Appstem New Hire: Steve Funk
“I’ve been excited about my work before, but never like this.”
That’s how Steve Funk described his outlook about his new role as a Senior Business Development Consultant at Appstem. Steve joined the team in February, bringing not only years of experience in business development at one of the biggest app development companies in the world but also an outside perspective on the best ways for small companies to grow.
Steve, who is based in Columbus, OH, has a backstory that’s similar to some of his new coworkers. His career path didn’t start in technology but rather as an international business major working in finance as an investment advisor. It didn’t take long for him to decide that wasn’t the right fit, so he switched to the sales side, working first in financial services and later communications.
His first foray into software development came at DYNAMIT where he immediately loved agency life. Steve describes it as a place where everyone worked hard, and where he was surrounded by smart, creative people. He was able to have a level of independence to seek out projects that interested him while getting to know the work the designers and developers were doing. DYNAMIT was acquired by WillowTree in 2019 and Steve’s role changed. WillowTree worked with major brands but he didn’t have the opportunity to be as innovative, so he began to look for new opportunities and was introduced to Appstem CEO Robert Armstrong through a mutual friend.
“We talked for about 90 minutes and we meshed immediately,” Funk said. “Now I’m in my second month and the fit feels right. I have a bigger voice and am working with a leadership team that appreciates my experience and is open to collaboration.”
“Steve’s role will focus on fostering new relationships and building on our established relationships,” said Robert Armstrong, Appstem CEO. “As an established development expert whose track record of growing companies speaks for itself, we’re excited to have him on board.”
Steve has big expectations for the year ahead. His overarching goals for 2021 is to build and sustain a deep pipeline for growth for the company, which in turn will help Appstem take the necessary next steps toward building the business – creating processes, building relationships and fostering a great environment that will help the entire team prosper.
“I’ve worked with agencies who are further down the road of maturity and I can draw on those insights and experience to help guide Appstem along the path to success,” he said.
