it the premier brand in the industry.
For the past 10 years, Stoller has focused on brand management in the hospitality and entertainment field for one of the best known brands in the world. Prior to that, Stoller’s consulting firm helped dozens of companies through startup and growth stages, as well as in the development of specific products or services. His company also created, manufactured and marketed products for world famous brands including The Rolling Stones, Warner Bros, and Playboy.
Stoller has the distinction of being the only person to earn 3 graduate degrees simultaneously at the University of Southern California including Juris Doctorate (Order of the Coif), Master of Business Taxation and Master of Business Administration (Beta Alpha Psi) degrees at the age of 24. After being recruited from the tax department of KPMG Peat, a top 4 international accounting firm, Stoller served as an Adjunct Professor of Finance and Business Economics at the University of Southern California where he taught finance in the Graduate School of Business and law in the Undergraduate School of Business, and was selected as one of the 20 top professors. He also taught accounting at the USC Gould School of Law while still a student. Stoller also was awarded a Certificate of Distinguished Performance by the Institute of Management Accounting for placing in the top 10 people nationally on the Certified Management Accounting examination.
Stoller has been a speaker on such panels as the South Florida Film and Television Industry Roundtable, the Business Finance Conference sponsored by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. Stoller has been a lecturer at nightclub conventions speaking on such topics as understanding the role and benefit of foodservice in a nightclub, the keys to successful brand licensing and various legal topics. In 2011, Stoller spoke at the Licensing Industry Merchandisers Association annual convention in Las Vegas, where he spoke on the topic of Experiential Licensing (licensing an experience, rather than just a product or name).
Stoller has been published in numerous magazines and newspapers including The Daily Business Review, Inventors’ Digest, A Roadmap to Financing Your Business and Total Brand Licensing.
Stoller is currently a member of the California Bar Association and the First Amendment Lawyers Association.
When you have an idea, do what you do best and recognize your limitations so you do not hurt what might be a great idea.
When building a brand, remember that people buy (and license) a brand for only 3 reasons: familiarity, affiliation and aspiration. If your brand (or character) does not already satisfy at least one of those reasons, then you have to figure how to make it satisfy at least one of those.
The best way to learn about Jeff Stoller is through his published articles - or hear him at a speaking engagement. He is direct, pulls no punches and gives answers that enable you to act on them to improve your life and your business. His strengths are being able to connect with people on a real-world level and to effectively combine the technical and creative sides of a business.