FEATURE ARTICLE
Executive
Spotlights
With so many people joining the
ranks of do-TERRA all over the world,
it can be a little more difficult to get
to know the founding executives
personally. To help you get to know
more about who they are and why they
love do-TERRA, we will be featuring all
seven executives in future magazines.
David Stirling grew up mostly in Utah and partly in Berkeley,
California. But, he says, “I’m pretty much a native Utahan;
I’ve been here forever.” He got his start in the essential oils
business when he was hired as a CIO for another essential
oils company, and a few months later took over the
management role for that company for the next three
and a half years. Like most people, David grew up with
western allopathic medicine. He says, “Anything outside of
that was considered suspect. I very much understand the
hesitation that people sometimes have with essential oils.
Having this understanding has been helpful to bridge the
gap between the western allopathic way and the holistic
alternative.” When asked about his first experience with
essential oils, he laughs. “The guys in IT gave me an essential
oil to support my immune system, and I honestly thought
that they were trying to pull a prank on me. I mean, what
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dōTERRA ESSENTIAL LEADERSHIP I JULY / AUGUST 2015
would IT guys know about essential oils? But, I quickly saw
they were believers in the oils themselves. After that, it took a
few more experiences with essential oils to acknowledge that
they were actually working, and then I began to understand
the power of essential oils."
What is your role in dōTERRA?
As CEO, I set the strategic direction for the company.
I also teach, implement, and maintain company culture both
from within the corporation and in the field. My role as a
manager is to make sure the company is stable, secure, and
solid by identifying any potential problems or threats to the
company. Then, I do all I can to negate those problems
before they happen.
Where do you see dōTERRA in the future?
We’ve just reached our seven year anniversary, but I still
see us as just getting started. I see dōTERRA as doubling
and tripling in size in the next five years. We’ll also
be expanding our corporate campus in the future to
accommodate this growth.
What do you consider your biggest professional obstacle?
Being distracted by problems. Every week there are
significant problems that come up somewhere in the
world. But, I learned a long time ago to avoid putting my
best people on my biggest problems. They will fix them
to be sure, but if you can focus on putting your best people
on your greatest opportunities, then you will be successful.
Problems happen and they need to be resolved, but if you
focus on your opportunities you will have success. We try
to remember to do that.
DAVID STIRLING
President and CEO
What do you do for fun?
We like to have fun as a family. I have a great wife and
kids. We love to get together on a Sunday afternoon
just to eat, laugh, and enjoy one another. We like to go
camping, or perhaps down to Moab, Utah. I grew up on
dirt bikes, so our family likes to get out and do some
off-road stuff. If it’s a nice day, I’ll even bring my dirt
bike to work.
What would you consider a hidden talent?
I play the piano. I keep that well-hidden just in case
someone might ask me to play.
Other random facts:
¢
David used to fly airplanes and
do karate competitively.
¢
He met his wife interviewing
her for a job.
¢
He can make some mean
biscuits.
¢
He has nine kids: seven girls
and two boys. He also has
one grandchild.
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