Entrepreneur
St. Louis, Mo, Us
I joined co-founders Rich Daniels & Seth Burgett to create something special...a brand that could deliver inspiration & motivation...a product that out-performed the competition on every front...& a team that could change the world. Our trajectory was recognized early on when the three of us were named the 9th Most Promising Company in America by Forbes Magazine. This led us in a "mad dash" to create our first website and finally naming the company.Our first sales were generated through grassroots events, where we established ourselves as a loved and trusted brand to the most scrutinizing customers. In learning that it would be a profitable way to build the brand, we hired a team to manage and grow that business. With some wind in our sail, we began calling on specialty retail. As that business grew, we hired/promoted a team to lead those accounts, and we moved on to national targets. We successfully became a brand of relevance in key accounts like Best Buy, Apple Stores, Target, Footlocker, City Sports, REI, Finish Line, Sports Authority, Dicks Sporting Goods, AT&T, and more. At that point, we were advancing our presence at retail ahead of our brand strength. We dug in our heels, put the customer first, and created a meaningful brand, that became a training partner to many athletes who ran or worked out with music. We won many awards, created a lot of demand, and most importantly, changed lives.Through this journey, my skills were honed in Sales/Sales Management (specialty retail, regional retail, CE, mass/club, sporting goods, wireless carriers, international markets), Marketing/Brand (events, digital, media, branding, GTM strategy, content, packaging, merchandising, social, PR), Product design, Customer Service, and Operations. What a blessing a great business can be!