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 transform markets, maximize new opportunities, collaborating with founders to co-create new brands, as well as launched, funded and… Show more 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 transform markets, maximize new opportunities, collaborating with founders to co-create new brands, as well as launched, funded and fueled a few of our own. Specializing in elevated strategic vision, rapid growth business development, seasonal product assortment strategy, product delineation, aesthetic direction, and project/vendor management. Driven by endless curiosity and desire to know how things work and are made, and to contribute to the development of products that enhance people's lives through purpose, function, and aesthetic. From exploration to activation, accelerating and proving new concepts that differentiate the guest experience, delivering innovation through private label product development. We offer our clients end-to-end innovation, from user needs and business strategy, through prototyping and development, to manufacturing and launch to market, including incubation and joint R&D.Combining industrial design, keen sense of aesthetics, technological expertise, and real-world experience to create innovative products that function skillfully, exist beautifully, define markets, and inspire popular culture.Leveraging our strong business partner relationships with best-in-class suppliers and internal stake holders to drive margins and improved efficiencies across all markets and distribution channels. Available to perform work onsite or remotely Feel free to email directly to discuss business challenges and opportunities in detail --Michael Mandanis m2@m2studioproductions.com Show less

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 technologies. The brand is backed by an extensive IP portfolio that allows for significant growth and licensing opportunities.I conceived, launched, and oversee all business operations for this company. I have also assembled a cohesive and high-performing 12-member luminary… Show more 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 technologies. The brand is backed by an extensive IP portfolio that allows for significant growth and licensing opportunities.I conceived, launched, and oversee all business operations for this company. I have also assembled a cohesive and high-performing 12-member luminary equity-holder leadership team and Board of Directors.I oversee short-and long-term product strategies, tactical execution, blue-sky innovations, team culture, product vision, merchandising functions, and the creation of compelling content for the company website and socials. Further, I: • 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.• Architected best-in-class R&D process and helmed multimillion-dollar multi-brand strategy for introducing premium and mid-tier products into new vertical markets and geographies.• Establish and adapt operational strategy as needed to adjust to shifts in priorities, ensuring continual alignment with cultural DNA of quality, excellence, collaboration and focus on achieving top-line sales.• Certified on-air guest, brand ambassador and spokesperson appearing in numerous, live TV broadcasts for the QVC network. Show less

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 and the overall aesthetic for proprietary product assortments to achieve margin and revenue goals. I served as the first chief merchant for the startup home and holiday décor division during the company's most rapid growth period, reporting directly to founder Thomas… Show more 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 and the overall aesthetic for proprietary product assortments to achieve margin and revenue goals. I served as the first chief merchant for the startup home and holiday décor division during the company's most rapid growth period, reporting directly to founder Thomas Harman. Further, I: • 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:• Being integral in transforming Balsam into a first-class, multi-channel retailer with $32M in incremental sales through close collaboration with the founder on re-positioning the growth strategy.• Championed multiple consecutive YOY double digit comp revenue increases throughout tenure, including 60% in 2016, 43% in 2017, 42% in 2018, and 40% in 2019.• Fully defined the brand, tone, and voice in helming the launch of Balsam's new holiday décor, specialty floral catalogs and web collections.• Earned multiple prestigious recognitions, including 2016 Forbes, America's best small company, 2015 Inc. America's fastest growing private company, and top 100 fastest growing Bay Area company 2015. Show less

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, I:Established both soft and hard good merchandise collections. Reported directly to the face of the company: visionary Stephen Gordon, the founder of Restoration Hardware.My accomplishments in this role included:• 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 catalog based in historic Mill Valley, CA.Further, I:Established both soft and hard good merchandise collections. Reported directly to the face of the company: visionary Stephen Gordon, the founder of Restoration Hardware.My accomplishments in this role included:• 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 profitability. Show less

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, global sourcing, and nationwide market launch of exclusive branded and private-label products. I also guided a top-flight team of merchandise managers and industrial designers to fashion well thought-out, generously scaled products constructed from quality materials with… Show more 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, global sourcing, and nationwide market launch of exclusive branded and private-label products. I also guided a top-flight team of merchandise managers and industrial designers to fashion well thought-out, generously scaled products constructed from quality materials with excellent craftsmanship, finish detail and long-term value. Further, I:• 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.• Outlined overarching product roadmap and brand scope and originated vision for driving long-term product portfolio profitability.• Skillfully guided product life cycle, inventory levels and merchandise flow from source to customer, averting supply shortages or surpluses.• Architected and administered procurement processes from the ground up, including supply-chain optimization, supplier contract negotiations, strategic sourcing opportunity identification, risk mitigation, and cost reduction. Show less

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.