Fierce Collaboration develops training for retailers and consumer products manufacturers.What makes retail training different? Effective retail training is distinguished by both its content and delivery methods.Retail training content targets the sales, product, service, operations, management and leadership skills necessary to run profitable retail stores. Retail training delivery is distinguished by how well it integrates into a store's environment and company culture. Effective retail training minimizes the limitations and takes advantage of the many opportunities stores present every day to improve performance. Training is not an event, it is a process. Effective retail training uses a blend of delivery and feedback methods to integrate that process into the retail environment. As a proven training specialist for over 20 years, I help retailers and manufacturers succeed by developing training programs and implementing effective training processes. To learn more, go to http:\\www.fiercecollaboration.com

Co-founded Consumer Electronics University; an independent retail training company. We provide innovative activity-based training solutions. Our programs use a blended approach customized to client needs. See www.celectronicsu.com for more. As Development Director I design, create and assess impact of all training programs, and have secondary responsibility for training facilitation. My achievements at CEU include: -- Creating retail headphone presentation strategy and training programs for the nation's largest CD/DVD retail chain. Interviewed top performers, vendors, and merchandisers to develop best practices strategy. Created video scripts, live meetings, and store exercises. -- Creating a retail audio sales strategy and management training program for an electronics superstore chain. The program included implementing a S.A.F.E. audio sales strategy and creating workshops, exercises, & product research tools. It resulted in a major increase in audio sales.-- Creating an extensive program of leadership, sales management, sales, and customer service training for Montana's largest electronics and appliance retail chain. The program included pre-work, workshops, on the job exercises and impact assessment. Created customized training for retail, call center, and business to business sales teams. --Developing lifestyle sales workshops for the world's largest speaker manufacturer targeted at specialty retailers. Created and facilitated train the trainer workshops. -- Creating a week-long Call Center train-the-trainer program for a leading technical products manufacturer. -- Developing and facilitating sales strategy and train-the-trainer programs for the nation's largest home automation manufacturer. This program was an AV/International Grand Prix Award finalist. -- Developing sales, leadership & on boarding programs for a regional TV and appliance chain; including workshops, online certifications & in store exercises.

“HAUS is the first all-inclusive business-training program for home automation technology companies across the United States. Beginning in January 2016, HAUS offered specialized training, business resources and support to deliver the best smart home experience to a broader market of consumers. A collective of industry-leading professionals designed the curriculum to provide members with the tools they need to successfully elevate all aspects of business and deliver a consistently high level of customer service while increasing profitability.”

In August 2009 CEU entered an exclusive services and curriculum licensing agreement with UAP / Ultimate Electronics to lead, develop, implement and evaluate all training programs for this big box electronics, appliance, computer, and multimedia retailer. As Manager of Training Development I conceptualized, created and executed training in support of Ultimate's rapid national expansion. I trained and lead a team of Subject Matter Experts and specialty trainers in developing and executing all corporate training.My Accomplishments at UAP Include: -- Creating on-the-job activities based on-boarding programs for all new employees from entry level associates to senior corporate leadership.-- Developing tools for rapid customization of training and leadership programs in partnership with Human Resource and utilizing SMEs as creators and trainers.-- Leading the design and logistics of a scalable new market store opening program supporting rapid expansion. This included developing programs, calendars and facilitating train the trainer workshops.-- Creating daily sales and product training executed in all stores. Partnered with marketing and district leadership to establish training calendar. Created daily live meetings and activities based exercise tools. -- Conceptualizing and leading the team to convert POS system training from a facilitator lead to a self-paced learn-by-doing program that greatly enhanced comprehension and reduced training time.

Prior to founding CEU I created and lead an 8 member instructional development team at Ultimate Electronics. We were responsible for designing, writing and evaluating all sales, customer service, store operations, installation, management, and leadership training. Our group developed, managed and assessed a blended curriculum of live meetings, online training and testing, written training, video training, and a wide variety of activities based exercises. We developed and executed train-the-instructor programs and all corporate leadership training programs. My accomplishments include: Leading the introduction and implementation of a corporate e-learning and LMS system for 1800 sales and customer service employees.Creating and supervising new position specific store manager and regional manager on-boarding training programs. The programs included both classroom and extensive learning by doing mentored certifications.

I lead a regional training team responsible for all sales, operations, installation and customer service training in a 4 state area. The team was responsible for executing all new employee training, leading sales workshops and one on one coaching of sales, installation, operations and customer service personnel. In addition, I took on the role of leading training development including creating, editing, online posting and impact analysis of training programs company-wide.As Dean of Ultimate University, I was responsible for all aspects of developing and executing a management skills and leadership program to train over 200 future company leaders. My work included:--- Creating and facilitating management and leadership workshops executed in all regions.--- Identifying, Recruiting, Motivating and Assessing student progress through the University--- Creating all curriculum including written, on-the-job exercises and live meetings.

I supervised four Soundtrack and Ultimate Electronics retail stores of increasing size and importance. Opened the Boise new market Superstore store with annual sales exceeding $20,000,000 and a staff in excess of 100 team members.My work as a store manager ignited my passion for discovering how to better help teammates reach their full potentials. My stores were distinguished by high year over year sales increases and by consistently top tier customer service ratings. As I grew as a manager, I learned the leadership skills that create high performance collaborative store teams. The result was lower employee turnover and greatly enhanced customer retention. After 8 years I was offered the opportunity to create and lead Ultimate's store manager training programs.