Ep. 54: Get to Know the Hosts of Stay Paid
Ever wonder how Stay Paid stars Luke and Josh got their start? From growing up to starting ReminderMedia from the ground up, this episode dives into the backgrounds of the guys behind Stay Paid.
Listen to this special episode of Stay Paid and hear Luke and Josh discuss their upbringing, their love for sales, and how a vision led to the company that is now ReminderMedia.
Key Points
- Luke’s early beginnings and the impact they had on where he is now
- From a garage to the sales floor: Josh and Steve’s ReminderMedia journey
- Taking ReminderMedia to the next level
From a band to a business.
Luke Acree, president of ReminderMedia, grew up in a religious household in Central Virginia. His passion for music led him and his brothers to start the Acree Brothers Band. They traveled all over the country from the time they were 13 up until 18, even going as far as playing in a competition in Los Angeles. They lost the competition, but this is when Luke realized his destiny. He came to the realization that just because something doesn’t happen in your life that was once a dream, doesn’t mean it’s a bad thing.
After going to college for computer science, Luke and his brother Dan started a company called NextMark, selling to churches and small businesses. He wanted to get to a place where he could be on his own and be in charge. Luke’s uncle Steve Acree started ReminderMedia about fifteen years ago. Steve is an incredible salesperson who believed in ReminderMedia and its mission. Luke moved to Pennsylvania and joined Steve on this endeavor.
He has an international vision for the company now—and going to conferences is just the beginning. One day, ReminderMedia will be able to host its own successful conference—ReminderCon will happen!
From Lancaster to King of Prussia.
Josh Stike, vice president of marketing at ReminderMedia, has a similar background. He was very interested in the arts, eventually getting into graphic design and multimedia. He enjoyed solving problems and showing people something visually appealing. He met Steve at his portfolio review in college, and four months later he was interviewed for a web design position, where Steve pitched him on what ReminderMedia was all about.
At the time, ReminderMedia’s office was a two-car garage, but after seven months the company got their first office space in Lancaster to make what is now American Lifestyle magazine. They met the printing company they still use today, and started out by pitching to Coldwell Banker. They worked out a deal with them and continued going around to offices and conferences. It was a matter of figuring it out along the way. Josh and Steve went to a camera shop and bought construction paper for a green screen, and people would line up for photos and that’s how they would pitch the magazine. Thus, the first 212 accounts with ReminderMedia were born.
It was the combination of entrepreneurial spirit and a mentality to do whatever it takes that founded ReminderMedia’s success. Josh reiterates how he wouldn’t change a thing from those days, he was just getting it done.
Our core values.
ReminderMedia continues to embody the motto FEARLESS, which stands for:
- Fun
- Extreme ownership
- Action
- Relationships
- Leadership
- Entrepreneurial spirit
- Service
- Sales
The company will continue to learn and grow as we enter into the new year.
Action items:
Following the podcast, our goal is to provide you with as many actionable tips as possible. This episode includes…
- Document your story, whether on your website or through Facebook Live. People want to know the person, not just the company.
As always, take action on these tips!