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

Kraig McGee Blends Family Biz Experience, Creative Background at TAF Distributing

Walk into any Adam & Eve store in the Mountain West region of the U.S. and you’ve likely stumbled into a TAF Distributing outfit. Owned by industry veteran Kraig McGee Jr. and staffed by his closest family members, McGee’s 35 TAF-operated stores span 13 states, from woodsy Idaho to scenic Utah and well beyond.

Colleen Godwin ·
opinion

How Pleasure Brands Can Ethically Market to LGBTQ+ Communities

Every June, the rainbow floodgates open. Suddenly, pleasure products are “Pride-themed,” companies change their logos and brands rush to show just how inclusive they are — at least for 30 days. But as a queer, nonbinary marketing strategist who works with adult brands year-round, I’m here to say: Rainbow dildos alone are not progress. They’re often just noise.

Hail Groo ·
opinion

A Retailer's Road Map for First-Timers' Anal August

Anal August offers a prime opportunity for brands and stores to capture new customers and drive growth in a category that’s gaining mainstream momentum. As consumer interest in anal play continues to rise, now is the time to meet first-time buyers where they are, with approachable products, trusted education and a clear path to pleasure.

Matthew Spindler ·
opinion

Optimizing Your Leadership Through Wellness Practices

For many of us, 2025 has proved intensely stressful — and we’re still only halfway through the year. In times like these, it may seem counterintuitive or even irresponsible to talk about seeking pleasure. Yet pleasure, presence, joy and connection can help you return to a mental and physical state that allows you to face and handle stressors.

Sarah Tomchesson ·
opinion

Chastity Play Is Trending: Why It Should Be in Your Marketing Strategy

From chastity fetishes to power play, erotic control — once considered an esoteric niche within the world of BDSM — is now entering the mainstream. Google searches for “chastity cages,” “chastity fetish” and “orgasm denial” have exploded over the past year, with interest especially high for beginner-friendly models.

Naima Karp ·
opinion

A Look at Adult Retail's Role in Community Care

In the adult retail industry, we focus on empowerment, exploration and connection. We connect people with products that can transform their relationships with their bodies, with their partners and with themselves.

Rin Musick ·
trends

A Deep Dive Into Key Trends Shaping Pleasure Products

In 2025, the pleasure industry is evolving in intentional ways. Rather than racing toward newness for novelty’s sake, brands are reassessing everything from shape and function to what price intended shoppers can afford.

Ariana Rodriguez ·
profile

WIA Profile: Jia Jeng

Modern branding is all about storytelling — and Jia Jeng certainly knows how to tell an authentic, perspective-shifting tale. As brand manager for ID Lubricants, Jeng applies her creative talent to shaping the long-established company’s public image in a way that aligns with her own vision for an ethical future.

Women in Adult ·
profile

Spicerack Market Offers Indie Brands a Launching Pad

Spicerack Market is an ecommerce platform with the heart of an artisan crafter and the soul of a kinkster. On the website, independent sex toy makers, lingerie seamstresses and kink gear craftspeople can set up a personalized shop to sell their handmade wares, unhindered by censorship or bans on adult products.

Colleen Godin ·
opinion

Strategies to Bring Pleasure Brands into the Spotlight

Every brand dreams about landing a feature in The New York Times or Men’s Health — and pleasure brands are no exception. After all, mainstream media coverage isn’t just a vanity milestone. It builds trust, attracts new audiences and opens doors to connecting with retailers, partnerships, and investors.

Hail Groo ·
Show More