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Henry Hirsch
Some people know me as Joseph.
Founder of Hirsch Advisory. Nearly 25 years in sales, service and business development, from a valet stand in Montecito to private equity deal teams.
Hirsch Advisory came about organically over my career. I kept finding myself talking strategy with business owners, sometimes over cigars with people in my network, sometimes after a disappointing night at a restaurant I enjoy. Those conversations were about spotting room to grow, sharpening a sales process, and helping owners think differently about how they win customers and how they run the business.
Hirsch Advisory is where I put that to work: coaching sales leaders on winning new business, and helping restaurants and service businesses from the customer’s side of the counter. It runs alongside my career in business development, and I keep it to a small number of clients so each one gets my full attention.
Who I am and why hire me
The experience behind the coaching
- Seven figuresin annual book of business, built at a valuation advisory firm
- Top 3%of Nordstrom sellers nationally, with clients who asked for me by name
- 10 yearsselling valuation services, the last four strictly to private equity deal teams
- Record yearfor attendance and profit at the 28th annual ACG Orange County Business Awards, where I was lead chair
Career includes Nordstrom · Saks Fifth Avenue · T-Mobile Business · Globalview Advisors · Valuation Research · ACG Orange County
Four lessons that shaped what I bring to your business
Lesson one · Remember people
The valet stand
As a valet at Lucky’s in Montecito, I learned that guests who tipped $20, $50, sometimes $100 weren’t paying for speed. They were paying to be remembered: their name, their usual order, whether they wanted the windows down.
Lesson two · Tell the truth
The shoe department
Selling women’s shoes at Nordstrom, I told customers when a pair didn’t fit or flatter, then found the one that did. That honesty made me one of Nordstrom’s top sellers nationally, kept my returns among the lowest, and earned recognition from Dan Nordstrom.
Lesson three · The real problem
The stadium
The Anaheim Angels told me no for more than a year. When I finally got the meeting, the VP of Sales pointed to the AT&T sign in the outfield. I came back with a plan for a T-Mobile store inside the stadium, and it became the start of T-Mobile’s national partnership with Major League Baseball.
Lesson four · See the move
The surf shop
In a bar in Avalon, New Jersey, a surf shop owner was in tears after a summer with no swell. I suggested skim boards, a few website changes and a push to get the word out, so she had something to sell whether the ocean cooperated or not. She paid her tab, left her drink and hurried out the door.
This work comes from instinct, experience and a real interest in seeing other people succeed. It complements my career rather than replacing it, and it keeps me close to the conversations owners and sales leaders are actually having.
I’ve also been the guest on the receiving end of a poor experience: a one-word answer at the host stand, and a server who expects a 20% tip without ever showing they earned it. I’ve been let down by too many places that could have been wonderful, and I’d rather help one succeed. That’s why I notice, and why I help owners fix it.
Nearly 25 years of sales calls taught me more from the nos than the yeses. Each one showed me something about what a buyer is really saying, and I bring that to every call I coach.
Hirsch Advisory is new. The approach isn’t. It’s embedded in my experience and discipline, and proven in practice.
Rooms people remember
Leading the room
I’ve led rooms from curated private dinners to evenings for 600. I co-chaired the 27th ACG Orange County Business Awards and was lead chair of the 28th. The awards are an independently judged competition for the highest performing middle-market companies in Orange County and the Inland Empire. I led a committee of more than 50 people to the highest attendance and profit in the event’s history. I founded the chapter’s golf tournament, held it at Newport Beach and Monarch Beach, among other venues, and handed it to the next generation of members.
Planning a client dinner, a VIP reception or a larger event? An Event Strategy Session covers who is in the room, how the evening flows and what guests remember. I don’t run events, but I can help you plan one people talk about.
Career in brief
Where the experience comes from
I started on the floor: a valet stand and a restaurant, then selling at Nordstrom and Saks Fifth Avenue. I moved into enterprise sales at T-Mobile Business, then spent a decade selling valuation services to private equity firms, first at Globalview Advisors and most recently as Vice President, Business Development, Private Equity at Valuation Research Corporation.
Education
- B.A., Communication, Westmont College. It gave me a foundation in faith, which is what I lean on when life tests me and what I lead with today.
- Founding member and captain of the men’s equestrian polo team
- M&A coursework through the Alliance of M&A Advisors
Service
- ACG Orange County board and Executive Committee, 2018 to 2025
- The Noble Vikings of Orange County board, 2021 to 2024, supporting veterans and the Patriotic Service Dog Foundation
- United Way Read Across America, reading to third graders, 2017 to 2019
- Encouraging the next generation, my kids and their friends included, to make the small adjustments that stand out, starting with the first interview
- Founder of the ACG Orange County annual golf tournament
What I believe
A business is a lot like character
There’s always room to improve, and to grow stronger out of weakness and mistakes. Getting everyone to the same table is hard, and I hold that as a conviction. But when the meal is great and the lasting impact on your family and your community is a good one, it’s worth it. Put in the work, stay disciplined, align on a goal, and win together.
