Leading a small, agile and talented team of part-time full-stack engineers and front-end developers, we've built and managed an advanced marketing tech stack. Together, we secured 28,500 sales appointments in 2022, highlighting our collaborative spirit and technical prowess.My duties involve the careful planning and rollout of campaigns across diverse channels, from events and trade shows to digital media efforts. My overarching goal is to ensure our initiatives align seamlessly with company objectives and resonate with our target audience, producing tangible and impactful results.In the realm of Paid Media, learning astute budget management has enabled us to achieve impressive year-to-date returns, significantly enhancing our Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) and making a positive impact on the company's top-line revenue.One of my pivotal contributions has been molding the creative and strategic direction of our branding and marketing efforts. Drawing upon a rich background in visual design and strategic marketing, I've articulated a compelling brand narrative that distinctly communicates our unique value proposition.Innovation remains a cornerstone of my leadership. My close collaboration with our call center partner, for instance, has catalyzed continuous improvements in our operations. By harnessing multi-channel technologies, automation tools, and our proprietary web-app designed for streamlined appointment scheduling, we've witnessed a doubling of our outbound lead-to-appointment conversion rates in 2023. Furthermore, this growth is not merely a metric; our data now stands as a trusted source of information, benefiting various facets of our enterprise from live call center operations to board-level discussions.Ultimately, by blending design insight with marketing acumen, I've been privileged to drive significant growth, elevating our brand's presence in the competitive landscape of the renewable energy and backup power generation sector.

With a touch of humor and nod to the world of Star Wars, I've held the title of Jedi Recruiter with The Jedi Order for over three decades. This whimsical addition to my profile, based in the Star Wars universe, highlights my aptitude for identifying and nurturing talent, akin to how Jedi Sentinels locate and mentor unrecognized Force-sensitives.In this role, I utilize my metaphorical 'Force' abilities, honed from years of real-world experience in talent acquisition and team building, to spot hidden talents and potential. Just as Jedi Investigators transition into Jedi Recruiters, I've leveraged my extensive experience in various sectors to identify, attract, and engage prospective candidates who might be otherwise overlooked.This is more than a playful ode to a beloved franchise; it serves as an embodiment of my unwavering commitment to talent discovery and nurturing. In a universe teeming with diverse skills and abilities, my mission is to illuminate hidden potential and foster an environment that empowers everyone to thrive.

With a solid background in graphic and industrial design, I've mastered the art of crafting compelling digital assets, ensuring our online presence communicates our mission and value through excellent design. I've leveraged this expertise as an "Acceleration Guru," where I spent six years fostering a thriving community of startup accelerators and launching tech startups. My approach is rooted in user-centric methodologies, enabling me to work effectively alongside startup founders in crafting early MVPs, generating first digital prototypes, and initiating original content and branded marketing communications. This process has instilled in me the unique role of a technology translator, where I provide invaluable guidance to investors and venture funds, assisting them in understanding and vetting tech startups, products, and teams. In parallel, I've served as a mentor to tech startup founders, helping them navigate through business development, marketing, promotions, and investment strategy by breaking down complex technical concepts into digestible insights. My career highlights include leading multiple successful projects, among which are New Ventures Startup Accelerator*, Flywheel Coworking, HQ Greensboro, Triad Startup Lab, Collab Coworking, Gig-G, Entrepreneur Connection, US Ignite, and Innova Disc Golf. Throughout these projects, I've relied heavily on various user-centered design methods, including Design Thinking, User Experience, Customer Experience, Service Design, Product Design, Rapid Prototyping, Lean Startup, Business Modeling, and Lean Canvases in my strategic innovation consulting practice. *At New Ventures Startup Accelerator, I successfully directed seven startup cohorts, launching over 60 companies with a combined valuation exceeding $26,000,000, based on priced follow-on investment rounds. These companies raised a total of $5,371,500.00 under my guidance.

As the Founder, Creative Director, Art Director, Designer, and Marketer at UltraBanner, I was responsible for leading all aspects of product development and marketing strategy, including market research and analysis, product introductions, packaging and merchandising, trade shows, branding and advertising, sales presentations, marketing communications, legal services, product and service warranty, and product testing. With 16+ years of experience, I successfully managed a diverse range of clients and leveraged my expertise in all areas of the design and marketing process.

Each year, I am entrusted to guide 5 - 8 newly minted tech companies and their inspired entrepreneurial founders through a 12 week immersion into the world of the lean startup. I do this for the benefit of the New Ventures investors, the startup founders and the local and regional startup ecosystem. www.newventuresnc.com

I built the community program that helped incubate entrepreneurship in Greensboro as part of economic development with municipal funding.Program and brand development. Community engagement and communication. Web site traffic growth, web site design, and UI. Develop brand strategy and statistical systems to measure program growth. Strategic consulting, including planning & marketing strategy development and deployment for the following programs:Entrepreneur Connection, Triad Startup Lab: www.triadstartup.comCapital ConnectsSLAM! Ideas

Established the following departments in a 3 year contract period:Product Development, Product Brand Management and Marketing, IBC Certified Performance TestingInvented or co-invented 6 products that have been patented. New products designed, developed and introduced into sales distribution accounted for more than $24m in sales revenue per year.Responsible for all new product development, marketing strategy, research, market analysis, product introductions, merchandising and packaging, trade shows, branding and advertising, sales presentations, marketing communications, legal services, product and service warranty, product testing, customer building code compliance programs and special projects.

Responsible for providing comprehensive Industrial Design, Marketing Design and Project Management services of client projects from conceptualization through production. Projects included the design, development and market introduction of consumer and industrial products such as vacuum cleaners, physical therapy testing equipment, class 8 trucks, portable and clinical testing equipment, hand tools, various plastic storage containers, advertising campaigns, new product introductions, and environments such as show rooms and trade show displays.Sold assets to Argos Design in December 2001.