Experience

Ben & Aja Blanc

• United States
• Design Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Director of Sales & Operations

  • May 2019 - Present

  Ben & Aja Blanc Studio is a product design company focusing on mirrors, lighting, furniture and collectible art. Primary industries include high end residential and large scale commercial and hospitality projects. Responsible for all Sales and Operations activity to ensure the growth of market share and expansion of all business categories. - Oversee new and existing business development across all product categories and business segments. - Developed and implemented new technologies and procedures to increase efficiency.



Wayfair

• United States
• Retail
• 700 & Above Employee

• Senior Category Manager

  • Feb 2019 - May 2019

  Wayfair Inc. is an American e-commerce company that sells furniture and home-goods. Their digital platform offers 14 million items from more than 11,000 global suppliers. Managed $100 million product category including all products related to windows. This included daily operations, business development, team management, special project development, and strategic planning. - Worked closely with internal and external partners to develop and grow the product category. - Performed extensive category research to identify shortfalls and future opportunities. - Managed team of direct reports to expand offerings and build partner relationships. - Developed new product offerings and services to better supply our clients.



Flavorit LLC

• United States
• Manufacturing

• Senior Marketing Manager

  • Sep 2015 - May 2019

  Flavorit is a mobile application that provides reliable restaurant reviews and recommendations to the 140+ million Americans who dine out at least once a week by connecting them to those they trust most. Manage daily operations and all company functions, including business development, product/project management, strategic planning, funding, marketing, and staffing. Conduct extensive research and collaborate with subject matter experts as needed to find solutions or resolve issues. • Identified a gap in the marketplace and developed an iPhone application, website, and associated tools that leverage restaurant reviews and recommendations. • Increased retention rates by over 30% by performing extensive user research to build detailed journey maps. Findings were used to analyze and build user flows and compulsion loops. • Implemented test and learn practices to improve product offerings and increase adoption rates by over 100% • Built company infrastructure to allow for continuing growth. • Managed developers to keep projects on schedule and within project scope. • Designed and launched all creatives for comprehensive marketing campaign consisting of advertisements, emails, and push notifications, as well as online and print media outreach. Increased users by 80%+ in most recent push. Coverage included Betapage, The Startup Pitch, Product Hunt, and Killer Startups.



Paper Lion Co.

• Greater Chicago Area

• Founder and Creative Director

  • 2012 - Oct 2016

  Designed, produced and brought to market a unique product for the pet industry. Created a process that enabled cardboard to be formed into an aesthetically pleasing and environmentally conscious cat accessory. Oversee design, material sourcing, production and distribution. • Establish relationships with retailers, both physical and ecommerce, as third party sellers. • Manage relationships to expand business and increase product sales. • Manage all material sourcing and production of product and packaging to ensure we meet or exceed cost targets and quality standards. • Manage warehousing, inventory, and distribution schedules to guarantee on time delivery.



Elanders Americas

• United States
• Printing Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Sr. Marketing Manager & Corporate Strategist

  • Jul 2009 - Jun 2016

  Directed all internal and external corporate communication strategies to generate sales leads and further the company brand. Designed and executed marketing strategies, such as multi-step print and digital outreach to key decision makers. Built and managed social, web, and internal communications to expand brand awareness and increase sales. Worked with senior management to identify opportunities and develop organizational strategies. Supported global sales team through research, proposal writing, and new business acquisition; built detailed prospect profiles and used information to create targeted campaigns. • Established marketing department and created messaging to support the company. Gained senior management approval by holding weekly training sessions and addressing questions. After six months, the department functioned autonomously. • Managed internal and external relationships through two corporate rebrands, ensuring projects remained on schedule. Both rebranding initiatives involved the development of new content collateral, corporate style books, and fully redesigned websites. Focused branding on global footprint expansion, enhanced capabilities, consistent messaging, and legal updates. • Tailored marketing efforts to support the sales team, increase close rates, and shorten the sales cycle. Sales increased year-over-year and the sales cycle decreased from ~18 months to less than 12 months.



United Way Quad Cities

• United States
• Non-profit Organizations
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Donor Relations Program Manager

  • Aug 2008 - May 2009

  Oversaw and supported fundraising efforts of 57 corporate accounts. Gained in-depth information on each company, fundraising expectations, fund usage, and partnership details. Served as a United Way community spokesperson by conveying the needs of community impact, addressing questions, and providing details on donation allocation. • Program manager for United Way’s first Imagination Library 5k Run & Family Walk. Secured $24K in sponsorships. Implemented and managed a workplace campaign by meeting with area employers. Raised an additional $24K in race registration fees and individual donations in the first year. • Extended reach of the United Way message and increased donations substantially by aligning organizational goals with community needs. • Visited supported organizations to observe the usage of funds, allowing for more comprehensive external communications.



Iowa Farm Bureau

• United States
• Farming, Ranching, Forestry
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Marketing and Communications Specialist

  • Jun 2007 - Oct 2007

  Supported internal marketing department in the development, implementation, distribution, and tracking of the “Join the Ride Iowa” campaign. Wrote press releases, tracked online activity, and planned events. Coordinated event spaces, promotion team, and road crew. Monitored campaign’s market value and media exposure. • Demonstrated ROI of “Join the Ride Iowa” campaign by tracking web and print mentions through extensive web searches and automated alerts. Assembled, cleaned, and assigned values to data. Partnered with outside firm to pull TV and radio impressions. Evaluated data, articles, and circulation/viewership to estimate impression value and calculate campaign ROI. • Contracted with Orange County Choppers to build the first E85 ethanol motorcycle and coordinate a full press tour, including a dedicated episode of “American Chopper” and a series of events across the state of Iowa concluding with the Iowa State Fair.



Hanson Watson Associates

• United States
• Marketing and Advertising
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Marketing Intern

  • Jun 2006 - Aug 2006

  • Developed a go-to-market strategy for the establishment of financial institutions within youth centers including high schools and community centers. • Developed a community guidebook for Spanish speaking residents new to the Quad City Area. • Developed a go-to-market strategy for the establishment of financial institutions within youth centers including high schools and community centers. • Developed a community guidebook for Spanish speaking residents new to the Quad City Area.



Drake University

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Head Photographer

  • Jan 2005 - May 2006

  Managed the production schedule for the magazine’s quarterly print issues and monthly online versions/updates. Supervised team of 10 college-age volunteer and employee photographers. • Ensured team met all deadlines for print and online magazine by leveraging members’ strengths and delegating large projects and tight-deadline assignments accordingly. Provided encouragement and support to team members and reassigned projects as needed. • Eliminated need to rephotograph or scratch a story or purchase stock images. Focused team on taking the correct photos the first time, explained the story and what was to be conveyed, and described an ideal image, thereby improving photo quality on the first attempt.