Darren Cleveland Email & Phone Number

Florida, United States

As a Senior VP and COO, I directed all strategic initiatives and oversaw digital and traditional marketing campaign developments to drive sustainable growth and integrate technology with traditional retail clients. I championed client relationship management best practices and mentored associates on the implementation of creative sales strategies to meet organizational sales targets. I launched innovative products in target markets that rapidly became market leaders through creative marketing and proactive sales strategies. I negotiated vendor contracts, developed advertising contracts, and managed third party affiliates. I designed strategic marketing initiatives to promote products and drive sales growth within target markets. I led the organization at the C-Suite level and interfaced with board members to promote constant communication regarding product progress and sales growth levels. ⇨ As a senior leader, I oversaw firm operations with annual operating budget of $25M while leading total lifecycle development, marketing strategies, and successful launch of 23 innovative products. ⇨ I spearheaded negotiations for large-scale strategic transactions including acquisitions and divestitures, resulting in contracts for over $39M. ⇨ I was recognized on the Inc. 500 list as one of the nation’s Fastest Growing Companies in 2011 & 2012. ⇨ Leveraging my negotiation skills, I brokered the company’s acquisition and finalized a sale that resulted in significant profit.

While serving as the managing partner, I fostered new client relationships and designed mission-critical operations for clients in start-up phase of business development. In this role, I was charged with overseeing all corporate staff and coordinating daily operations from client prospecting to sales and marketing activities. I consulted with clients on internal operations of all business activities including management, operational strategies, financial processes, innovative marketing plans, and leadership development. I employed a consultative sales approach when partnering with clients to understand unique needs and collaborate with associates to develop customized strategic initiatives aimed at fostering sustainable growth in client’s target market. I coordinated development of new products and services from incubation to market launch. ⇨ I was recognized for galvanizing the development of an in-house advertising agency that provided additional value-added services for clients while increasing internal revenue streams, which exponentiated corporate growth.⇨ Senior leadership credited me with bolstering sales by 400% within three years through innovative in-house marketing service offerings and exceptional client relationship management.⇨ I catalyzed the development of several start-up businesses in multiple industries with initial staff sizes ranging from 2 – 50 associates, with strong focus on crafting of sustainable operational and marketing plans. ⇨ My efforts recruiting and mentoring a high-performing business development team that controlled all new client acquisition operations resulted with the team exceeding organizational sales and revenue targets. ⇨ I negotiated real estate transactions, acquisitions, and operational transactions for both internal management and clients in order to meet stated strategic initiatives for corporate growth. Invested in or consulted for over 145 ventures in various phases from startup/growth to exit.

As the Chief Marketing Officer at World Entertainment Partners, I led marketing and business development initiatives for the largest private entertainment complex in Broward County with annual revenues exceeding $12M per year. I controlled all strategic initiatives for the multimillion-dollar entertainment firm. In this role, I contracted with strategic global advertising partners including Budweiser, Skyy Vodka, and Redbull, to secure product placement and event sponsorships. I recruited and coached all internal management staff to cement best practices, enhance marketing campaign effectiveness, and promote operational fluency to drive attainment of collective corporate goals. • Through extensive negotiations, I secured a long-term deal with Clear Channel to guarantee venue exclusivity for major touring musical acts.• During a leadership transition I migrated operations to new management team, and remain an active consultant to the organization to drive continuous process improvements.