Stephan Stubbins of Sonoma's Transcendence Theatre Company wins Forty Under 40 Award

Stephan Stubbins of Sonoma's Transcendence Theatre Company wins an 11th annual Forty Under 40 award from North Bay Business Journal.

Responsibilities with your company: In addition to being one of founders of Transcendence I serve on the board and in an executive leadership capacity in addition to being responsible for our marketing department (as CMO).

I form strong community partnerships for Transcendence, orchestrate outreach programs, perform in the shows, create/design/schedule/manage our advertising and PR efforts, and wear many hats in addition to building and implementing the strategic vision and plan for the company.

How do you exemplify the spirit of being a top Forty under 40 professional?: I've deeply connected the community in leading hundreds of staff in inspiring 81,000 patrons, saving JLSHP, benefiting children, and gaining national recognition in six years.

Years with company: 10

Length of time in current position: Six years. Our executive titles names were solidified in 2011.

Number of employees who report to you: 14

Greatest professional accomplishment: As a business leader, it was beginning our first season with $83 and pulling off a $400,000 financial leap of a first season in the black. After five years, we're now a $3 million company.

It's been through persistence, community building, grassroots and a relentless attitude to make a profound positive impact in saving Jack London State Historic Park and inspiring thousands of lives. As an artist it would be accomplishing my dream of performing on Broadway in Mary Poppins.

Greatest professional challenge: Taking something that's invisible and convincing thousands of people to believe and invest in it before it's real.

Best advice received: Never stop investing in constant and never-ending improvement (CANI). Never stop learning, growing and adapting personally and professionally.

Single most important event in your professional life in the last 12 months: After five years of lessons learned in the development of our business systems, the addition of skilled board members, the creation of our advisory council, and the enlisting of invaluable business consultants has brought us to a most important event of re-evaluating our strategic plan and fine-tuning it for much greater success and sustainability.

What steps is your company taking to sustain your organization and morale in the current economy?: Financially we've taken steps to become more sustainable by adding business expertise to our board, by creating an advisory council, and by enlisting expert business consultants to help us refine our systems and focus our strategic plans.

In regards to our morale, we are very focused on our healthy company culture. We hold weekly all-hands meetings where different members of the company provide the inspiration, or provide book reports and summaries of what they've been learning. We host family dinners for our artists and staff.

We begin all of our rehearsals with 30 minutes of alignment where different artists share inspirations and teachings (this not done in any other theatre organizations that we know).

Our four values are kindness, honesty, transformation and positive impact, and we integrate them into our conversations and operations and we strive to live by them daily. We know we can't pay our employees competitively to other organizations, but we've retained star employees through their ongoing connection with our mission, culture and team.

Next professional goal: To put a powerful and tested turnkey marketing system in place for our company, so we can scale effectively while keeping a profound personal connection with our dedicated supporters and staff.

Education: Webster University, bachelor of fine arts, theater; American Institute Of Musicals Studies in Graz, Austria; Sonoma County certified tourism ambassador; CTA Producers Prospective Pro; theater production continuing education; Member GKIC; Marketing and Direct Marketing Continuing Education, Member.

Hometown: Cincinnati

Mentor/admired businessperson: There have been so many local business mentors that have inspired and guided me, including the Business Journal's own Paul Pastorino, who made a profound impact on our first marketing plans through his wise advice in 2012.

If I had to pick one that I look up to most currently it would be Kristen Madsen at Creative Sonoma, the arts council established through Sonoma County Economic Development Board.

Her poise, professionalism, business-sense, inclusiveness, and character all represent qualities I aspire to. I can think of no other person I've met that could represent the arts in such an impactful and respectable way in Sonoma County and I am extremely excited to get to follow, participate, and learn from the ways she brings us all together and helps us play an important part in the future of business in Sonoma County.

Typical day at the office: I'm typically the first one at the office in the morning and the last one to leave at the end of the day. I get my most effective work done in the early morning before others arrive. As an ambassador of our brand, I also spend a lot of time out of the office on speaking engagements and making personal connections in the community.

Best place to work outside of your office: In service club groups or other community organizations. My greatest work comes from connecting and partnering with other organizations and making personal contact.

Hobbies: Talking to my sweet and wonderful long-distance girlfriend, Libby; working out; reading business and management books - especially, anything marketing related, cooking, playing piano and writing music.

What you wanted to be when you grew up: As a little kid I wanted to be an architect, and then I started to fall in love with music and power of the arts. I've always been fascinated by the place where successful art and innovative business come together and flourish.

No. 1 thing you want to accomplish by the time you turn 40: Professionally, to have an endowment in place so that Transcendence is creating a legacy that will be here long after we're gone.

Personally, To start a family with the love of my life, Libby Servais.

First job: My first job was being hired as a performer for Cincinnati Children's Theatre while I was a sophomore in high school. It was my first time doing a professional show with performers with Broadway experience. My brother was in the show with me at the time and now, years later, he's the president of the board of that organization in Cincinnati.

Favorite book: “Good To Great” by Jim Collins. Such sound advice and understanding

Favorite movie: “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” Believing in a quest and dedicating your life to it

Favorite after-work drink: Water. Occasionally a glass of Benziger red wine, if it's been a really long week. (I love their Tribute.)

Last vacation: New York City to visit my girlfriend and to reconnect with business contacts and professionals.

What does your mom or dad brag most about you?: My character and heart