6 min read
Employee Spotlight: Julie Kirsch

Edward

You pass them in the halls, see their faces on Teams calls, and exchange emails. You know their job title and department and might even know their extension by heart. But do you truly know who you’re working with? Get to know Julie Kirsch, one of the Senior Directors on our Tech Sales team and Tandym’s Employee of the Month for December 2024! 

Who are you?

I was born and raised in Rochester, New York, surrounded by my loving parents, a brother, a sister, and our cherished beagle, Sneakers. I grew up playing softball, but by the time I got to high school, I lost interest. However, I still do have a little crook in my nose from it. 

I attended SUNY Oneonta and, after graduating and not knowing what I wanted to do, I embraced adventure and relocated to New Orleans for two years to accompany my sister during her master’s studies. While living down there, I worked in a bar and restaurant and pretty much immersed myself in everything that the vibrant culture of the city had to offer and eventually met my future husband, Joel.

When my sister finished her master’s after a couple of years, she got a job in New York City and moved to Brooklyn. I decided to move with her and eventually, Joel came up to live with us as well. After 10 years in Brooklyn & Manhattan, my husband and I currently reside in Stamford and are loving living outside of a city for the first time in a long time. 

If you could live your life as a random animal for a day, what would it be and why?

My mind immediately goes to a cheetah and I don’t know why. I guess maybe because they’re really fast. But now that I think of it, there’s nothing else appealing about them. I could maybe be a giraffe. I’m kind of tall and I like that they’re really tall. You know what, that’s dumb. Let’s just go with cheetah. I like things to be done fast. Wait – what’s a fast, tall animal? Maybe a hybrid of the two. I’m starting to realize I don’t really know animals. Oh wait, I like seals!  Forget it, I’m just going to stick with cheetah. Honestly, if we don’t move to the next question, my animal is going to change 15 more times. 

Who were your heroes/inspirations growing up?

I know everyone says their parents, but I honestly think that. My dad was always in sales and I feel like I’ve followed in his footsteps to a degree. I didn’t even really know what he did for work when I was growing up, but now we talk about it a lot and share stories about our trials and tribulations. I never realized how hard he worked until it became my career. With my mom, I resonate with her work ethic and commitment. She’s had the same job her entire career (kind of like me) and is a bit of a perfectionist. I’ve taken a bit from both of them and credit the great upbringing I had to my success today. 

You just moved to Stamford after 10+ years in Manhattan. What is your morning / evening commute like now and how do you pass the time?

They’re a lot longer, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoy them! In the morning, I do the Wordle and the NYT Mini Crossword while listening to music. Once I’m done with those, I’ll spend the rest of the ride answering e-mails and cleaning out my inbox. By the time all that is done, I’m pulling into Grand Central. 

The commutes home are very different. I answer a couple of e-mails, but do the social media scroll and maybe shop. Some days, I just honestly throw on music and people-watch. I was thinking of downloading a show like “Lioness” for my commutes (one episode in; one episode out). My husband watches and I want to catch up to him. All in all, it’s a lot easier and less hectic than I ever expected. 

You and your husband had a good “how’d you meet story”. Care to share?

I lived in New Orleans for two whole years before I moved to New York City – and we only met the week I was leaving. We had a mutual friend and they came into my restaurant when I was bartending / waitressing. I was immediately drawn to Joel and kept trying to convince our friend to get him to ask me out. Joel, being the Southern gentleman that he is, didn’t want to yet because he was in a sling and would not be able to reach for his wallet, open the car door, or other things along those lines. We eventually got to hang out and I had to buy him the beer because he couldn’t get his wallet out of his pants! 

I moved away at the end of that week, but we literally texted every single day. He came up to visit during Memorial Day Weekend and had mentioned he was considering moving out of NOLA. I casually, but in all seriousness, suggested that he move up here to live with me. Two months later, he did just that! The funny thing is that the day he moved in was only the 10th time we hung out in person. We dated, got married, and have been inseparable ever since! 

Did you find Tandym or did we find you?

Believe it or not, we kind of met halfway! I came in as a candidate looking for a job with no idea that recruitment was even an industry. I met with a carousel of people all day for different jobs that they were working on for clients, but one thing I noticed was every single person I met was friendly, cool and professional. It got to the point where I asked the Recruiter interviewing me, “Can I just work here?” She was a bit taken aback, but we had already hit it off, so she introduced me to a couple of more people at the company. Before I knew it, I had an interview with the President of the company. I got the job and been here for 10 years and counting! 

You’re one of the big champions of being from Rochester / Upstate NY. Describe a perfect day up there in the Roc!

There are two types of perfect days in Rochester. The first is in the summer when it’s perfectly warm with a light breeze that is just inviting you to paddleboard all morning and early afternoon with family and friends. And then of course ending the afternoon at one of the hundreds of breweries in the area with a garbage plate (2 burgers, home fries, and mac salad) and some live music. 

The second, and this one is my preference, is in the winter. It’s absolutely dumping snow, and you’re stranded at home with family by the fire playing games, cooking, and watching whoever the Buffalo Bills are playing that day. Both are great days in Upstate NY, but the second is a classic Rochester day. 

What excites you about Sales, specifically Tech Sales, that makes you so successful?

Let me be very clear: sales is hard. Let me reiterate: sales is REALLY hard. You cannot half-ass it. It takes drive, commitment, and determination to become successful. But once you get into the thick of things, it’s so addicting. There’s this craving or high that you just keep chasing. Not to mention, the competitiveness that comes with it is second to none, especially with a group like the ones we have here at Tandym. 

As for Tech Sales, most of the people I work with know so much about tech and the way they describe what they’re trying to achieve makes it that much easier for me to do my job successfully. And I’m not just saying this as a special shout-out to the Tech team, but the team we have is so solid. From the Sales team all the way down to the Recruitment / Delivery side, everyone is so knowledgeable and meticulous about every detail. I love it. 

You’re a burger aficionado with a particular taste. Build your ideal burger.

I’m so happy that this question was asked because the masses need to know what truly goes into a great burger. First and foremost, you need a nice, squishy sesame seeded bun. And not just a sprinkle, but lots of sesame seeds. For the meat, it’s got to be double smashed. For toppings, get ready for this: a gooey, almost orange cheese (American preferably); caramelized onions (but they have to be diced); a special sauce (has to be mustard based); lots of pickles (only dill!); lettuce (shredded iceberg only); and one, juicy slice of tomato (it has be the same size as the meat, but smaller than the bun). I’ve come close many times to almost finding this perfect burger, but something is always off. Honestly, it’s usually the bun or the lettuce. The hunt continues! 

You’ve been at Tandym for over a decade. What’s one of your favorite events/memories from your tenure here?

Field Day was always the best. Not the most recent Field Day iterations of it, but the old-school Field Day on Roosevelt Island. It would always be in August, over 90 degrees, and unbearably humid – but that was the fun of it. The games were awesome, and people would get super competitive. But once it ended, everyone would just hang out for the rest of the afternoon at a dive bar. Those were some good times! 

What are your goals for 2025 and beyond?

The same as they are every year: I want my business to grow! I love the clients that I currently work with and the goal is always to bring in more business for the company. Truth be told, locking down a big project for one of our clients gives our company a ton of business across the board is always the white whale you want to chase. 

Other than that, I want to try new things and collaborate with new people internally across the board. Throughout 2024, the leadership team did a good job of bringing everyone together to work and learn from each other. I got to meet and speak with so many people whose faces I’ve only seen on Teams calls. It was great to get to know each other and exchange tricks of the trade. It’s going to be even better to start putting all that to good use for 2025. 

You’re a huge Buffalo Bills fan and New York Yankees fan. Who takes priority and why?

Don’t be mad, but it’s the Buffalo Bills and it’s not even remotely close. Don’t get me wrong, I do love the Yankees, but I became more of a fan when I moved to New York City. I was born into being a Buffalo Bills fan. It’s in my blood and they have to win this year. Not for me (wait – yes for me), but mainly for my dad and mom. They’ve been through so much with this team throughout their life. I want them to see the Bills win. They need to win for them… but also for me too! 

(Disclaimer: This blog was written before the Buffalo Bills’ crushing defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs. Although Julie declined a request for a detailed comment, she wanted it to be known that she’ll forever bleed Buffalo Bills blue.)