Laura Thornton Email & Phone Number

Bloomington, Minnesota, Us

Denver, Colorado, Us

As a strategic leader, I have a track record of successfully building small businesses from scratch, which have grown into award-winning multi-million-dollar companies.My primary day-to-day accountabilities are: To manage end-to-end business activities in the start-up phase I design and implement appropriate Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).By utilizing and allocating available resources I oversee overall operations related to finance, employment, training, marketing, and budgets.To drive daily operational excellence and ensure effective communication with clients I execute robust methods and streamline record-keeping/data entry functions for optimal efficiency.Some of my selected contributions are:• Demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and knowledge, resulting in winning Colorado Companies to Watch 2022, Finalist, BBB Torch Award for Ethics 2023, Finalist of Carbon Valley Chamber Small Business of the Year 2023 awards.• Hired and presided over all workforce, delivered executive-level support and directions to staff in meeting shared objectives.• Enabled and streamlined all departments' operations for reaching and maintaining individual Key Performance Indicators.

St. Louis, Mo, Us

I'm a Sales Manager passionate about driving revenue growth and developing top-performing teams. I've led national sales teams and developed and executed successful sales strategies that exceeded targets.In my role, I maintained a finger on the pulse of changing market conditions and trends, staying responsive and adapting our sales approach accordingly. I was responsible for preparing detailed sales reports and forecasts on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis, which helped us stay on track and meet our goals.I also prioritized customer satisfaction, working hard to address any complaints and concerns to improve our operations and build loyalty. And to make informed decisions about our sales approach, I conducted in-depth market research to stay ahead of the competition.Overall, I'm a strategic thinker and a dedicated leader who's committed to driving results and delivering excellent customer experiences.A few of my key achievements are:• Determined and provided specialized training to sales associates on product specifications, sales incentives, and selling techniques, significantly increasing customer satisfaction ratings.• Won several Sales Awards throughout the tenure and was recognized as Conversion Rate leader (inbound leads).• Executed negotiations and finalized agreements with major customers while monitoring and analyzing performance metrics.

Boston, Massachusetts, Us

As a business expansion manager, I oversaw all aspects of growth projects and maximized advancement.I built up my network of contacts and researched new, lucrative market opportunities.I also made sure that sales forecasts were in line with projected income.When it came to interacting with potential customers, I used a variety of channels, including phone, email, and in-person meetings.By cultivating trusted relationships with key decision-makers, I encouraged growth and retention.Keeping comprehensive notes and updating account information in company databases was also an important part of my role.Finally, I conducted client research and evaluated opportunities for account growth, penetration, and market development. This helped me identify new ways to expand our business and stay ahead of the competition.Some of my key achievements are:• Played an integral role in establishing lucrative, long-term partnerships with 30+ new accounts.• Settled and concluded long-term agreements with new clients in assigned territory.

Hire, onboard and train call center personnel Coach call center staff through challenging customer service issues.Analyze call center data and prepare reports for upper management.Evaluate staff effectiveness and performance annually or on as-need basis.Lead team meetings and give presentations to executives.Develop monthly, quarterly and annual call center goals and action plans.Prepare work schedules to ensure sufficient coverage.Create personnel and supply budgets for approval. Collected and analyzed call center statistics, sales rates, costs, and customer service metrics. Established and oversaw performance targets for call center associates.Created clear and effective policies governing all aspects of employee work and interaction with customers.Developed quality employees within call center to take over leadership positions.Determined quality assurance benchmarks and set standards for improvement.Conducted performance reviews for staff members to reduce resolution times and improve customer satisfaction ratings.Led daily team meetings to review performance, set targets and motivate staff.Scheduled call center staff to meet operational needs whilst remaining under budget.Evaluated data to identify trends and determine customer service needs.Provided real-time coaching, guidance and feedback to customer service agents to achieve development goals.

During this role, I was held accountable for leading a team of Admissions Representatives in charge of recruiting qualified personnel across 40 states.We worked together to develop a strategic recruitment plan considering our long-term and short-term goals.One of my main priorities was ensuring applicants received the guidance they needed to meet our academic and extracurricular requirements. This involved advising their admission prospects and helping them navigate the application process.In 2013-2014, I also collaborated with faculty, staff, and students to identify and tackle some of the challenges facing our institution. Together, we developed some pretty innovative solutions that helped us make significant progress.A few of my selected achievements are:• Oversaw operations and growth of up to 40 Representatives, 2 Managers, and 2 Admin Support Staff Members through strategic planning and execution.• Designed and enforced best student success initiatives to acknowledge and promote achievement.• Applied robust tactics and plans for accelerating student reemployment, engagement, and retention.

Lisle, Illinois, Us

I had the privilege of leading an amazing team of 150 National High School Recruitment Representatives. My main goal was to increase Return on Investment, enrollment, and retention and achieve optimum growth and expansion.To help my team excel, I created personalized training programs that were tailored to each individual's needs. This helped us drive our message home and ensure we were delivering a consistent message across the board.One of our biggest challenges was improving our inquiry into enrollment, finalization, and start rates. But with our focus on this goal, we were able to make some real progress.Another thing I'm really proud of is my ability to manage projects from start to finish. I'm great at creating creative solutions to complex problems, and my leadership skills really came in handy when it came to getting everyone on the same page.A few of my key achievements are:• Cultivated long-term relationships with stakeholders that led to enhanced inquiries and enrollment via the organization of effective partnership programs across two challenging metros, including Orlando and Denver, CO.• Designed and executed a High School Observation program, resulting in reaching more effective training and coaching in multiple accountability areas that led to higher interest rates and referrals.• Delivered Career-Shop workshops in high schools up to three days a week while guiding a team of three towards achieving set personal and career goals.• Enhanced and strengthened partnerships with area high schools through Joint Enrollment Plan by networking with school administrators, counsellors, and teachers.

Lisle, Illinois, Us

Headed a talented team of National High School Recruitment Representatives who focused on amplifying Return on Investment, enrollment, and retention along with optimum growth and expansion. Devised and chaired individualized corporate training programs for the recruiting team to drive delivery and deliver consistent messaging. Focused on improving inquiry to enrollment, finalization, and start rates. Showcased leadership skills in managing projects from concept to completion with the ability to offer creative solutions to complex problems.● Cultivated long-term relationships with stakeholders that led to enhanced inquiries and enrollment via the organization of effective partnership programs across two challenging metros, including Orlando and Denver, CO.● Designed and executed a High School Observation program, resulting in reaching more effective training and coaching in multiple accountability areas that led to higher interest rates and referrals.● Delivered Career-Shop workshops in high schools up to three days a week while guiding a team of three toward achieving set personal and career goals.● Enhanced and strengthened partnerships with area high schools through Joint Enrollment Plan by networking with school administrators, counselors, and teachers.Prior experience as Educational Representative at DeVry University

Lisle, Illinois, Us

I developed and delivered CareerShop workshops in high schools approx 3 days a week. I also have a team of 3 who I hope to guide in reaching their personal and career goals, and work to grow and strengthen the partnerships we have with area high schools through our Joint Enrollment Plan. These efforts include networking with school administrators, counselors, and teachers. Focused on improving inquiry to enrollment, finalization, and start rates.

Lisle, Illinois, Us

Responsible for inquiry development and enrollment budget. Accomplished this by both delivering workshops in high school classrooms and conducting college application interviews in-home. Focused on improving inquiry to enrollment, finalization, and start rates.

New York, Ny, Us

Responsible for all marketing efforts of Kaplan Test Preparation in the Tampa/St. Petersburg market

Bachelor Of Science (B.S.), Social Work

Education record