Experience

Hell's Kitchen Hospitality Group

• United States
• Hospitality
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Creative Director

  • Oct 2014 - Present

  Greater New York City Area Hands-on executive in charge of marketing, branding, digital, social, concepts and communications for corporate and eight popular NYC dining concepts specializing in growth hacking and rewriting best practices for hospitality industry Key Accomplishments: • Led brand makeovers for four concepts including product overhaul resulting in 38% YoY sales growth at one concept • Crafted SEO strategy increasing web traffic for event-based content by an average of 2400% peaking at… Show more Hands-on executive in charge of marketing, branding, digital, social, concepts and communications for corporate and eight popular NYC dining concepts specializing in growth hacking and rewriting best practices for hospitality industry Key Accomplishments: • Led brand makeovers for four concepts including product overhaul resulting in 38% YoY sales growth at one concept • Crafted SEO strategy increasing web traffic for event-based content by an average of 2400% peaking at 9900% • Created 360 branding for three new concepts including logo, collateral, brand guides, digital and merchandise • Optimized hospitality social media best practices increasing KPIs (bookings, sales) • Revamped ROI-negative merch program with new designs generating average 40% sales increase with a 7X ROI • Upgraded music programming across all stores as concepts/guest experience lead saving $31K over five years • Lead digital business development process and partnerships to identify additional revenue streams and efficiencies Show less



iOne / Radio One / TV One

• Consulting Digital Strategist

  • Jan 2014 - Oct 2014

  Greater New York City Area VP-level consultant role driving agile team to develop digital solutions to drive KPIs across company’s core businesses - Radio One, TV One, Interactive One and multiple platforms (web, video, mobile, radio, social) Key Accomplishments: • Revamped social media programming for company’s 55 radio stations in 16 markets resulting in immediate 40% growth in Facebook engagement • Launched three You Tube channels ensuring monetization & IP compliance extending original content life &… Show more VP-level consultant role driving agile team to develop digital solutions to drive KPIs across company’s core businesses - Radio One, TV One, Interactive One and multiple platforms (web, video, mobile, radio, social) Key Accomplishments: • Revamped social media programming for company’s 55 radio stations in 16 markets resulting in immediate 40% growth in Facebook engagement • Launched three You Tube channels ensuring monetization & IP compliance extending original content life & revenue • Developed three major marketing campaigns in a creative director capacity utilizing social media, radio, display and native advertising growing UVs, newsletter subs and engagement • Consulting producer for company’s slate of web series resulting in season over season KPI growth • Full-service (concept, UI, design, coding) development of social media tools saving $100,000 annually Show less



Harris Publications

• United States
• Book and Periodical Publishing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Head of Digital

  • May 2012 - Jan 2014

  Greater New York City Area Chief executive in charge of digital (marketing, content, video, social media), development (product, mobile, design, SEO, ad ops) and business (partnerships, analytics, strategy, creative services) for company’s lifestyle magazines including XXL, Slam and Rides and in-house digital agency, H360. Managed creative and tech teams with dotted-line responsibility for print editorial team’s digital content. Key Accomplishments: • Developed social media campaign strategy resulting in… Show more Chief executive in charge of digital (marketing, content, video, social media), development (product, mobile, design, SEO, ad ops) and business (partnerships, analytics, strategy, creative services) for company’s lifestyle magazines including XXL, Slam and Rides and in-house digital agency, H360. Managed creative and tech teams with dotted-line responsibility for print editorial team’s digital content. Key Accomplishments: • Developed social media campaign strategy resulting in unprecedented and unduplicated 18-hour global Twitter trend for XXL Freshmen • Revamped social media process resulting in explosive audience growth for XXL within first year – 35,000 to 450,000 Facebook followers and 75,000 to 650,000 Twitter followers with similar results for other properties • Personally produced highest-performing editorial content on XXL and coached editorial teams on best content practices including SEO, content marketing and social media • Redesigned XXL, Rides and Juicy sites resulting in 75% traffic growth and 150% engagement growth • Developed branded content – video, microsites, mobile - for clients like Jeep, Nissan, Beats by Dre • Migrated company’s disparate tech solutions to Amazon Web Services resulting in annual cost savings of $250,000 and improved up-time from 82% to 99.9% Show less



Bender/Helper Impact

• VP Digital

  • Mar 2011 - May 2012

  Greater New York City Area Managing executive of newly-formed digital division of media-focused PR agency responsible for developing digital and social media strategies to upsell current clients like HBO and Lionsgate and pitch new business. Key Accomplishments: • Developed data-driven social media strategy generating 16,000% (not a typo) increased engagement on purchase links by using one simple word • Authored and produced first-of-kind branded content for Viacom & MLB video game navigating complex… Show more Managing executive of newly-formed digital division of media-focused PR agency responsible for developing digital and social media strategies to upsell current clients like HBO and Lionsgate and pitch new business. Key Accomplishments: • Developed data-driven social media strategy generating 16,000% (not a typo) increased engagement on purchase links by using one simple word • Authored and produced first-of-kind branded content for Viacom & MLB video game navigating complex licensing issues resulting in highest grossing launch for video game publisher • Created spin-off strategy and branding digital division to compete in non-PR space and managed the business resulting in 10 incremental, digital-only clients within first 40 days Show less



AOL

• Broadcast Media Production and Distribution

• General Manager, Local

  • Aug 2007 - Dec 2010

  New York City Reporting to COO, VP-level owner of content-driven local digital properties responsible for product, design, development, marketing, editorial, social media, biz dev, advertising and full P&L control managing 90 direct reports Key Accomplishments: • Defined and executed strategy that grew $15 million portfolio of disparate local editorial sites into $150 million business unit focused unlocking value from current IP and growth hacking including multi-million dollar deal with IAB •… Show more Reporting to COO, VP-level owner of content-driven local digital properties responsible for product, design, development, marketing, editorial, social media, biz dev, advertising and full P&L control managing 90 direct reports Key Accomplishments: • Defined and executed strategy that grew $15 million portfolio of disparate local editorial sites into $150 million business unit focused unlocking value from current IP and growth hacking including multi-million dollar deal with IAB • Spun-off of City’s Best local-voting program into distinct brand and incremental $100 million business resulting in millions of votes, 75,000 pieces of original content and 15,000 SMBs displaying our branding and QR codes • Developed SEO and SMO delivering 60% of traffic from external sources vs. AOL average of 9% • Reimagined shuttered Digital City into distinct brand as national / affiliate content model with 95% STR • Pitched branded content for partners like AMEX, HBO, Ford & Disney resulting in $6 million incremental revenue • Optimized America’s Hottest program generating $2 million revenue and 74 million audience votes in six weeks • Modified Patch.com acquisition strategy right-sizing their P&L to mitigate risk stabilizing short-term business • AOL spokesperson as seen in location and studio segments on Fox, ABC, NBC and NY1 Show less



AOL Vegas

• Founder, General Manager

  • Mar 2006 - Jul 2007

  Las Vegas, Nevada Area Two-time Webby Award Honoree, authored amplified content model and owned the resulting $10 million business Key Accomplishments: • Developed strategies leveraging audience affinity for Vegas resulting in 2 million monthly UVs for core content hub • Business lead for AOL negotiating multi-million dollar content, distribution and advertising deals for VEGAS.com, World Series of Poker, The Palms, UFC, ABC, Caesar’s Entertainment and TMZ • Executive producer of Robin Leach’s Vegas… Show more Two-time Webby Award Honoree, authored amplified content model and owned the resulting $10 million business Key Accomplishments: • Developed strategies leveraging audience affinity for Vegas resulting in 2 million monthly UVs for core content hub • Business lead for AOL negotiating multi-million dollar content, distribution and advertising deals for VEGAS.com, World Series of Poker, The Palms, UFC, ABC, Caesar’s Entertainment and TMZ • Executive producer of Robin Leach’s Vegas Web series & digital content Show less



AOL Entertainment

• United Kingdom
• Musicians

• Director of Marketing

  • Mar 2005 - Feb 2006

  Greater New York City Area Reporting to EVP, analyzed and advised web’s top properties for monetization, editorial and branded content, UI and distribution responsible for some of the biggest content initiatives of the Oughts Key Accomplishments: • Developed & pitched branded content closing $50 million in business for partners like Sony, Ford, Bud and Verizon • Hands-on creation of UI, mocks and promotional display ads for branded microsites • On-call thought leadership on top projects like TMZ… Show more Reporting to EVP, analyzed and advised web’s top properties for monetization, editorial and branded content, UI and distribution responsible for some of the biggest content initiatives of the Oughts Key Accomplishments: • Developed & pitched branded content closing $50 million in business for partners like Sony, Ford, Bud and Verizon • Hands-on creation of UI, mocks and promotional display ads for branded microsites • On-call thought leadership on top projects like TMZ (content, monetization), Live 8 (monetization), Black Voices (content, concept) and first-of-kind Web series The Biz (content, distribution) Show less



AOL Local

• Advertising Services

• Marketing Analyst

  • Jan 2004 - Feb 2005

  Greater New York City Area Relocated to NYC to join first-ever marketing team focused on product monetization and driving audience growth Key Accomplishments: • Optimized city guides UI unlocking $10 million in new inventory in one of first examples of native advertising • Concepted and produced City’s Best marketing campaign (print, digital & video) with 6-10% CTR, 30 million viral video views (pre-You Tube) & two million user votes • Created branded content for partners like McDonald’s, Ford and key… Show more Relocated to NYC to join first-ever marketing team focused on product monetization and driving audience growth Key Accomplishments: • Optimized city guides UI unlocking $10 million in new inventory in one of first examples of native advertising • Concepted and produced City’s Best marketing campaign (print, digital & video) with 6-10% CTR, 30 million viral video views (pre-You Tube) & two million user votes • Created branded content for partners like McDonald’s, Ford and key partnerships like NASCAR Show less



AOL Digital City

• United States
• Technology, Information and Internet

• Managing Editor

  • Sep 2000 - Jan 2004

  Dallas, TX Chicago, IL Dulles, VA Advanced from temp to national managing editor leading a team of 30 creating editorial and branded content relocating three times as a turnaround expert to fix and grow company’s biggest local initiatives Key Accomplishments: • Developed daily content for 10+ million monthly visitors out-performing AOL employee-to-revenue ratio standard • Created network content strategy saving $1 million annually in content acquisition and improved content quality



Bandwear.com

• VP Marketing

  • Aug 1999 - Sep 2001

  Dallas/Fort Worth Area Developed next-level marketing strategies that established music merchandise producer and retailer start-up allowing company viability while larger, well-funded competitors have folded Key Accomplishments: • Developed tertiary marketing strategy running modest budgets in smaller markets generating 25X ROI • Produced experiential presence at SXSW that generated press and increased licensing network • Designed and packaged custom merch for clients creating new and residual… Show more Developed next-level marketing strategies that established music merchandise producer and retailer start-up allowing company viability while larger, well-funded competitors have folded Key Accomplishments: • Developed tertiary marketing strategy running modest budgets in smaller markets generating 25X ROI • Produced experiential presence at SXSW that generated press and increased licensing network • Designed and packaged custom merch for clients creating new and residual revenue • Managed promotions and loyalty schemes • Analyzed weekly traffic and usage reports • Wrote daily music column Show less



Concept Nouveau

• Germany
• Professional Training and Coaching

• Creative Director

  • Apr 1996 - Sep 2001

  Meteoric rise from “door guy” to head of marketing at famed local nightlife and dining group in Dallas for eight venues Key Accomplishments: • Revitalized almost-dead local institution with branding and marketing solutions generating 1200% sales increase • Developed experiential programs for partners like Diageo, Universal, Sony, BMW & Dell valued at $500K • Created full branding identity & elements for four new dining concepts as company expanded to new markets • Sales… Show more Meteoric rise from “door guy” to head of marketing at famed local nightlife and dining group in Dallas for eight venues Key Accomplishments: • Revitalized almost-dead local institution with branding and marketing solutions generating 1200% sales increase • Developed experiential programs for partners like Diageo, Universal, Sony, BMW & Dell valued at $500K • Created full branding identity & elements for four new dining concepts as company expanded to new markets • Sales growth and local radio celebrity status as writer, producer & talent for radio, web & print campaigns • Managed in-house ad agency for internal and external clients • Established annual marketing and promotional strategies with budgets • Analyzed sales data, research and organized focus groups to deliver better consumer experiences • Created branding tools: menus, POS, ads, digital, merch • Planned partner-focused, PR and charity events Show less