Stephanie Stuckey has worn a lot of hats – but her favorite is a logoed trucker cap.
We’ll explain.
Stephanie Stuckey has been a successful trial lawyer, legal professor, seven-term state representative in Georgia and director of sustainability and resilience for the City of Atlanta. If that weren’t enough, she also ran an environmental nonprofit law firm that settled the largest Clean Water Act case in the history of the Peach State.
But in 2019, Stephanie set out on an altogether different path. She bought Stuckey’s, the roadside oasis famous for its pecan log rolls. Her grandfather, W.S. Stuckey, founded the business as a pecan stand in 1937 and grew it to more than 350 stores. Still, after the Stuckey family sold the business in 1964, the company ultimately suffered under what Stephanie described as mismanagement, becoming a “hot mess” on the verge of extinction, she said.
But then Stephanie purchased the business in 2019 and became chair of the company. Under her deft leadership, a rapid renaissance occurred, and Stuckey’s is thriving again.
How did Stephanie revitalize Stuckey’s? What role has branded merchandise played in the effort? And how can other leaders breathe new life into their brands and businesses? In this preview of her upcoming keynote at the ASI Show Orlando, being held Jan. 4-6, 2025, in Orlando, FL, Stephanie answers those questions and more in this Promo Insiders with ASI Media’s Christopher Ruvo.
Podcast Chapters
1:40: From trial lawyer to state rep to family business leader, Stephanie Stuckey has done a lot.
3:44: The history of Stuckey’s – from success to a mismanaged “hot mess.”
5:06: Buying Stuckey’s and engineering the business’ big turnaround.
6:40: Strategies for breathing new life into a business or brand – “AIR.”
10:51: Being authentic to your brand/business is essential.
12:45: How Stuckey’s uses branded merchandise.
16:23: On a mission for a custom stress toy and pool floatie …
