profile

Exec Seat: Sportsheets President Julie Stewart

After 16 years with the award-winning manufacturer Sportsheets International, Julie Stewart was announced as company president last summer. Today, Stewart works closely with Sportsheets’ top executives and customers, and oversees the company’s sales and marketing, finances and human resources.

According to Stewart, in her current role there is no typical day at the office.

Running a small business is exciting, rewarding and challenging, and I’m constantly inspired by Tom, whose visionary, entrepreneurial mind and limitless imagination and generosity are key to the company’s success.

“The only thing typical at Sportsheets is a hectic pace and a multitude of projects going on concurrently,” she said. “Team meetings, private label planning, working with department leads, talking to customers and vendors, putting out fires, starting fires, eating lots of chocolate.”

Julie joined her brother Tom Stewart, founder and CEO in 1995, and 13 years ago became his business partner and vice president.

“I was 23 when I entered the industry and did not have much experience in business,” Julie Stewart said. “I had to work hard to earn the respect of customers and vendors and Tom. In 1999 I attended Pepperdine University in their Executive MBA program, and it was an extremely conservative environment (Ken Starr was in their legal school.)”

Julie says she enjoys working in the family business and with her husband Ed Hayes, the COO for the company.

“I’m grateful every day that I get to work with my brother and my husband as well as our amazing team, great customers and vendors to build something that makes people happy,” Stewart said in a company press release. “Running a small business is exciting, rewarding and challenging, and I’m constantly inspired by Tom, whose visionary, entrepreneurial mind and limitless imagination and generosity are key to the company’s success. We have all worked really hard to build Sportsheets into the dynamic and respected company it is — and it’s way beyond just Tom and me.”

Stewart has done it all at Sportsheets — setting up trade show booths, visiting customers and doing product training, purchasing and product design, and even operating the forklift (“Not a pretty sight,” she said).

According to Stewart, the most rewarding part of her job is the people she interacts with.

“Hearing from satisfied customers and seeing our employees excel and develop,” she said, “seeing employees that have been with us over a decade — watching their kids grow up.”

While being a part of Sportsheets’ successes — which Stewart lists as “launching Sex & Mischief, buying our building, surviving and thriving the last six months through our huge growth of 2012” — she revealed to XBIZ her mantra.

“Balance, focus, delegate,” Stewart says, “Don’t take yourself so damn seriously — that’s a daily challenge!”

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More Articles

opinion

How Adult Retailers Can Enhance Sales With Supplements

The supplement industry is big business. In 2024, Future Market Insights estimated it to be valued at $74.3 billion, and other market research firms anticipate that number will grow to upwards of $170 billion in just 10 years.

Rick Magana ·
opinion

Why It's Time the Pleasure Industry Got Serious About IPX Waterproof Ratings

As someone who regularly communicates with manufacturers, retailers and consumers, I’ve seen how this ambiguity can do a disservice to both the customers who use these products and the businesses that sell them.

Alicia Sinclair Rosen ·
opinion

Tips for Sexual Wellness Brands to Win Over Gen Z This Summer

As summer rolls around, the excitement in the air is palpable, especially for one particular demographic: Gen Z. College and university classes are over, vacations are booked and it’s time to let loose.

Naima Karp ·
opinion

Celebrating the LGBTQ+ Community With Inclusive Packaging Design

Pride Month is a time of visibility, joy and self-expression. In the pleasure industry, projecting that energy can start with something as simple as a box. Market research shows that 72% of U.S. consumers say product packaging influences their purchasing decisions.

Matthew Spindler ·
profile

WIA Profile: Pettus Ashley

Pettus Ashley brings her A game to the world of authentic adult branding, flitting between airports as the American face of U.K. brand Bathmate. As a company brand ambassador, Ashley personifies Bathmate’s dedication to the retail world, showering staff with equal amounts of appreciation and sales education.

Women In Adult ·
profile

Good Relations Fosters Sex Wellness, Positivity for 40+ Years

Melinda Myers, the founder and owner of Good Relations in Eureka, California, was still in college when she got invited to attend her first pleasure products home party.

Quinton Bellamie ·
opinion

Why It's Time for Pleasure Brands to Stop Ignoring B2C Marketing

For many B2B adult brands, marketing to consumers feels like a waste of time. I’ve heard it so many times: “We sell to retailers, not consumers. Why should we invest in B2C marketing?”

Hail Groo ·
opinion

The Midlife Movement Is Exploding; Is the Pleasure Industry Ready?

In marketing, there tends to be an emphasis on the younger generation — the trendsetters. The assumption is that appealing to the younger market has a halo effect on older consumers, who look to younger folks for what is on trend.

Sarah Tomchesson ·
opinion

Gender Play Gets Creative With Fantasy Toys

Sex toy manufacturers are increasingly recognizing the value of fantasy products, expanding their lines to include ever more diverse designs. What was once considered a niche market has proven to have broad appeal, demonstrating that people are eager to explore desires that extend beyond conventional human experiences.

Rin Musick ·
opinion

How Sex Toy Retailers Can Better Support Marginalized Communities

As someone who has been in the industry since 2003, I’ve seen countless trends, products and marketing strategies come and go. Yet one thing has remained consistent: a significant gap in how sex toy retailers serve marginalized communities.

Kimberly Scott Faubel ·
Show More