Michael Mandanis (M2) Email & Phone Number

Healdsburg, Dry Creek Valley, California

M2 Studio Productions brings decades of experience as a boutique sourcing and product development firm, specializing in building exceptional retail brands, through innovation beyond existing core business to create more equitable and a regenerative future. Drawing from over 30 years of partnering with America's most exceptional brands, helping our clients.

Portola Valley, California, United States

• ILLURE is an innovative lifestyle brand with a product line comprised of artisan candlelight décor, essential oil fragrances, patented fragrance diffusion, Lumi360° flameless candles, ColdFire, and JetFlame.
• Establish and manage strategic partnerships with premier brands Biltmore Estate, Pottery Barn, QVC and Tremont Floral, Vance Kitira, and Whipsaw Design.
• Steer business negotiations and represent company at factory showrooms and industry-leading global trade shows.
• Manage product development and compliance with vertically integrated suppliers in Viet Nam, Thailand, India, China, and the USA.My accomplishments in this role include:
• Paved the way for commercialization of the ILLURE brand to achieve $4M in sales in less than four years, with operating margins of +40%.
• Conceived and implemented multiple product lines from the ground up, positioning each for high market visibility.

Silcon Valley, California

• I orchestrated transformational merchandising strategies across seasonal and holiday categories for Balsam Hill, the flagship division of Balsam Brands.Additionally, I was responsible for formulating brand positioning.
• Established the company's merchandising department, recruiting and hiring a 4-member merchant team.
• Oversaw merchandising and product development teams while directing global sourcing.
• Forged strategic licensee relationships with iconic lifestyle brands Biltmore and Nicole Miller.
• Liaised with all levels of management, staff and stakeholders in strategizing brand growth, and honing the brand's core pillars.
• Devised and implemented innovative, profit-driven seasonal merchandising strategies that consistently resulted in robust comp sales and profit growth.My accomplishments in this role included:

Mill Valey, California

• As an independent consultant, I delivered key strategic and product development contributions in the launch of this lifestyle flagship store and specialty catalog based in historic Mill Valley, CA.Further.
• Focused on ground-level startup activities such as… Show more As an independent consultant, I delivered key strategic and product development contributions in the launch of this lifestyle flagship store and specialty.
• Focused on ground-level startup activities such as project management, global sourcing, brand vision, strategic planning, and private-label product creation / innovation to achieve double digit growth in revenue and.

Cincinnati, Ohio

• In this role, I reported directly to the President HR Harvey and maintained a dotted-line relationship with the company founder, Paul Tarvin.I headed the luxury and professional grade hardline product development.
• Administered catalog pagination, photography, and product copy development functions.
• Initiated proactive promotional strategies and identified new business opportunities for product differentiation across all multi-channel platforms.
• Conducted in-depth analysis of market and competitor data, leveraging product-specific metrics for merchandising strategy formulation.My accomplishments in this role included:
• Fueled robust multi-channel business growth, with annual sales of $100M+ across Frontgate and specialty titles Outdoor Source Book and Splash catalogs.
• Stewarded rock legend Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville license relationship, coordinated Escape-to-Margaritaville sweepstakes and managed Margaritaville Collection lifestyle brand.

Palo Alto, California

I reported to the Chairman Esmail Hozour, responsible for strategic new-business initiatives, product development, licensing partnerships, managing brand portfolios for Porsche Design, American Red Cross, Grundig and Lextronics of Europe; interfacing with technology providers including Apple, Sirius/XM, HD Radio and Digital Audio Broadcasting.

Marin County, California

At Restoration Hardware, I worked closely with the legendary Chairman Gary Friedman and in parallel was mentored by the company's founder Stephen Gordon.Attending over 30+ world-wide trade shows annually; developing compelling and highly profitable private-label discovery, gift, and decor programs.

Mendocino, California

I reported directly to the company’s founder John Schaffer, as the chief merchant, responsible for managing catalog channel diversification into mainstream markets overseeing, in parallel, new store openings and the merchandise mix for the flagship Solar Living Center and the firm’s Berkeley store.

Weston, Vermont

Mentored by the owner Lyman Orton, I served as Retail Buyer for all hardline categories for the company's two stores and in parallel was the Store Manager for the flagship store.

Peterbourgh, New Hampshire

My merchandising career started as an Assistant Product Manager for the Hard-to-Find-Tools catalog; where I advanced rapidly to become one of the three Retail Product Managers charged with revitalizing the company’s heritage and discovery product lines.