Gigi Stetler is an accomplished business woman, entrepreneur, author and equestrian, who has overcome many obstacles on her journey to success, and proven herself unstoppable. ...
UNSTOPPABLE! SURVIVING IS JUST THE BEGINNING
Just a brief Google search solidifies that Gigi Stetler is unstoppable: a fearless CEO that was stabbed and left for dead early in her career; an accomplished Florida businesswoman, entrepreneur and single mother who battled her way to the top of the male-dominated RV (recreational vehicle) sales industry. But what is the story behind this amazing woman and what advice does she have for women in business today?
The powerhouse succinctly summarizes the problem with women in business: Women are now leading and hold somewhat good paying jobs in major corporations but we are not owning enough businesses. Women owned businesses are actually declining; we are less likely to take risks and no risks yields no rewards. The only way to decrease the gender pay gap is by more women owned businesses.
In addition to being adverse to risk taking, many women opt to work for someone to avoid the pressures of ownership, Gigi Stetler explains. For instance, the RV industry is highly stressful because it involves discretionary income for luxury items. In my line of work, you can’t be emotional and some people can’t handle the pressure unless they work for someone else.
Gigi StetlerHer book, Unstoppable! Surviving is Just the Beginning, mentioned that women can succeed in any industry regardless of gender boundaries. When she first stepped into RV sales in the 1980s, Ms. Stetler encountered a bunch of older, fat-cat, cigar-smoking, scotch-drinking good ol’ boys who were not open to her fresh ideas. When she, for instance, suggested changing the hours of operation to better accommodate customers, the men in charge told her to go home and bake cookies. She laughed at this and told me she decided to go to work and pay someone else to make the cookies.
35 years later, rapper T.I. was quoted as saying that he would never vote for the leader of the free world be a woman because women make rash decisions emotionally — they make very permanent, cemented decisions — and then later, it’s kind of like it didn’t happen or they didn’t mean for it to happen. What did Ms. Stetler think about that?
The type of woman that is running for this office is about 1% of all women and operates very differently from the average woman. The majority that run for political office are not running by emotions so that’s a very unfair statement–you have to compare apples to apples.
Sidebar: She wouldn’t have been offended by Donald Trump’s remarks about Fox News Channel’s Megyn Kelly; she would have used the same language and given it back to him.
Actually, that was one of the first tips she shared for women in business as well as in their personal life–don’t take it personal. Don’t take anything personally–it is all business even if they hit below the belt. For women that struggle with this, pretend that you are an actress in a movie and whatever is being done is not happening to you but your movie character. The minute you take it personally you’re done; that is when the emotions take over.
Isn’t that forcing Gigi Stetler woman to be or act like a man? Absolutely not; a woman still has to stay in touch w/her feminine side but know how to address a man professionally on the business side. You might be surprised to learn that Gigi wears her stilettos and mini skirts on the RV lot everyday; no one is taking her femininity away from her. Ms. Stetler reciprocates; she does not try to emasculate her male counterparts or play the feminine card. As a single woman, if she asks a man out on a date, she pays and vice versa.
You might be surprised to learn that the Unstoppable author does not consider herself a feminist despite her record breaking success. Just look up the definition of feminist: it’s one of controversy and needing to prove that you are a woman; it’s a stereotyped word. You are trying to defend yourself and there’s no fight; handle your business and handle it right without trying to prove you are a man or feminist. Otherwise, you’ve wasted too much time in proving and have lost credibility; you could have done it already. Sound advice from a woman who rose to the top of a male dominated industry in five years versus the typical 12.
So how did Gigi Stetler achieve such success and what was her drive? For those answers and more, I highly recommend that you purchase your copy of Unstoppable! Surviving is Just the Beginning. The author promises that, if you think you have had a bad day, read the book; you’ll never ever complain again. From crime, violence and neglect to poverty, Unstoppable details a challenging life full of upheavals and emotions. Ms. Stetler’s refusal to give up is truly a testament that even challenges that would have stopped most in their tracks can be transformed into miracles and happy endings.
As Ms. Stetler would say, the measurement of success isn’t when you’re going to fail; it’s how fast you’re going to get up and start over. If you don’t achieve it when you said you would, move it to the next year. Don’t lower your goal and don’t give yourself the option to settle–too many people do and that’s why they fail.
Source: Alesha Brown, The Joy Guru
Press
Planet RV hosts 1st Glamping Festival & Louisiana Crawfish Boil
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DAVIE, Fla. — Planet RV & Travel Center presents the first annual Glamping Festival with South Florida’s Largest Wet n Wild Fun Slide and Amusements all weekend long.
Fun starts Friday evening at 6 p.m. – 11 p.m., with a Louisiana crawfish boil and live Zydeco band.
Saturday gates open at 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. with the Food Trek Smoke Out BBQ with live music and Wet n Wild Fun Slide and amusements.
Saturday night features the carnival and outdoor movie, gates open at 7:30 p.m., the movie starts at 9 p.m.
Get your tickets at https://www.ticketriver.com/event/20521
An Early Bird 25 percent discount promo code is ‘EarlyBird’. Ticket list price is $20 per person for admission to rides and amusements, and outdoor movie.
The event features:
• RV sale all weekend long – no reasonable offer refused on all RV Inventory
• Discounts on all service and rentals
• Service representatives available all weekend long for service needs
• Special financing all weekend on RV Fun Club memberships
SOURCE: Planet RV press release
Millennials reignite long-dead RV market
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Millennials are emerging from their parents’ basements.
Well, maybe not all of them but enough are venturing out and taking their close-to-nature, tech-heavy lifestyles with them to help boost the $50 billion recreational vehicle industry, RV insiders report.
It’s called “glamping” — camping in glamorous fashion — and purchases by millennials, with an elder limit of 35, are helping re-ignite RV sales, insiders said.
While RV sales in the US have increased seven straight years — since 2010, the year after the Great Recession ended — the growth had been slowing for three years until millennials stepped into the breach this year.
“This market is back on fire,” Gigi Stetler, of South Florida’s RV Sales of Broward, tells The Post.
Stetler is on the front lines serving these younger buyers. Her specialty is selling a pre-owned RV for about $15,000 — half its original value — and then adding for an extra $5,000-to-$10,000 customized extras.
Here are some of them:
Special accommodations for pets and extra room for kids or friends;
High-tech amenities like Wi-Fi, smartphone integration, charging stations and premium video and audio systems;
Recreation storage, with room for bicycles, surf boards or kayaks.
“These are the same kids who stopped RVing with their parents as 16-year-olds,” said Stetler, a 54-year-old single mom who’s been selling and refurbishing RVs for 29 years. “Now they’re back.”
Already, Gen Xers, those aged 35-to-55, have replaced Baby Boomers as the most likely RV owners — but the purchasing power of millennials, the largest age group, is on the upswing.
The influx of millennial RV buyers has the industry expecting US sales in 2016 to expand 5.9 percent from last year.
That would be the first increase in growth since 2012, according to the latest industry data.
That growth could be good news for the overall US economy as RV sales — large discretionary purchases — are seen as a leading economic indicator.
“[Recreation vehicle sales] are always the first to go down in a recession and the first to pop up in a recovery,” Stetler told The Post.
It could mean the economy, which has slowed recently to a point that the Federal Reserve last week postponed an expected rate hike, might have some yet-unseen energy.
A record 396,400 RVs will be shipped this year, up from 165,700 units in recession-hit 2009, according to estimates from the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association.
The $50 billion the RV industry contributed to the US economy in 2015 included $16 billion in new RV sales.
Thor Industries, the largest publicly traded RV maker, which makes the popular Airstream brand, has seen its share rise 14 percent this year, to Friday’s close of $64.
Shares of Winnebago Industries haven’t fared as well. They are up 3.8 percent this year, to $20.65.
The company was downgraded last week by Zacks research tracker, which cited a decline in sales of its motorized RVs from last year’s comparable period.
By Richard Morgan / New York Post / Business
Another Florida paper picks up Camping World suit
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ORLANDO, Fla. — People are still upset and slightly embarrassed seeing the beloved Citrus Bowl name changed to Camping World Stadium. Well, here’s another reason not to like having that name on our stadium, the West Orlando News reported.
Camping World and its CEO Marcus Lemonis remain tangled in an ongoing legal battle for conspiring against a woman and interfering with an equestrian event. Just the kind of sponsor we want for the City of Orlando and our public venue, huh?, the paper noted.
Stetler said email communications between Marcus Lemonis and his wife, Ila (who is also in the equestrian world owning a farm called Glory Days Farm in Illinois) obtained during the discovery process indicate that Ila had attempted to influence the decision to prevent Stetler from even competing at the event, according to West Orlando News.
To read the full story in West Orlando News, click link.
Florida ABC station investigates Gigi Stetler vs. Camping World
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DAVIE, Fla., June 9, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- WPLG-TV, an ABC affiliate in the Miami area, aired an investigative report June 3rd at 11 pm regarding the ongoing legal dispute between Camping World, its CEO Marcus Lemonis, and Florida RV Sales of Broward dealer Gigi Stetler.
Stetler has been interviewed by investigative reporter Bob Norman regarding a situation in which she was forced out of a campground she developed for a local equestrian event. She was also forced out of the competition and barred from the grounds after she contends the event organizer and Camping World conspired to push her out.
Stetler had been a major sponsor of the event and operated the campground at the facility until 2010, when she alleges that Bellissimo Enterprises and Camping World had conspired against her.
Stetler said email communications between Marcus Lemonis and his wife, Ila (who is also in the equestrian world owning a farm called Glory Days Farm in Illinois) obtained during the discovery process indicate that Ila had attempted to influence the decision to prevent Stetler from even competing at the event.
After the 2009 Winter Equestrian Festival in August, Stetler attempted to negotiate terms for sponsorship of the 2010 event. But, the complaint alleges the new event organizer, Bellissimo Entities, required Stetler to release the names of her camping customers, how much they paid for their campsites and the total income generated from the business. That information was to be used to determine compensation for the 2010 festival.
Stetler claims Bellissimo Entities required her to forward her confidential client list, her budget, copies of client contracts, financial information about her clients, a profit and loss statement, her business model for the campground operation as well as her entire business plan — before the amount of rent was determined.
On Oct. 21, 2009, Stetler claims Bellissimo Entities informed her that the firm had entered into a contract with Camping World and that her services would no longer be needed. Four minutes after the call ended, Stetler said she was e-mailed a press release announcing the Camping World partnership for the 2010 Winter Equestrian Festival.
In addition to sending the press release to Stetler, Bellissimo Entities also sent it to all of Stetler's customers by mass e-mail, the complaint noted.
Stetler had to file a protest with the United States Equestrian Federation and request a full day hearing in Kentucky.
Stetler won that hearing and was able to compete again at the Winter Equestrian Festival.
This lawsuit followed shortly after.
SOURCE Gigi Stetler
Florida ABC station details Camping World suit
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WELLINGTON, Fla. — Marcus Lemonis is touted as a business guru and savior of dying companies on the reality show “The Profit” on CNBC, but one South Florida businesswoman claims in court that all he did was try to kill hers, WPLG-TV reported.
Gigi Stetler was successful in what is normally a man’s world, the RV business. But in 2009, before Lemonis landed his show, her business, RV Sales of Broward, fell apart. the station noted. She blames it on Lemonis and Palm Beach developer Mark Bellissimo, both of whom she alleges in a civil suit unlawfully conspired to run her out of business.
Lemonis told WPLG-TV it a shakedown attempt and said he will never settle the suit or negotiate with Stetler.
To read the full story and watch the 4:15-minute TV report from WPLG-TV, click link.
Source: RV Daily Report
Reality star business guru Marcus Lemonis sued for business practices
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Reality star business guru Marcus Lemonis sued for business practices
'The Profit' calls lawsuit 'shakedown attempt'
By Bob Norman - Investigative Reporter / ABC Local News 10
WELLINGTON, Fla. - Marcus Lemonis is touted as a business guru and savior of dying companies on the reality show "The Profit" on CNBC, but one South Florida businesswoman claims in court that all he did was try to kill hers.
Gigi Stetler was successful in what is normally a man's world, the RV business. But in 2009, before Lemonis landed his show, her business, RV Sales of Broward, fell apart. She blames it on Lemonis and Palm Beach developer Mark Bellissimo, both of whom she alleges in a civil suit unlawfully conspired to run her out of business.
"I see him as a monster," Stetler said of Lemonis.
Stetler's attorneys have filed a lawsuit -- that appears to finally be on the verge of going to trial -- naming Lemonis's firm and Bellissimo seeking millions of dollars in damages on allegations of conspiracy, unlawful trade practices and theft of trade secrets.
Lemonis calls it a shakedown attempt and said he will never settle the suit or negotiate with Stetler.
"I'm sure she’s a wonderful person. I don’t think she’s a monster and I'm surprised she would say those things about me," said Lemonis, who grew up in Miami and ran, unsuccessfully, for a seat in the Florida Legislature in 1996 at the age of 22. "She should think before she speaks."
The story begins in the exclusive environs of the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, where the daughters of Bruce Springsteen, Bill Gates and Michael Bloomberg have ridden, where Stetler was both a rider and operated an RV campground, renting and selling RVs to the wealthy and traveling horse crowd.
She said that back in 2009, she was riding high.
"We had just done $20 million in sales," she said. "We were on fire."
She said that changed after she got a call from Marcus Lemonis, who at the time was running his own RV business, Camping World, which had become the largest in the the country. Her lawsuit claims he was interested in acquiring her business.
"I kindly said no thank you," Stetler said. "And then stuff started happening."
She claims she had a suspicious shipment of nine RVs from Fleetwood that all had defects and then Lemonis phoned her to say he knew she was having problems. She claims that GE Financial found her in wrongful default, and that Lemonis called her about that too. She said she wondered how he knew about it.
Now she believes he used his influence in the business world to effect those harms on her. He says it's not true.
"I have no relationship with GE Financial," he said. "I’ve always had a relationship with Fleetwood. They don't communicate with me concerning their business with other dealers."
He said he didn't remember how he first came into contact with her business, but believed she initially contacted him about an RV bedding line.
"Her business wasn’t big enough for us to pay any attention to in the first place," he said, noting that she has had several defaults in her business history.
Stetler and her attorney, Jamie Sasson, admitted they had no proof that Lemonis was involved in her default, which led to the repossession of her RV inventory, or the Fleetwood mess. But she hadn't seen the last of Lemonis.
At the time Bellissimo, who has been described as an "equestrian mogul," owned the Winter Equestrian Festival and so was in effect her landlord for the RV campgrounds she had there. She said he asked her for detailed information about her business prior to what she expected to be a routine contract renewal.
"He asked me for my whole business plan to figure out what he was going to charge me," she said.
Stetler said she supplied the information, including a full customer list. But shortly after Bellissimo, who is often photographed with friend Donald Trump, gave her bad news: He was killing her campground lease and sponsorship deal.
And he was giving it to Lemonis at Camping World.
"He calls me on the phone [and says], 'I signed a contract with Camping World, we no longer need your services,'" she said. "I'm like, 'What? The campground is mine, I built it.' He said nope, you're done."
She said Camping World RVs and advertisements replaced hers overnight. And she says that she noticed that the RVs were familiar -- they were the same RVs that had been repossessed from her by GE Financial. She called the police and the report backs up her contention, but there was nothing deemed illegal about it.
Not to be stopped, Stetler says she opened a small competing campground nearby, where she rented RVs at half the price of Camping World. Tension ran high between the companies.
"I get an email from a lawyer," she said. "I have a trespassing letter."
Bellissimo trespassed her off the Winter Equestrian Festival property completely, banning her from coming on the grounds at all, either to ride or to network with her customers whom she'd been working with for years.
"Now I have no business, no customers, can't reach my customers," she said.
Facing ruin, Stetler filed a protest with the United States Equestrian Federation, the governing agency for the festival, alleging she'd been wrongfully banned. Through the discovery process, she then obtained what she calls the smoking gun, emails from Camping World reps, including Lemonis's wife and a retail president, written to Bellissimo's firm complaining that Stetler was undercutting their prices and upsetting their business. One written prior to her banning from the property said, "Stopping her would go a long way."
"This was a setup, a plan, a conspiracy to interfere with her customers and ultimately to cause her financial harm," said Sasson, her attorney.
Stetler flew to Louisville, Kentucky, for the United States Equestrian Federation hearing with her teenage son to face off against Bellissimo and his attorney.
"I didn't have a lawyer," she said. "I couldn't afford lunch, let alone a lawyer."
So she grilled Bellissimo and others on the stand herself. And she won. The United States Equestrian Federation not only ruled in her favor, saying Bellissimo had wrongfully banned her from the property, but also fined Bellissimo and ordered she be allowed back to the Winter Equestrian Festival.
When Local 10 caught up with Bellissimo on Festival grounds, he refused to comment. Stetler has been battling the case in court for years, and now it appears the case is close to going to trial. Meanwhile she is back in the saddle with a new business, Planet RV in Davie, already one of the largest RV dealers in South Florida.
Lemonis denied he did anything wrong and said he had nothing to do with Bellissimo's decision to kick her off the grounds.
"I had nothing to do with Mark Bellissimo making an independent business decision to do what he wanted to do inside his own business," said Lemonis. "If she thinks she’s going to shake me down by going to media outlets, she’s going to be very disappointed. If this goes to quote-unquote 'trial,' there will be no settlement offer, there will be no negotiation."
Stetler said she only looks forward to her day in court.
"They never thought that I would fight them," she said. "They thought I would pack my little bags and go home and cry."
Copyright 2016 by WPLG Local10.com - All rights reserved.
Parenting Pointers: Celebrating Mompreneurs
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Parenting Pointers: Celebrating Mompreneurs
Mother’s Day is tomorrow, and it’s time to shower all the important moms out there with love and affection. It’s also a great time to recognize a specific kind of mother—the single moms who are running their own businesses—the “Single Momtrepreneurs.” According to fearless CEO and entrepreneur Gigi Stetler, it’s a challenging lifestyle, but all women can achieve their dreams—even if they are single mothers.
“Any woman can become unstoppable at work and start the business of their dreams,” says Stetler, author of Unstoppable…Surviving is Just the Beginning! “Entrepreneurship takes work, and for single mothers, it’s an uphill battle. But don’t let that scare you.”
I had a chance to interview her to learn more.
1) What is it like to be a woman in a male-dominated field?
It’s not easy. When I first stepped into RV sales in the 1980s, I was with a bunch of older, fat-cat, cigar-smoking, scotch-drinking good ol’ boys who were not open to fresh ideas. I remember suggesting they change the hours of operation to better accommodate customers. That’s when the men in charge told me “to go home and bake cookies.” Instead, I went home and made millions. I have been knocked off my horse more times than I can remember. The only thing separating success from failure, as I see it, is the ability to maintain your dream and to stay motivated. I made a promise to myself a very long time ago that I would be a millionaire. That inner hunger helped me carve a path to success in a man’s industry that conspired to keep me out.
2) Gender bias can be a very real thing. How can women take advantage of that?
There is a difference between playing the “Victim Card” and using it to your advantage. Look at the (assumed) upcoming presidential race between Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. Trump claims that a major part of Clinton’s success is her ability to play the “Woman card,” and he may be right. Appealing to other women to gain support, can help bolster your cause—whether it is a political campaign on a business venture. This can only work, however, if you continue to outperform your male counterparts.
3) How can women avoid playing the victim?
Playing the victim card is a total waste of time. When you are able to understand that, it will be much easier to deal with difficult situations. The reason it is a waste of time is because no one really cares what you are going through. The cold, hard truth is that people only care about one thing: what you are going to do. So, stop complaining, and do it!
4) How do you manage the work-life balance of taking care of children while running a business?
I am a single woman, and I have been since my son was 2 years old. While I raised him with the assistance of a nanny, I was fortunate enough to be able to bring my son and our nanny to work with me every day. The trick to balance is to love what you do—both personally and professionally. That mean, there is no need to balance. I have been involved many personal relationships, and I have discovered that attaining that balance is the most difficult when you have little in common with your significant other. When you can’t share your daily experiences with your other half, you are forced to split yourself, constantly teetering between two important aspects of your life. My advice is to find a relationship in which you totally understand one another. It’s also important that both of you have your own lives, so it’s not all one-sided.
5) What's your biggest piece of advice for all working mothers?
The biggest piece of advice I have is to try to find a career that makes you happy. Work will take over much of your time, and it’s hard enough to spend time away from your kids. If you don’t enjoy your job, you will have even more regret in the future. Understand that dedication to your career is not only for yourself—it’s for your children. You are becoming a role model to them, and creating a life that provides comfort and love. Good for you!
Gigi Stetler is the author of Unstoppable! Surviving is Just the Beginning. As accomplished businesswoman and entrepreneur, she is the owner of RV Sales of Broward in south Florida. Connect with her at www.gigistetler.com.
Posted by Bekah
GiGi Stetler: A Woman with Glambition!
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GiGi Stetler: A Woman with Glambition!
MARCH 15, 2016 by JESSICA SCHIRRIPA @JERSEYJESSE
For the remainder of March, Americans will be celebrating and honoring women and their various impactful journeys. With so much media scrutiny regarding what it means to be an empowering woman, celebrities are arming themselves with their opinions and battling it out across social media for our entertainment. International Women’s Day was no different. With Kim Kardashian’s naked proclamation and the grade A-listers speaking out, it had really taken attention away from the true Glam-bitions behind the struggle for women who fight for recognition.
With more than 9 million women who own businesses in the U.S., it is important to understand how the tides are changing for women seeking respect, influence, and authority in the workplace.
Fearless CEO, entrepreneur, and author of the recent release, Surviving is Just the Beginning!, weighs in the change and provides insight for us glamorous, powerhouse leading ladies…
New Theory: Tell us about your book, Unstoppable…Surviving is Just the Beginning!
Gigi Stetler: Unstoppable is a searing memoir detailing a challenging life full of upheavals and emotions. This startling nonfiction expose covers a chilling array of crimes and retribution, from neglect and poverty to violence and victim’s rights, Unstoppable makes the case for happy endings even under the most violent and disturbing scenarios. Regardless of what attacks or assaults you have faced, are facing, or will face and regardless of who directs those attacks at you yourself, your parents, friends, colleagues, professors, lovers, teachers, competition, your own children, your own past, your own present, or your own future. This book is an invitation to make your own, personal commitment to not only survive, but to thrive!
What prompted you to write it?
GS: I wrote Unstoppable: Surviving is Just the Beginning to inspire others. Whenever you think you’ve had a bad day, and you can’t go on, my hope is that reading this book will help you break through any barriers and find your inner strength to move forward.
NT: What is it like to be the only woman in a masculine business, and how do females overcome related obstacles?
GS: Although it is not easy being the only women in the industry, I love it. It is essential for women to truly understand their product and their industry and be prepared to be challenged. Stay focused on your goal and you will achieve it. And remember, if you’re afraid to fail, you are creating a debilitating hurdle that can hinder success.
NT: How can women use gender bias to their advantage?
GS: Women can use gender bias to their advantage by staying above the fray. Therefore, instead of taking offense to gender stereotypes, I try to laugh it off. I’ve discovered that the more I laugh at the sexist comments, the stupider people feel, and I end up charging the right amount (or sometimes more). So this ‘warrior’ mentality ends up lining my pockets, giving the phrase ‘laughing all the way to the bank’ a whole new meaning. It’s important to note that I don’t think sexist behavior is acceptable but it can teach you to keep your eye on the big picture and don’t sweat the small stuff. I always keep my game face on and remind myself: it’s nothing personal, it’s just business.
NT: Why will playing the ‘Victim Card’ only slow you down in the long run?
GS: I have always greeted life as a warrior and not a victim because playing the “Victim Card” will only slow you down. Unfortunately, women still need to prove themselves while working in certain industries.
NT: How can women break down more barriers in other male-dominated industries?
GS: To break down more barriers, always fight for what is right, but only fight the battles that you can win, or are worth winning. As women, we may have to work twice as hard for half as much but don’t let that put out your fire. Position yourself in the driver’ seat and everyone else will be getting half as much as you are when you become unstoppable.
NT: Who are some of the women today you feel are great examples of leaders?
GS: One of my great heroes is Nancy Reagan. I really believe she ran the White House and it was her strength that gave Ronald the ambition to run for President. Her determination and courage to fight for causes that were important to her inspired a generation and will continue to inspire America.
NT: How do you feel the country is handing Hilary Clinton as a presidential candidate? Do you feel like she is being treated fairly considering the circumstances?
GS: Hillary has received some harsh criticism from all angles of the country. While some of this criticism is deserved, it’s important to notice that she’s still dominating the race. Clinton has not broken down and she hasn’t given in; that shows America what she’s made of.
shutterstock_209993044NT: Do you feel like women can “have it all”?
GS: Most Women do have it all, but unfortunately, they don’t know it. If you want it all, you should have it and be confident enough to make it happen.
NT: What is your response to women who choose to focus on family and motherhood over a potential prosperous career? Do you feel it set women or presents a bad message as a whole?
GS: I think it is a woman’s choice, whether they want to focus on family and motherhood over a potential prosperous career. I admire all choices, just make sure it is your choice. Don’t sacrifice your life or career for anyone but yourself or you will regret it later in life.
NT: What is your number one piece of advice for all women as they face gender-related obstacles in their careers and beyond?
GS: My best advice is to never give up or give in and always maintain your passion. Passion is a key element when it comes to succeeding in business and in life. Always work to “learn,” don’t work to “earn,” and you will constantly grow and develop throughout your career.
Stetler HSGigi Stetler is the author of Unstoppable! Surviving is Just the Beginning. As accomplished businesswoman and entrepreneur, she is the owner of RV Sales of Broward in South Florida. Connect with her at www.gigistetler.com.
UNSTOPPABLE! SURVIVING IS JUST THE BEGINNING
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UNSTOPPABLE! SURVIVING IS JUST THE BEGINNING
Just a brief Google search solidifies that Gigi Stetler is unstoppable: a fearless CEO that was stabbed and left for dead early in her career; an accomplished Florida businesswoman, entrepreneur and single mother who battled her way to the top of the male-dominated RV (recreational vehicle) sales industry. But what is the story behind this amazing woman and what advice does she have for women in business today?
The powerhouse succinctly summarizes the problem with women in business: Women are now leading and hold somewhat good paying jobs in major corporations but we are not owning enough businesses. Women owned businesses are actually declining; we are less likely to take risks and no risks yields no rewards. The only way to decrease the gender pay gap is by more women owned businesses.
In addition to being adverse to risk taking, many women opt to work for someone to avoid the pressures of ownership, Gigi Stetler explains. For instance, the RV industry is highly stressful because it involves discretionary income for luxury items. In my line of work, you can’t be emotional and some people can’t handle the pressure unless they work for someone else.
Gigi StetlerHer book, Unstoppable! Surviving is Just the Beginning, mentioned that women can succeed in any industry regardless of gender boundaries. When she first stepped into RV sales in the 1980s, Ms. Stetler encountered a bunch of older, fat-cat, cigar-smoking, scotch-drinking good ol’ boys who were not open to her fresh ideas. When she, for instance, suggested changing the hours of operation to better accommodate customers, the men in charge told her to go home and bake cookies. She laughed at this and told me she decided to go to work and pay someone else to make the cookies.
35 years later, rapper T.I. was quoted as saying that he would never vote for the leader of the free world be a woman because women make rash decisions emotionally — they make very permanent, cemented decisions — and then later, it’s kind of like it didn’t happen or they didn’t mean for it to happen. What did Ms. Stetler think about that?
The type of woman that is running for this office is about 1% of all women and operates very differently from the average woman. The majority that run for political office are not running by emotions so that’s a very unfair statement–you have to compare apples to apples.
Sidebar: She wouldn’t have been offended by Donald Trump’s remarks about Fox News Channel’s Megyn Kelly; she would have used the same language and given it back to him.
Actually, that was one of the first tips she shared for women in business as well as in their personal life–don’t take it personal. Don’t take anything personally–it is all business even if they hit below the belt. For women that struggle with this, pretend that you are an actress in a movie and whatever is being done is not happening to you but your movie character. The minute you take it personally you’re done; that is when the emotions take over.
Isn’t that forcing Gigi Stetler woman to be or act like a man? Absolutely not; a woman still has to stay in touch w/her feminine side but know how to address a man professionally on the business side. You might be surprised to learn that Gigi wears her stilettos and mini skirts on the RV lot everyday; no one is taking her femininity away from her. Ms. Stetler reciprocates; she does not try to emasculate her male counterparts or play the feminine card. As a single woman, if she asks a man out on a date, she pays and vice versa.
You might be surprised to learn that the Unstoppable author does not consider herself a feminist despite her record breaking success. Just look up the definition of feminist: it’s one of controversy and needing to prove that you are a woman; it’s a stereotyped word. You are trying to defend yourself and there’s no fight; handle your business and handle it right without trying to prove you are a man or feminist. Otherwise, you’ve wasted too much time in proving and have lost credibility; you could have done it already. Sound advice from a woman who rose to the top of a male dominated industry in five years versus the typical 12.
So how did Gigi Stetler achieve such success and what was her drive? For those answers and more, I highly recommend that you purchase your copy of Unstoppable! Surviving is Just the Beginning. The author promises that, if you think you have had a bad day, read the book; you’ll never ever complain again. From crime, violence and neglect to poverty, Unstoppable details a challenging life full of upheavals and emotions. Ms. Stetler’s refusal to give up is truly a testament that even challenges that would have stopped most in their tracks can be transformed into miracles and happy endings.
As Ms. Stetler would say, the measurement of success isn’t when you’re going to fail; it’s how fast you’re going to get up and start over. If you don’t achieve it when you said you would, move it to the next year. Don’t lower your goal and don’t give yourself the option to settle–too many people do and that’s why they fail.
Source: Alesha Brown, The Joy Guru
Pioneering Female CEO Has Message for Younger Women
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Pioneering Female CEO Has Message for Younger Women
At a moment in history when women still hold fewer than 20 percent of board seats at American companies, Gigi Stetler has not only subverted the paradigm - she's lucky to be alive.
Thirty years ago, at the age of 23, she was attacked by a homeless man she had helped with food, clothing and shelter. He charged through the door of her apartment, lunged at her with a knife and stabbed her 21 times, leaving her for dead.
Stetler survived, and throughout her long, slow recovery, she was determined to heal so she could fulfill her dream of becoming a successful businesswoman.
Gigi Stetler, with one of her many RVs, at Planet RV in Florida, October 2015. x Gigi Stetler, with one of her many RVs, at Planet RV in Florida, October 2015.
"You don't realize your inner strength and how strong you are when you're fighting for your life," she said, adding that during her horrific ordeal, she kept thinking "I'm in the middle of my mission, my accomplishments, you're not going to stop me."
Today, at 54, Stetler is the proud owner of a recreational vehicle dealership in Florida - a company she built from the ground up to compete in an industry sector largely dominated by men.
Proud to be the first woman in the U.S. to be founder and CEO of an RV dealership, she calls it a challenge she's been proud to have overcome.
"I know exactly what I'm talking about and they still just cannot help themselves to find out where the man is in my life," she said. "I don't take it personally anymore, now I use it to my advantage. When I do a service estimate, I go out there with my clipboard, my heels and my miniskirt and do an estimate on everything from the engine to the body work."
She wrote about her life in a man's world in a book called Unstoppable! Surviving is Just the Beginning.
Based on her experiences, she is not surprised by the findings of a recent study of women in business. The global accounting firm Grant Thornton surveyed companies listed on stock markets in the United States, India and the U.K. It reported that companies with diverse executive teams outperform competitors run by men only, by $655 billion.
Stetler calls that proof women can transform and lead any company, and she advises other leading businesswoman to step down from their boards and start their own companies.
"There need to be more women business owners having men work for them than the other way around, because they are the heart of this country," she said.
And her advice for young women - or even men - fresh out of college: "Don't leave school thinking you know everything, because they only train your book smarts, they don't train you street smarts.
"Go find the best person you can learn from, and no matter what they pay you, it doesn't matter," she added. "Don't work for money right now - work to learn."
For Stetler, that was the philosophy that drove her to establish her own successful business.
Source: Big News Network.com / VOA News
Pioneering Female CEO Has Message for Younger Women
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Pioneering Female CEO Has Message for Younger Women
At a moment in history when women still hold fewer than 20 percent of board seats at American companies, Gigi Stetler has not only subverted the paradigm — she's lucky to be alive.
Thirty years ago, at the age of 23, she was attacked by a homeless man she had helped with food, clothing and shelter. He charged through the door of her apartment, lunged at her with a knife and stabbed her 21 times, leaving her for dead.
Stetler survived, and throughout her long, slow recovery, she was determined to heal so she could fulfill her dream of becoming a successful businesswoman.
“You don’t realize your inner strength and how strong you are when you’re fighting for your life," she said, adding that during her horrific ordeal, she kept thinking "I’m in the middle of my mission, my accomplishments, you’re not going to stop me."
Today, at 54, Stetler is the proud owner of a recreational vehicle dealership in Florida — a company she built from the ground up to compete in an industry sector largely dominated by men.
Proud to be the first woman in the U.S. to be founder and CEO of an RV dealership, she calls it a challenge she's been proud to have overcome.
“I know exactly what I'm talking about and they still just cannot help themselves to find out where the man is in my life," she said. "I don't take it personally anymore, now I use it to my advantage. When I do a service estimate, I go out there with my clipboard, my heels and my miniskirt and do an estimate on everything from the engine to the body work.”
She wrote about her life in a man's world in a book called Unstoppable! Surviving is Just the Beginning.
Based on her experiences, she is not surprised by the findings of a recent study of women in business. The global accounting firm Grant Thornton surveyed companies listed on stock markets in the United States, India and the U.K. It reported that companies with diverse executive teams outperform competitors run by men only, by $655 billion.
Stetler calls that proof women can transform and lead any company, and she advises other leading businesswoman to step down from their boards and start their own companies.
“There need to be more women business owners having men work for them than the other way around, because they are the heart of this country," she said.
And her advice for young women — or even men — fresh out of college: “Don't leave school thinking you know everything, because they only train your book smarts, they don't train you street smarts.
"Go find the best person you can learn from, and no matter what they pay you, it doesn't matter," she added. "Don't work for money right now — work to learn."
For Stetler, that was the philosophy that drove her to establish her own successful business.
Source: VOA News / Julie Taboh
Stetler’s business moves to new location
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Stetler’s business moves to new location
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Plans are underway for Gigi Stetler’s Planet RV to move to a new location Oct. 1 at 3030 Burris Road in Davie, Fla. The new dealership five minutes south of the current location.
“My plans were derailed back in 2008 due to some hostile events but that never stopped me from fighting to eventually make it happen,” she explained.
Planet RV will be home to her 29-year-old company, RV Sales Of Broward, as well as what she calls the game-changing RV Fun Club.
Planet RV will have a 3,800-square-foot retail parts store , family arcade and snack bar, as well as six service bays and a body shop. Planet RV has partnered with the 595 Truck Stop for a combined 35-acre travel center, featuring a full restaurant, full bar, showers, dump station, LP gas, gasoline and diesel station, and fully-stocked convenience store.
The service center will be open from 6 a.m. to midnight seven days a week with 24-hour emergency road side assistance.
“Best of all, we have more than 300 parking spots for overnight parking, so you can sleep in your own bed while your RV home is getting serviced,” said Stetler, noting the RV and truck wash and tire center is also always open.
“Weather it’s just for service or to buy your new RV, rent one or join our membership club, Planet RV has it all,” she added.
For vendor information business opportunity, employment and advertising, call Richard at 954.583.3382.
SOURCE: RV Daily Report / RV Sales of Broward press release
Female CEO proves her mettle in business
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Female CEO proves her mettle in business
With fearless female CEOs like Gigi Stetler — who was stabbed and left for dead early in her career — it’s not surprising that the most successful businesses tend to have women in charge.
Having women in leadership roles is key for thriving business, a recent survey of businesses in the world’s top 21 global markets suggests.
The largest and most long-lasting family businesses have, on average, five women in senior executive positions and four women training for top leadership roles, according to the study.
Ms. Stetler, an accomplished Florida businesswoman, entrepreneur and single mother, battled her way to the top in the male-dominated industry of RV sales.
“Women, we just see things in a different way. We work twice as hard to get half as much,” Ms. Stetler said of her relentless compensation for gender inequality in the corporate realm.
When she first stepped into RV sales in the 1980s, Ms. Stetler was met with “a bunch of older, fat-cat, cigar-smoking, scotch-drinking good ol’ boys” who were not open to her fresh ideas. When she, for instance, suggested changing the hours of operation to better accommodate customers, the men in charge told her “to go home and bake cookies.”
Her male competitors’ refusal to leave their comfort zones helped Ms. Stetler gain market dominance. She eventually came to own a dealership, working 11 years “without ever missing a single day.” She “hustled” her way to the top, despite facing gender stereotypes, and became the No. 1 dealer on the East Coast.
All of this despite overcoming an abusive past.
When she was in her early 20s, a crazed homeless man stabbed Ms. Stetler 21 times and left her for dead after she allowed him to live for months in the apartment complex she managed.
“I don’t play the victim card,” she said. “I never have because it doesn’t get you anywhere, and it only slows you down.
“I greet life as a warrior every single day. After that happened to me, every day above ground is a great day,” she said.
Despite having jumped through hoops of sexism and patriarchy her entire life, Ms. Stetler does not identify as a feminist. She said feminists are “too victim-y” for her taste.
“Everybody has a different opinion on feminists, but a feminist to me is one that uses, like, a victim card. I’m not a man hater whatsoever,” she said. “When men go out of their way to find a way to destroy me, I take it as a compliment.”
Complicated trek
Ms. Stetler achieved corporate success despite having dropped out of high school in 10th grade. She does not recommend this method for everyone, but does stand by the idea that school prepares students only to make money for other people.
“Entrepreneurship is not taught in school,” she said. “To me, I think school and a good education prepare you to get a job to go work for somebody else.
“School has just programmed you to take your ideas and go give them to somebody else to make money on. So I have this concept, and I’ve had it very early on: Work to learn; don’t work to earn,” she said.
Ms. Stetler has a book titled “Unstoppable: Surviving Is Just the Beginning,” which outlines her obstacle course toward success. She now is writing a sequel.
“I’ve always considered myself a success born out of failure,” she said. “The measurement of success isn’t when you’re going to fail; it’s how fast you’re going to get up and start over. That’s success.”
Source: The Washington Times / By Emily Leslie
“Fighting the Gender Gap: No Cookies Required”
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“Fighting the Gender Gap: No Cookies Required”
By Gigi Stetler, Special for USDR / US DAILY REVIEW
At the recent Women’s Entrepreneur Network Summit, Dell announced the results of its first-ever Global Women Entrepreneur Leaders Scorecard, and the figures are discouraging. It turns out, gender-based differences “stifle the growth of women-owned businesses” across all 31 countries measured. And while the U.S. tops the list as the best place for women entrepreneurs, it only scored a 71 percent. On a school exam, that’s a ‘C.’ That means, there’s still a lot of room for improvement, and the struggles women face in entrepreneurship aren’t disappearing anytime soon.
I should know. As a female CEO in the male-dominated industry of RV Sales, I have had to crawl my way to success as men worked to keep me out. In fact, at my first meeting, I was told to “go home and bake cookies.” But that was something that was not an option, I paid someone else to bake the cookies while I hustled my way to the top of the industry.
I find it interesting that even in today’s times, when women are running for President, females still don’t get the respect in the board room or on the pay scale. I see that imbalance every day while working in a business that is traditionally controlled by men. I have hands on in every department of my company—from service, to sales and everything in between.
When male customers come into my dealership, asking for service estimates and advice, I crawl right under their coach, uncover the problem, and determine a solution—even if I happen to be wearing a pair of stilettos. Once we discuss the cost for repairs, 99% of the time, the male customer often says, “so I guess this is your husband’s business. Can I speak with him?” But now, I don’t take it personally. It just amazes me that according to some people, even though a woman can run for president, she still can’t own a company.
I have always greeted life as a warrior, and not a victim, because playing the “Victim Card” will only slow you down. Therefore, instead of taking offense to gender stereotypes, I try to laugh it off. I’ve discovered that the more I laugh at the sexist comments, the stupider people feel, and I end up charging the right amount (or sometimes more). So this ‘warrior’ mentality ends up lining my pockets, giving the phrase ‘laughing all the way to the bank’ a whole new meaning.
It’s important to note that I don’t think sexist behavior is acceptable, but it can teach you to keep your eye on the big picture, and don’t sweat the small stuff. I always keep my game face on, and remind myself: it’s nothing personal, it’s just business.
I know my road to success has not been easy, and if I were a man, I’m sure the obstacles I’ve faced would have never been there in the first place. But those obstacles have ignited my entrepreneurial spirit, a hunger for more business endeavors and more financial success.
My parting piece off advice: always fight for what is right, but only fight the battles that you can win, or are worth winning. As women, we may have to work twice as hard for half as much, but don’t let that put out your fire. Position yourself in the driver’ seat, and everyone else will be getting half as much as you are when you become unstoppable.
Business Week Magazine
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When an acquaintance asked her to help sell some old RVs, Gigi Stetler didn't know she was looking her future square in the face. "I didn't know the first thing about RVs," she says. "But I saw there was definitely a business there." That was in 1986. Today, Stetler, 47, owns the 27-employee RV Sales of Broward in Fort Lauderdale and rings $18.3 million in sales annually. The avid equestrienne lives in an RV most weekends, when she competes in horse shows. "I travel in a Fleetwood Revolution," she says. "But sometimes I sell it when I'm on the road. So I have to find other accommodations, fast."
HER 24 HORSES
I was on my first pony at two years old. I never had real horse training growing up, but now I have some show horses, racehorses, and I breed a few thoroughbreds. Some of my horses are retired now, living the good life.
LAKE PLACID
I don't actually get to drive around that often. I get jealous of my customers! If I had a few weeks, though, I'd take my son and go up to Lake Placid to relax.
LUCKY RED RAINCOAT
I never go to competitions without it. Whenever it starts getting cloudy, I put it on. I think it's actually only rained on the jacket twice.
HOT SAUCE
I can't ever find my Jamaican jerk sauces when I'm on the road, so I bring them with me.
LUXURY SHEETS
RV mattresses aren't the same size as regular mattresses, so I designed a line of luxury sheets that fits perfectly. It takes 10 seconds to make the bed.
HIBACHI GRILL
My RV comes with a built-in gas grill, but I carry a tiny little Hibachi, too. It cooks the best steaks.
Phelps Media Group International
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Team RV Sales of Broward and Gigi Stetler Wrap Up WEF 2012 with a Winning Streak
Written by: Kerri Salter
Client: R.V. Sales of Broward http://www.rvsalesofbroward.com
Release Date: 2012-04-05
Wellington, FL – April 5, 2012 –Throughout the 2012 winter season, Gigi Stetler of RV Sales of Broward and her team of horses and riders have had great success at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL. The top horse and riders from around the world gather at the international competition, and this year Stetler and her riders showed off their talent.
The highlight for Stetlers’ 2012 season was when her horse Par Avion, with Shaine Brooks of Stepping Stone Farm in the irons, won the $2,000 Pennfield Feeds 1.30m Open Jumper class during Week Two and Week Four. Brooks had other successful wins in Week Six, Week Nine, and in Week Twelve. Brooks also placed third during Week Nine’s $2,500 World Development Group 1.35m.
“Shaine is an amazing rider,” said Stetler. “She is patient, but strong and a great trainer. I have worked with her now for about two years she has brought me back to being a winner again in the ring. She has developed my five-year-old so successfully that I got ribbons in the Masters this year with such a young horse.”
Brooks also worked with Marisa Pachas and her horse Odyssey during the season to win top ribbons. Pachas’s most successful round came when she guided Odyssey to a blue ribbon in the Paddock Cakes Low Children’s Jumper in Week Seven at WEF. Randall Swatek aboard Stetlers’ Real Eyes had great success toward the end of the show season in Week Twelve. Swatek and Stetlers’ mount earned the championship in the Cross Rails Hunter Older division.
With Stetlers’ horses and riders having an incredible season in Wellington, Stetler is now starting a new riding program at her farm in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She is welcoming her new assistant trainer, Doug Babbs as he will begin teaching beginner – intermediate hunter and jumper riders.
Stetler concluded, “This is just so fun for me. I love to watch and assist in developing new horses and riders in the sport. I look forward to making dreams come true.”
Yahoo Finance
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Gigi Stetler and RV Sales of Broward Retains Famed Ticktin Law Group to Take Over Lawsuit Against Mark Bellissimo and Equestrian Show Holdings
FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., Feb. 21, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Gigi Stetler, owner of RV Sales of Broward (www.rvsalesofbroward.com), announced today that she has retained the legal services of The Ticktin Law Group to handle the lawsuit against Mark Bellissimo, Equestrian Show Holdings, Equestrian Sport Productions and Wellington Equestrian Partners.
"I'm thrilled that famed attorney, Peter Ticktin, has agreed to take on this lawsuit. Peter has built a thriving practice and is known as a bulldog. I know that he'll help shed light on the injustice I faced and that justice will be served," said Gigi Stetler, Owner and Founder of RV Sales of Broward. "The Village of Wellington is going to be shocked when they learn of what was done to me."
The filed lawsuit against Mark Bellissimo and all his named corporations deals with:
Stetler illegally being thrown off the equestrian show grounds in 2010 causing infliction of emotional distress and damage to her reputation. After a full day hearing, the USEF ruled unanimously in Stetler's favor and Bellissimo was admonished.
Failure to return audio, video and other of Stetler's equipment that was lent to Bellissimo and the horse show, which is still being illegally used at shows.
Fraudulently obtaining RV Sales of Broward's client list and selling it to Stetler's biggest competitor Camping World, which replaced them as the new RV Sponsor of the Winter Equestrian Festival. They interfered with the relationship which RV Sales had with its customers.
"It's despicable what the defendant did to Gigi and her company. Here, she was a loyal long-time sponsor only to be replaced by a competitor who was willing to pay more, while trying to put her out of business," said Peter Tickin, founder and attorney at The Ticktin Law group. "One of the things we learned about Gigi is that she won't just quit and go away. She's a fighter looking for justice and we're honored to represent her."
Gigi Stetler to Speak at “You Can Succeed” Women’s Conference
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Accomplished business woman, entrepreneur, and author, Gigi Stetler will be speaking at the Second Annual Women’s Conference, “You Can Succeed!,” presented by Kellie Kuecha on February 22, 2013 from 8am to 5pm, at Lakeside Terrace, 7880 Glades Road in Boca Raton, Florida
Boca Raton, Florida, United States., February 15, 2013 - (PressReleasePoint) - This exciting event focuses on providing women with the tools and encouragement needed to bring life to their visions and launch their business ideas in an uplifting and creative environment. Gigi Stetler is among the impressive line up of inspirational business mentors scheduled to speak at the event.
Gigi Stelter is a complex and inspirational woman; a single mother who didn't finish the 10th grade, who later became queen of the male-dominated RV industry, presiding over her business RV Sales of Broward. She has redefined the business climate of the RV industry, and continued on to enter other fields of business with the same unstoppable attitude. A motivational speaker, author, entrepreneur, business-woman, accomplished equestrian, designer and life coach, Gigi has become an inspiration to women everywhere.
Covering fundamental topics such as branding, sales, marketing and operations, the “You Can Succeed!” event also teaches the importance of less traditional business disciplines that are still important and necessary in the life of a business owner.
Gigi Stetler Signs with BookMasters Distribution Company
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Gigi Stetler Signs with BookMasters Distribution Company
Wellington, FL – January 4, 2011 – Gigi Stetler is pleased to announce that she recently signed a deal with BookMasters Distribution Company for her titles “UNSTOPPABLE! Surviving Is Just the Beginning” and “Never Underestimate the Strength of a Woman.” Thanks to BookMasters, these inspiring titles will first be available through wholesalers such as Ingram Book Company. Marketing materials will eventually be taken to corporate buyers for the main book selling chains such as Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million.
“I am very excited about the new partnership with BookMasters because they really focus on quality, distribution, getting the book to the right place, and marketing the book to the right people,” commented Stetler. “My book sits in about twelve categories on their website, from self-help to inspirational.”
“UNSTOPPABLE!” is a searing memoir detailing Stetler’s challenging life full of upheavals and emotions. This startling nonfiction expose covers a chilling array of crimes and retribution, from neglect and poverty to violence and victims’ rights. “UNSTOPPABLE!” makes the case for happy endings even under the most violent and disturbing scenarios. Most amazing is Stetler’s refusal to give up, making her a rare happy ending despite a series of challenges that would have stopped most people in their tracks. Regardless of what attacks or assaults you have faced, are facing or will face, and regardless of who directs those attacks at you, yourself, your parents, friends, colleagues, professors, lovers, teachers, competition, your own children, your own past, your own present or your own future: This book is an invitation to make your own, personal commitment to Not Only Survive, But to Thrive!
UNSTOPPABLE! is currently in its third printing through JAS Publishing, which is owned by Stetler’s son, Jarryd Stetler. The company also holds the rights for Stetler’s second title, “Never Underestimate the Strength of a Woman.”
For more information about “UNSTOPPABLE! Surviving Is Just the Beginning” please visit www.2beunstoppable.com.
Gigi Stetler on Succeeding In A Man's Business World
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Gigi Stetler on Succeeding In A Man's Business World
Gigi Stetler has overcome more than her share of hardships to be successful in business. Not only is she the sole woman over of two RV dealerships (which are mainly owned by men), but she has also overcome a near death experience as the victim of a stabbing to rise to the top of the business world. She'll share how she did it, and lots of tips and inspiration, on this show.
Gigi Stetler Comes Out on Top in USEF Case against Equestrian Show Holdings, LLC
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Wellington, FL – May 21, 2010 – Gigi Stetler, owner of RV Sales of Broward, recently prevailed in her protest against Equestrian Show Holdings LLC, over trespassing charges alleged to have occurred at the 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Stetler and RV Sales of Broward have been a longtime sponsor at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL, and have had a standing sponsorship contract since 1992. In 2010, however, the Winter Equestrian Festival chose not to renew Stetler’s sponsorship contract after securing her confidential client list under the ruse they were getting in line to prepare files for the 2010 show year.
According to Stetler, she was on the show grounds at the Palm Beach International Equestrian Center as a “spectator, exhibitor and participant of the horse show,” the weekend of February 12-14, 2010 and had an enjoyable show. Then on February 16, 2010, she received a cryptic email letter advising her that she was not permitted on any of the show grounds and should she come on the grounds she would be arrested for trespassing. This warning was sent on behalf of property owners, not the show Licensee, and was not defined in time and scope. After attempting to rectify the problem head-on with the property owners and getting nothing but delay and inattention, Stetler filed a protest with the USEF for the horse show refusing her entries and not allowing her on the show grounds. On March 24, 2010, Stetler was given a full day hearing, with all parties in attendance, with the USEF Hearing Committee in Lexington, Kentucky, and on May 17, 2010, the USEF made a unanimous decision in Stetler’s favor.
Stetler explained that the warning was issued with no notice of incident, and noted that she has been an exhibitor since the early 1990s and has always been in good standing with the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF). The Hearing Committee received and heard evidence presented by both parties in the matter. Stetler’s protest stated that the individuals and entities, as competition management and property owners, violated Federation Rules, including Chapter 7, GR702.ld and Chapter 9, GR914.1. It was a violation in that the Trespass Warning letter was sent to Stetler, a potential participant of the competitions, but did not state any explanation of Stetler not being permitted on any land owned by those entities; thus, wrongfully refusing entries she previously submitted and denying her the right to compete or participate at any future competitions held on said properties.
Stetler claimed she was not apprised of any allegations against her, and was not given any opportunity to defend herself. No effort was made to interview individuals who might vouch for Stetler. Very little effort was made to corroborate the claimed behavior of Stetler or to interview potential witnesses against her. None of that information was compiled in a clear manner to be presented for a vote by competition management or the show committee.
In weighing the testimony, it was apparent based on failed business/sponsorship dealings that there was friction between the parties. Moreover, the Hearing Committee considered that the Respondents decision was reportedly made in order to protect Ms. Stetler’s reputation and give her a “time out” so the parties could cool down and avoid potential future hostility. However, as well meaning as that may have been, the fact remains that Respondents did not follow any of the steps required for the exclusion of entries under Chapter 9, 0R914. Accordingly, it was improper to refuse Stetler’s entries under these circumstances.
For their violation of Federation rules, the Hearing Committee directed that Respondents be censured pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703. 1a. It was further directed that they be fined collectively $1,000 pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.lj, fines to be paid to the Federations office by June 29, 2010. It was further directed that should said fines not be paid to the Federation’s office by June 29, 2010, any non-paying individual or entity, and any horses owned by them will automatically be deemed not in good standing and will be immediately suspended from competing or taking any part whatsoever in Licensed Competitions, pursuant to Chapter 7, GR703.lb, GR703.lc, and 3R703 until such time as the fine is paid in full.
GiGi Stetler made the following statement, “I am extremely pleased with the thoroughness of the committee’s investigation and focus on getting to the truth and facts. This is not the first and likely will not be the last time in my life that I am attacked and assaulted regardless of motive; but I know only I direct my own present and future through my personal commitment to not only survive, but to thrive! Now I must press forward and restore my reputation and credibility after this character assassination and the tough times that resulted from it.”
“People have to know that I was never charged with anything with the USEF; I was pulled out by the property owners, and I was the one who filed the protest with the USEF,” Stetler emphasized. “I was the proponent, not the respondent. I filed the protest against the horse show for refusing my entries. People should know the ruling, because it could affect them in the future. Basically, the land owners cannot get involved. Unless you do something objectionable that can be substantiated, then they have no right to rule you off the property, and I did not do anything wrong.”
For more information on GiGi Stetler and RV Sales of Broward, please visit www.ridinggigistyle.com and www.rvsalesofbroward.com.
Gigi Stetler Opens Total Horse Performance Booth At WEF
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Wellington FL - March 7, 2011 - Gigi Stetler of R.V. Sales of Broward is coming to the Winter Equestrian Festival (WEF) to open the Total Horse Performance Booth in the Vendor Village March 9, 2011. The booth will feature the It's All NATURAL supplement line for horses, Equisports Massagers, and will serve as a pick-up location for equine starter packages available through Equinesavers.com.
The Total Horse Performance Booth will be open from March 9, 2011 through March 13, 2011. Visitors are encouraged to stop by the booth to meet Stetler and discuss RV rentals for summer horse shows such as HITS-On-The-Hudson in Saugerties, NY and the Kentucky Spring and Summer Horse Shows. The booth will also have the Equisports Massager available to try out as a free massage and for purchase.
My Perfect Bones, My Perfect Joints and Mag Plus are all the equine supplements available from the It's All NATURAL supplement line. My Perfect Bones has been shown to reverse bone loss naturally. It contains the active ingredient MCHC, which a 1985 medical journal reported helps reverse bone loss in horses that have been treated with steroids. Steroids are often used to treat bone loss but the negative side effects do not create new bone but only stabilize old bone. By re-mineralizing a horse's bones with My Perfect Bones daily, owners can help care for and avoid bone injuries. This supplement decreases the chances of injuries in the high performance horse, as stronger bone is less likely to get injured. My Perfect Bones has also helped promote rapid healing after bone injury and quicker recovery.
The Equisports Massager is an incredible handheld device that is the gold standard in equine massage, as it enhances competitive performance and stimulates natural healing. Created by Core Products International, the Equisports Massager offers owners the opportunity to provide top quality massaging techniques for their horse at any time, increasing the horse's efficiency. The Equisports Massager can help alleviate muscle fatigue and reduce stiffness. It has also been used on horses before they exercise to help maintain supple muscles and efficient motion. The product provides deep-penetrating orbital oscillating action that helps relax, soothe and comfort your horse to promote the healing process. The Equisports Massager is safe to use from poll to hoof and features and automatic safety shutoff.
Ladies Who Launch
(external link)
Gigi Stetler’s story reads like a best-seller, replete with plot twists, shady characters, and a heroine with many layers. A father-figure mentor who gave Gigi her first opportunity but later stabbed her in the back. An attacker who literally stabbed her 21 times and left her for dead. A good ol’ boys network in an industry that conspired to keep her out. Every time Gigi got knocked down, she kept getting back up, and her RV Sales of Broward in Florida did $18.2 million in sales last year as a result. But there are many sides to this tough-as-nails businesswoman: She is also a single mom, an equestrian, and a woman of such immeasurable grace that she visited every day at the deathbed of the mentor who had tried to destroy her.
What we learned from Gigi: That you just can’t give up. Not on yourself, no matter how many setbacks you have to fight your way through. And not on others, no matter how badly you’ve been burned. As Gigi likes to say: Trust everyone … but verify as much as you can.
To RV or Not to RV
“I came into this career completely by accident. My mentor, Jerry, was a man who had been involved with my mother and was a father figure to me for many years. He had purchased an investment property and it came with an inventory of mobile homes. I was just 23 years old, but I could see that the man running the lot was lying to customers and not delivering what he promised. I told Jerry about it and the lot just became my problem to deal with after he kicked the guy out.”
On-the-Job Training
“In the beginning, I didn’t even know that ‘RV’ stood for ‘Recreational Vehicle.’ The business I had just inherited had been run into the ground; we were $400,000 in debt and we had a lot of unhappy customers. I just started doing what I could do on my own, making repairs for existing customers. Once I had gotten to know several of them, I threw a party and offered each of them a $500 referral bonus for any new business they sent me, and from there things just boomed. It turned into a real business.”
Boys’ Club
“It is never easy to be the only woman in a male-dominated industry, and I was not taken seriously as a cute and bubbly girl among the cigar-smoking fat cats of the RV industry. At the first dealer meeting, they said, ‘You need to go home and bake cookies, little girl.’ The next month, they held their meeting an hour before the official time so that I would be excluded. They tricked me three months in a row.”
She’s Small but She’s Scrappy
“I didn’t care that I wasn’t accepted, because I was there to make money. So I started getting more aggressive and undercutting everyone’s price. They had a complete monopoly—they were all carrying the same product at the same prices, so there was no negotiating. I cut prices in half and was giving customers better value and better service, and then they started paying attention to me.”
Work Ethic
“For the first 11 years in the business, I worked 14-hour days, seven days a week, every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. My philosophy when I was young was ‘Work to learn’ not ‘Work to earn.’”
Something Doesn’t Add Up
“We were doing a lot of business, but I was never paid more than $500 a week plus a small commission on sales. I never even earned a Christmas bonus. When Jerry started complaining that there was no money in the bank, I didn’t understand it. Our overhead wasn’t very high and we owned the property, so I didn’t know where the money was going. I didn’t know that the entire time, he had been drawing a $5,000 a week salary for himself.”
A Painful Betrayal
“I had worked for so little, always believing that Jerry and I were partners and that I was working hard for a business that would be mine in the end. The story of his betrayal is long and involved, but the bottom line is that he decided to sell the property and cut me out, despite a long-standing verbal agreement that if and when he was ready to get out he would sell to me. He had drained the business of assets and it was encumbered by debt. A supplier was owed $350,000 and Jerry threatened that if I did not pay it myself, he would tell the supplier that I had stolen the money so that my reputation would be ruined and I would not be able to start over.”
Take Two
“The goodwill I had built in the community saved me. I went right across the street and made a deal for a new lot. The employees came with me and the vendors kept supplying me. I covered payroll using my credit cards. I paid off every single one of Jerry’s creditors even though I had no legal obligation to do so. So there I was working for free again for those first few years, but we made it and I have since bought out two other dealerships.”
Branching Out
“I just purchased a former hockey/skating sports facility in Deerfield Beach, Florida, that I plan to develop into ‘RV World’, an RV destination with recreation for adults and children, food/beverage and retail outlets, and other amenities. I am also developing a specialty line of kitchen, bed, and bath products for use in RVs.”
Motivation
“I have been obsessed with horses since I was 2, and this is what gave me the desire to make something out of myself. I wanted to ride horses so badly and the only way I was going to have the money to do so was if I made it myself. It’s good for kids to really want something and to have to figure out how to earn it. Now I compete on the equestrian circuit and it’s something that brings a lot of balance to my life.”
Nine Lives
“I’m writing a book about my life story, about all of these different things that have happened to me and how I always ended up landing on my feet. Prior to getting into the RV business I was working in hotel and property management and was renovating a run-down apartment building. I made a deal with a guy who was living in the boiler room to let him live in an apartment in exchange for painting. One day he went a little crazy and started throwing beer bottles from the roof. I called 911, but he burst in and stabbed me 21 times and tried to strangle me with an air conditioner cord while I was on the line with the police. I fought back and finally played dead, doing whatever I had to do to stay alive until the police got there. The moral to the story—to all of my stories—is that you just can’t give up.”
Parting Thoughts …
-”Success to me means … waking up in the morning.”
-”I will always think of myself as … a winner.”
-”I care least about … the small stuff.”
ARCHIVE PRESS POST
Gigi Stetler Comes Out on Top in USEF Case against Equestrian Show Holdings, LLC
Gigi Stetler, owner of RV Sales of Broward, recently prevailed in her protest against Equestrian Show Holdings LLC, over trespassing charges alleged to have occurred at the 2010 FTI Winter Equestrian Festival. Stetler and RV Sales of Broward have been a longtime sponsor at the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, FL, and have had a standing sponsorship contract since 1992. In 2010, however, the Winter Equestrian Festival chose not to renew Stetler’s sponsorship contract after securing her confidential client list under the ruse they were getting in line to prepare files for the 2010 show year.
http://gigistetler.wordpress.com/2010/05/21/gigi-stetler-comes-out-on-top-in-usef-case-against-equestrian-show-holdings-llc/
Spindletop Hall and RV Sales of Broward Join Forces to Offer Luxury Accommodations during the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games
Spindletop Hall and RV Sales of Broward are pleased to announce that they will be joining forces to offer a limited number of exclusive, luxury RV accommodations during the 2010 Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games (WEG). The lucky patrons who jump on this offer first will delight in in the finest accommodations in Lexington while also experiencing the historic competition of the World Equestrian Games. World-class, custom designed RV’s will be hooked up on the elegant grounds of the Spindletop Hall mansion and guests will enjoy lavishing in all of the luxury amenities offered. One year club memberships will be included in the accommodations packages for your enjoyment on return trips to the Kentucky Horse Park.
http://gigistetler.wordpress.com/2010/05/24/spindletop-hall-and-rv-sales-of-broward-join-forces-to-offer-luxury-accommodations-during-the-2010-alltech-fei-world-equestrian-games/
Women business & Industry
(front cover story) http://www.wib-i.com/WIBI_2009.pdf
Nine Lives
“I’m writing a book about my life story, about all of these different things that have happened to me and how I always endedup landing on my feet. Prior to getting into the RV business I was working in hotel and property management and wasrenovating a run-down apartment building. I made a deal with a guy who was living in the boiler room to let him live in anapartment in exchange for painting. One day he went a little crazy and started throwing beer bottles from the roof. I called911, but he burst in and stabbed me 21 times and tried to strangle me with an air conditioner cord while I was on the linewith the police. I fought back and finally played dead, doing whatever I had to do to stay alive until the police got there. Themoral to the story—to all of my stories—is that you just can’t give up.” (excerpt from Ladies Who Launch June 17th 2008)http://www.ladieswholaunch.com/magazine/1168/1167
Gigi Stetler's Favorite Things
By Amy S. Choi
When an acquaintance asked her to help sell some old RVs, Gigi Stetler didn't know she was looking her future square inthe face. "I didn't know the first thing about RVs," she says. "But I saw there was definitely a business there." That was in1986. Today, Stetler, 47, owns the 27-employee RV Sales of Broward in Fort Lauderdale and rings $18.3 million in salesannually. The avid equestrienne lives in an RV most weekends, when she competes in horse shows. "I travel in a FleetwoodRevolution," she says. "But sometimes I sell it when I'm on the road. So I have to find other accommodations, fast."
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/08_70/s0810068823052.htm?chan=magazine+channel_departments
Do You Know About Gigi Stetler?
Gigi is now becoming known as the "Unstoppable CEO", and Moms In Business Network is interviewing her on May 28,2009! Whener you think your life is hard and all odds are against you...think of Gigi and get insprired. Join us for theinterview and ask your questions.
http://momsinbusinessnetwork.blogspot.com/2009/05/do-you-know-about-gigi-stetler.html
Gigi Stetler Launches Seminar Series in Conjunction with Soon-to-Launch Book, “Unstoppable”
Gigi Stetler’s advice, tips and motivational support come from true experiences and the ability to make the tough sell. Gigi’sRV business grosses more than $11 million in annual revenue in an industry known as a good old boys network, and withproducts considered to be a very tough sell. She offers tried-and-true tactics for negotiating and renegotiating terms,operating successfully on a shoestring budget, cutting deals that seem impossible, -- and all without alienating people in theprocess. Gigi Stetler has been featured on The Today Show, in BusinessWeek, Success Magazine, MSNBC, MoreMagazine, the South Florida Business Journal plus a number of other well-respected media outlets.
http://prgb.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=76509&Itemid=31
Florida RV Dealer Presses Suits Against Lenders
Broward County, Fla., RV dealer GiGi Stetler has drawn inquiries from hundreds of distressed RV dealers and appears tobe making some progress with her lawsuits against financial institutions, claiming overcharges on the interest dealers havehad to pay for floorplanning.
http://www.rvbusiness.com/tag/gigi-stetler/
Gigi Stetler to Host Reality TV Show, ?Horseplay with Gigi?
The show, ?Horseplay with Gigi,? will be a 13-week series produced by Palm Beach Rox TV and is a spin-off of PalmBeach Rox, which is an inside look at the galas, celebrities and luxurious lifestyle of Palm Beach residents. However, ?Horseplay with Gigi? will feature all aspects of the Winter Equestrian Festival, from the short stirrup riders to the grand prixring, and the grooms to the braiders.
http://www.equestrianmag.com/news/gigi-stetler-rv-broward-reality-tv-1-07.html
RV superstore plan derailed, dealer says ‘I’m not giving up’
She has overcome challenges before, and isn’t giving up now.
http://southflorida.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2009/01/19/story7.html
Florida RV dealer launches seminar series for small business dealers
For the first time, Stetler is sharing her wisdom and experiences with a group of business owners in South Florida – with thefirst 50 registrants receiving an early release, free copy of the book. Her story includes a true grit series of rises and falls,ranging from the day she agreed to help out a friend in the RV business to her promotion to manager a few weeks later, plusthe tremendous setback she experienced after run-ins with an established network, and finally her being stabbed 21 timesand left for dead.
http://www.rvenews.com/News/tabid/57/ctl/ArticleView/mid/372/articleId/314/Florida-RV-dealer-launches-seminar-series-forsmall-business-dealers.aspx
Articles of Interest
http://southflorida.bizjournals.com/southflorida/stories/2008/04/07/story5.html
“I volunteer my time because it’s fun, first of all, and because it’s a good cause..."
http://www.horsesdaily.com/news/psa/2007/01-02-eaf-party.html
Radio Interviews
Women in Business Radio with Gale Carson.
http://www.chatwithwomen.com/podcast/?p=669
http://www.wsradio.com/player/wsradio-player2.cfm/type/windows/show/Women-in-Business-Radio/segment/19833.html
Caroline Gabe Show
http://www.wsradio.com/player/wsradio-player2.cfm/type/windows/show/The-Carolyn-Gable-Show/segment/25284.html