Experience

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  Reef Curl Pty Ltd

  • Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

  • Managing Director

    • Jan 2017 - Present
    • Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia

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  TEN STEPS CONSULTING

  • General Manager

    • Feb 2016 - May 2018

    ★ Providing high level management, coaching and training to management, staff and operatives, pulling all elements together to provide the business with consistent growth in market share and year on year improvements to sales and profits. ✔ Ten Steps Consulting assists small to medium businesses with a turnover of $1-30million, to achieve consistent results by putting in place procedures and improvements relating to the operation and functions of the business to maximise efficiency and potential ✔ Simple ‘what to do next’ steps are implemented to put staff and business owners in the best possible position to capitalise on gains and move forward with consistency to enable goals and targets to be achieved✔ Hands on 'selves rolled up' management is provided where and when it is required

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  Whippletree Hardwoods

  • Marketing & Technical Director

    • Jan 2016 - May 2018

    Commissioned to set up a Marketing Department where none existed before including a full interactive web site and email marketing system to allow weekly marketing campaigns of Oak and specialist Oak products throughout the year. The system included a 'technical helpline' and 'chat now' facilities from the web site and interactive emails. Whippletree harvest British Oak from woodlands across the UK and a system was developed to provide the history of each tree to it's customers through a certification and traceability system.► Achieved 23% increase in enquiries in the first six months► Achieved 68% increase in enquiries in the first twelve months► Carried out the sourcing of prime verified data for the construction industry, tested and measured the data to allow ongoing weekly email campaign volumes of 2000-5000. Negotiated and contracted with an Agency to service ongoing requirements► Rewrote technical specifications to enable downloading direct from the company’s web site to allow Architects and Specifiers, Historic Organisations, Local Authorities and Historic Property Managers to access the valuable information ► Provided social media connections and set up MailChimp for in-house mailings

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  Reef Curl Australia

  • Gold Coast Australia - Bali Indonesia - Zhejiang China

  • Chief Operations Manager

    • 2010 - 2016
    • Gold Coast Australia - Bali Indonesia - Zhejiang China

    Strategic control of all aspects of the company’s retail stores / wholesale operation and Designer Homes Division. Mentoring of staff at all levels to deliver growth strategies and optimum performance, analysing the market to develop new lines, target audiences and remain ahead of the competition ►Sourcing products/components and product specification/manufacturing samples for QC, negotiating best prices and contracts, and managing supplier reviews, stock, delivery and reporting, maintaining gross margins through timely product launches ensuring optimum advantage (seasons etc), travelling to meet suppliers in China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Iran and Australia to develop relations►Attending trade fairs/exhibitions to advance supplier relationships and new lines, providing product and information for marketing, sales and technical departments, liaising with transport/freight forwarders, customs and quarantine to ensure compliant timely deliveries, providing clear written instructions to accompany manufacturers’ orders, modifications and changes ►Checking manufacturers’ instructions for consumers for ease of understanding in plain English, reporting on market developments and competition activities to maintain ‘bang on trend’, identifying alternative and innovative products to provide additional quality and reduce costsKey Achievements✔Transitioned the company to Far East and Indonesia, moving purchasing from 0 to 100% imports✔Developed supplier contacts and placed offshore agents to handle consolidation and QC✔Positioned all freight forwarders both offshore and onshore and negotiated lasting contracts✔Introduced self-branding and client branding, and developed merchandising through staff training ✔Oversaw the concept, design and fit out of the company’s flag ship store✔Prepared the business for sale, appointed agents to see completion of the sale through to a successful conclusion

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  Bling Me A Gift Australia

  • Queensland, Australia

  • Managing Director / CEO

    • 1997 - May 2010
    • Queensland, Australia

    Responsible for all day to day management including marketing and pricing strategy on well over 2000 lines of which 92% were imported covering a range of souvenir, gift, home decor and interior design lines from China and Indonesia which were retailed through Reef Curl's own retail outlets on the Gold Coast of Australia►Applied planning and quality controls to new products to meet the expectations of customers in the retail and wholesale market to continuously increase sales and market share. Spearheaded the development of special "Collections" on behalf of specific wholesale customers utilising their 'own label' branding, developed specialised packaging to allow posting and freighting of goods around the world to increase follow on sales. Key Achievements✔Developed company position from single to multiple outlets to positively influence profit✔Expanded company purchasing into Far East and Indonesia ✔Diversified company operations to include the design and manufacture of lines to reduce competition✔Increased spend 10 fold and company gross profit 16 fold in 12 years✔Prepared the business for sale, appointed agents, negotiated business sale with buyers to give Directors an exit fro the business. Completed the sale of the business including transition to new ownership and ongoing Mentoring of the new owners for an extended period.

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  ISCS

  • Luton, United Kingdom

  • Managing Director / CEO

    • 1992 - 1996
    • Luton, United Kingdom

    Directed operations over multiple departments of technical services consisting of Surveying, Pricing & Estimating, Dispute Settlement & Arbitration, Art & Design, IT, Accounting, Legal, Insurance, Finance, Professional Membership, Training, Site Management, Data Rental, and Health & Safety Services. Duties required the extensive use of abilities to report and present proposals at Board level which necesitated substantial negotiation to complete complex contracts and agreements across the UK.►Facilitated the resolution of complex technical issues and established best practices between all parties►Managed the membership drive to generate in excess of 10,000 members within a two year period►Author of the best-selling industry leading ‘Builders Bible’►Editor of the industry leading ‘What To Do Next’ Magazine►Undertook presentation of the ‘Road Show’ to live audiences of construction industry business owners across the UK. Over a period of two years, one ‘Road Show’ per week was provided training and ongoing Mentoring in marketing & sales, contract negotiation, avoidance and dealing with disputes, project management, construction administration and exit strategy.►Prepared the business for sale, appointed agents and saw completion of the sale through to a successful conclusion

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  Buildmaster (UK) Ltd

  • Luton, United Kingdom

  • Managing Director

    • 1985 - 1992
    • Luton, United Kingdom

    Built the UK’s largest Pricing & Estimating service for building contractors and allied trades. Marketed to a database of 50,000 contractors, the industry leading services were offered through a 24, 48 and 72-hour service with multiple other technical services being offered as up sell to users.BuildMaster was an industry trend setter with its innovative services to the construction services sector of the market to a point where it became the recognised market leader.Contractors quotations was added was a service and became an immediate success with contractors able to log onto a standard set of specification data packages to produce high quality quotations for their customers including terms and conditions and stage payment details. This gave contractors the opportunity to produce a professional quotation raising their conversion rate of quotes to confirmed orders well above the norm.BuildMaster worked with Trading Standards and Police Authorities to combat ‘bogus contractors’ and my position required appearance in courts where necessary as expert witness.►Drove new business to become the UK's largest pricing & estimating service for local building contractors and specialist subcontractors with a database of over 2,000 customers within one year►Prepared the business for sale, appointed agents and saw completion of the sale through to a successful conclusion