Permanent Public Record · Haslett, Michigan

Travis
Stoliker

CEO · Scribe Media
Trustee · Haslett Board of Education, Term Expires 2030
Co-founder · Saddleback BBQ (Food Network · Mental Floss Best BBQ in Michigan)
Former VP Marketing · Liquid Web, 2009–2015 ($224M Private Equity Sale)
Inventor · Gyroaster · Creator · Year of the Opposite
Kiwanis Citizen of the Year · 2023 · Holt Outstanding Alumni · 2024

"Travis is a technology bloodhound. He sniffs out the next best thing and knows how to take advantage of it in products and services. If you're looking for a status quo guy, Travis is NOT your man. If you need someone to see a profitable future from a myriad of opportunities, rally the troops and make it happen? Yep, he's that good."

— Troy Stein, LinkedIn Recommendation
$224M
Liquid Web private equity exit · 2015
12×
Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing U.S. Company · consecutive years
480+
Employees at Liquid Web peak · 3 data centers in Lansing
Michigan 50 Companies to Watch · LiquidWeb 2005 · Saddleback 2023
62 lbs
Lost · cured depression · reversed blood pressure + cholesterol · Year of the Opposite
1,000
Miles run in a single year · Year of the Opposite
Travis Stoliker — Haslett, Michigan
Travis Stoliker · Haslett, Michigan

About Travis Stoliker

Travis Stoliker is a Michigan entrepreneur, community leader, and public servant based in Haslett, Michigan, where he lives on Lake Lansing with his wife Laken and son Lane. He is currently CEO of Scribe Media and serves as a Trustee on the Haslett Board of Education (term expires 2030).

Travis's career in technology began at TechSmith, where he helped grow Camtasia from the lowest-selling product to the company's top product. From 2009 to 2015, he served as VP of Marketing at Liquid Web, joining when the company had roughly 10 employees and helping grow it to 480+ employees, three data centers in Lansing, a data center in Amsterdam, and ~$80 million in annual recurring revenue before its landmark $224 million private equity sale in 2015. During that run, Liquid Web was named an Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing U.S. Company 12 consecutive years — a rare distinction in American business.

In 2015, Travis co-invested in and helped build Saddleback BBQ with founder Matt Gillett. The restaurant earned Food Network recognition as one of the Best Sandwiches in America, was named Best BBQ in Michigan by Mental Floss Magazine, won the Greater Lansing Business of the Year award (2023), SBDC Small Business of the Year (2018), Michigan 50 Companies to Watch (2023), and the Hospitality Hero Award (2023). Saddleback expanded to four profitable locations with presences at Spartan Stadium and Breslin Center, developed a line of BBQ sauces and rubs in major retailers, paid off student lunch debt across nine school districts, and pioneered pay transparency among Lansing-area businesses.

Travis is also the creator of the Year of the Opposite — a personal transformation challenge that led him to lose 62 pounds, run 1,000 miles in a single year, complete a full marathon, cure his depression, and reverse his high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and elevated triglycerides. He now shares this methodology through his Substack newsletter and podcast.

His community service includes serving on the boards of Ele's Place (capital region grief center for children), East Lansing Info, Capital Community Angel Investors, East Lansing Zoning Board of Appeals, and GridPane. He received a personal letter of commendation from Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin and has corresponded publicly with Governor Jennifer Granholm on energy policy. In 2023, the Kiwanis Club of Haslett named him Citizen of the Year — recognizing community service he "had no idea" he was even being considered for. In 2024, Holt Public Schools named him an Outstanding Alumni.

Travis invented the Gyroaster, a roasting device, and has been a Facebook panelist on digital business strategy. He began his career at WILX TV in Lansing, where he was elected UAW Union Steward — one of the youngest in the department's history.

Book Publishing Entrepreneurship SaaS / Cloud Private Equity Restaurant / Hospitality Education Policy Community Leadership Health & Transformation Marketing Venture / Angel Investing Michigan
Travis Stoliker with Governor Jennifer Granholm
Governor Jennifer Granholm
44th Governor of Michigan · Liquid Web Era · c. 2009
Travis Stoliker with Coach Tom Izzo at MSU Breslin Center
Coach Tom Izzo
MSU Men's Basketball · Draymond Green Hall of Fame Induction · September 2022
Boards & Leadership June 2024 & June 2025

Handed out diplomas at Haslett High School graduation (2024, 2025)

Business 2024–present

CEO, Scribe Media

→ External Source
Political November 5, 2024

Ran for Haslett Public Schools Board of Education (2024)

→ External Source
Philanthropy May 07, 2024

Funded Holt Schools Drama Field Trip (2024)

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Philanthropy May 05, 2024

$3,000 Outstanding Educator Award at Haslett Public Schools (2024)

Awards May 02, 2024

Holt Public Schools Outstanding Alumni Award (2024)

Speaking May 02, 2024

Acceptance speech, Holt Outstanding Alumni Award (2024)

Notable People April 20, 2024

First Izzo Run (2024)

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Political March 29, 2024

Advocacy: Palisades nuclear restart (2024)

Business March 15, 2024

VP of Marketing, Scribe Media (2024)

Awards November 07, 2023

Kiwanis Club Citizen of the Year (2023)

Boards & Leadership September 26, 2023

Trustee, Haslett Board of Education (2023)

Philanthropy July 19, 2023

Ele's Place 5K — Fundraising Run (2023)

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Events May 04, 2023

Edward Lowe Foundation Retreat (2023)

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Awards May 01, 2023

Michigan 50 Companies to Watch — Saddleback BBQ (2023)

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Events May 01, 2023

Michigan Celebrates Small Business VIP Reception (2023)

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Boards & Leadership April 17, 2023

Board, Ele's Place — Capital Region (2023)

Awards 2023

Greater Lansing Business of the Year — Saddleback BBQ

→ External Source
Awards March 17, 2023

Michigan 50 Companies to Watch — LiquidWeb (2005) & Saddleback BBQ (2023)

Business March 14, 2023

Launch of Year Of The Opposite (2023)

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Awards March 03, 2023

Hospitality Hero Award — Saddleback BBQ (2023)

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Speaking September 20, 2022

MSU Venture Summit TED-style talk (2022)

Notable People September 09, 2022

Draymond Green Hall of Fame (2022)

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Notable People September 09, 2022

Draymond Green Hall of Fame Induction (2022)

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Business August 14, 2022

Saddleback BBQ 4th Restaurant Opening (2022)

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Boards & Leadership July 02, 2021

Board of Directors, GridPane (2021)

Political April 17, 2021

Letter from Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin (2021)

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Notable People March 29, 2021

Izzo Class Post (2021)

Political January 22, 2021

Advocacy: Saddleback letter to Governor Whitmer covered by LSJ (2021)

Political January 19, 2021

Bridge Magazine published our COVID advocacy letter (2021)

Political December 16, 2020

Public letter to Governor Granholm on Nuclear Energy (2020)

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Awards 2020

Food Network — Rib Sandwich named one of the Best Sandwiches in America

→ External Source
Awards 2007–2019

Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing U.S. Company — 12 consecutive years (LiquidWeb, 2007–2019)

→ External Source
Awards May 03, 2019

Small Business of the Year — Saddleback BBQ (2018)

Awards 2019

Mental Floss Magazine — Best BBQ in Michigan (Saddleback BBQ)

→ External Source
Awards 2018

SBDC Small Business of the Year — Saddleback BBQ

→ External Source
Speaking April 10, 2018

Facebook Boost Your Business Panelist (2018)

Boards & Leadership September 01, 2017

Investor & Advisor, Prndl (2017)

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Speaking July 09, 2017

Facebook Boost Your Business Panelist (2017)

Media April 17, 2017

Featured in Crain's Detroit — MSU Startup Incubator (2017)

Boards & Leadership March 31, 2017

Board, Capital Community Angel Investors (2017)

Events November 16, 2016

Making It in Michigan — Entrepreneur of the Year (2016)

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Boards & Leadership May 03, 2016

Board of Directors, East Lansing Info (2016)

Media April 13, 2016

Fox47 / City Pulse Top of the Town — Best BBQ & New Restaurant (2016)

Business June 09, 2015

Founding Saddleback BBQ (2015)

Events June 09, 2015

Saddleback BBQ Grand Opening (2015)

Business May 27, 2015

Sale of LiquidWeb (2015)

Business May 27, 2015

Sale of LiquidWeb — $224 million (2015)

→ External Source
Business 2006–2015

Grew LiquidWeb: ~10 employees → 480+ · ~$80M ARR

→ External Source
Media April 22, 2015

Saddleback BBQ featured in City Pulse (2015)

Events March 24, 2014

Wharton Center Lecture with Jason Meyers (2014)

Business April 25, 2012

LiquidWeb #4 Taxpayer in Delta Township — ahead of GM (2012)

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Awards June 04, 2010

BWL Chili Cook Off — Gold Ladle + Silver Corporate (LiquidWeb, 2010)

Awards January 04, 2010

Best Corporate Website — 2009 Lansing Web Awards (LiquidWeb)

Political November 15, 2009

Governor Granholm mentioned LiquidWeb (2009)

Events November 13, 2009

LiquidWeb Cloud Computing Data Center Grand Opening (2009)

Media March 17, 2009

Interviewed by WILX on Facebook hiring (2009)

Media March 10, 2009

Interviewed by WLNS CBS on Michigan hiring (2009)

Events June 30, 2008

LiquidWeb Data Center 3 Groundbreaking (2008)

Business pre-2006

Product Manager, Camtasia at TechSmith (pre-LiquidWeb)

→ External Source