I'm currently a server and bartender at Phoenixville's first and only distillery, where we provide top-quality spirits and mixed cocktail service using fresh ingredients prepared in house daily.

I'm currently a bartender and server in a fast-paced, award-winning brewery and restaurant with two locations in a busy suburban town. One location has an expansive indoor space with room for 400 people, and our large team there are experts at providing fast, seamless service for all. The other has the feel of a small neighborhood bar inside, but its large outdoor biergarten hosts music and other events, with a very different working environment. Rotating between locations constantly provides me with new experiences and challenges.

COVID severely affected many people in the restaurant industry, where most people I knew in the industry were suddenly out of work. It took a long time for businesses to recover and re-hire. When it was deemed safer again and the industry began to really open up, I secured new employment.

I worked multiple roles in the front of house at this upstart craft brewery/coffee roaster/restaurant, including bartender, barista, host, server, runner, managing outside events, and expediting food from the kitchen. If it needed to be done, I did it. I am known for clearly explaining products and processes while simultaneously engaging people in conversation and getting my work done, so bartending was a natural fit for me.When our restaurant model switched to a larger, all-outdoor seating venue due to COVID-19, I became host and lead server precisely because of my knowledge of the business, my ability to effectively communicate, my positive attitude with all of our guests, and for my organizational skills, seating people, and shifting coverage in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment.

I spent much of this time assisting my parents with their day-to-day needs.

During my tenure with this boutique pet food and supply store that offers feline and canine products, I managed and controlled an inventory of 7,000 unique, active items.I conducted cost and profit analyses to update in-store pricing, identify popular items, and inform stock rotation. I also analyzed sales data to evaluate trending, made quarterly comparisons on profit margins to align margin structure, negotiated prices based on volume and vendor prices, and established contract pricing. I was the face at the front of the store, with a vast knowledge of products in the pet food and supply industry. I was the go-to person with product questions, dietary planning, and problem resolution.I also collaborated with the owners and retail manager team to design item promotions, and I hired, trained, and mentored the entire retail team. I directed social media management to increase brand awareness and grow outreach. Maintained all IT infrastructure, troubleshot technology issues, and set up new systems. Some of my key accomplishments included:• Driving annual sales from $0.5M to $1.6M in fewer than 10 years by creating and promoting in-store and external events (over 2000 in attendance) that increased market reach and expanded customer base.• Controlling budget and costing by sourcing products and directing purchasing to use distributors with the most competitive prices.• Enhancing buying power by establishing long-term relationships with distributors and manufacturers; I secured stable operating margin by negotiating discounts of 5% or higher.• Planning and implementing new point-of-sale (POS) system to improve our customer experience and maximize inventory planning efficiency.• Updating and maintaining the company’s payroll structure. Designed and programmed payroll system and ensured compliance with appropriate tax laws.• Collaborating with animal rescues to set up, promote, and run in-store adoption days; I facilitated adoptions of over 350 cats and dogs.

As part of the Sunday Technical Team, I filmed and edited video clips used to illustrate weekly sermon topics. I also created music mixes used before and after each weekly service. I developed and coordinated PowerPoint presentations for three weekly services, and assisted with weekly equipment set-up and tear-down.

In various roles in my career at Primestar, I monitored satellite television signals and data across multiple platforms and proprietary software; managed the entire sports scheduling realm, primarily ensuring league blackouts were enforced; taught myself Paradox and Oracle and designed many editing and reporting tools for use in my department and others; became the "first line of defense" for all monitoring and system processes, often diagnosing and resolving problems by phone. After our buyout, helped migrate customer data to new owner's existing systems, and helped shutdown departments as our facility closed.One of my key accomplishments in this position was developing and implementing a two-week rotating schedule with both eight- and ten-hour shifts that gave our three system monitoring rooms 24/7 coverage, while allowing for varying days off among the staff - including making sure that people got a three-day weekend off every other week.