Being open-minded means embracing new ideas and possibilities to solve the business challenges you know about and to have the courage to uncover the issues you can’t see yet. A senior level marketing partner can help.Every company is unique with independent problems that need their own crafted solutions. Open Minded Consulting is an objective third-party helping you take an honest, fresh, pragmatic look at your organization. This openness allows us to solve business challenges using strategy, leadership, marketing and communications — the result is practical solutions that work for you.

Recruited to build new marketing department and assess and relaunch the brand for the world’s largest non-profit health and fitness organization. Managed budget and a department of 14 team members including in-house creative, content development, operations, and marketing communications. Aligned the organization around the brand and product strategies, while providing strategic cross-department leadership over multiple business channels, public advocacy, customer retention, business development and inside sales teams. As a member of the executive team, collaborated with C-Level audiences in a key creative and strategic role. Presented budgets, forecasting and results to Board of Directors. To advance mission and advocate for constituents, worked internally and with subject matter experts to develop engaging marketing communications strategies to influence policy makers and thought leaders at national levels. Responsible for reporting on, assessing and improving key performance indicators and revenue including ROI metrics.• Played a key role in growing the organization from $11M to $20M+ in total revenue, and drove programs that led to unprecedented acquisition rates and retention resulting in a 28% increase of certified health and fitness professionals.• Increased Continuing Education revenue resulting in 180% increase in three years.• Developed enterprise level relationships and marketing partnerships with Apple, REI, Reebok, TRX, InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG) and more.• Optimized budgets and held P&L responsibility for e-commerce channel, representing 85% of the organization’s revenue, by implementing a multi-disciplinary pull and push strategy based on sophisticated digital advertising models, content marketing, social media, CRM, effective merchandising, and website optimization.

Rapidly evolved the marketing communications strategy during emerging era of new media and evolving consumer habits while company grew from $22M to $61M. Collaborated with the marketing, sales and executive team to develop and execute the company’s online presence and marketing communication strategies both personally and through the management of the Marketing Communications Team and vendors. Responsible for all company websites, online advertising, e-commerce, social media, video content, SEO, PPC/SEM, affiliate marketing, CRM/e-marketing, online promotions, product-related and corporate public relations, internal and external communications. Attended trade shows to support marketing and sales efforts. Worked regularly with sales team, and retailer and strategic partners to support and maximize online presence and e-commerce sales.• Increased SKLZ.com website traffic from 14K/mo in 2009 to over 100K/mo, and then converted website from product catalog and e-commerce engine to more complete content-based sports training center to educate on and showcase products. Successfully launched additional brand and e-commerce websites for the umbrella organization.• Guided and supported cross-channel e-commerce revenue increase from $1.5M/year to $5M/year working in collaboration with outside sales team for Amazon.com and other retail partners including Dick’s Sporting Goods, Target, Costco, and Wal-Mart.• Initiated social media program, with early adoption of new content marketing strategies, achieving in the first 18 months hundreds of thousands of impressions and other engagement metrics—40,000 Facebook fans across multiple pages, 5,000 Twitter followers, and over 1.5 millions impressions and content views via blogs and Youtube.• Wrote, produced and co-directed 127 product intro videos that positioned brand and product via millions of views.• Created corporate communications program and extended product PR program.

Traditional and online advertising and PR strategist for the agency. Account manager of several integrated local, regional and national accounts including two largest in agency’s history. Worked closely and collaboratively with creative and technical teams, designing and implementing inbound and outbound efforts to meet client’s business objectives, and was responsible for all cross-functional stages of online and print production and execution. Researched target markets, print and online media, competitive analysis, vendors and industry trends and analysis. Pitched new business. • Played key role in redeveloping advertising and interactive department leading to nearly 50% increase in ad service revenues over three and a half year period.• Triggered 10% revenue increase to $478 million in first year of client relationship with TVG.

Direct contact for all client services, media requests, graphics support and strategy. Oversaw the planning, development, and analysis of advertising and public relations campaigns for diverse clientele including logo development, website launch, brochure design and production, ad designs and placement, and direct mail programs. Responsible for the day-to-day operations of the agency including coordination of entire creative team along with multiple vendors and media. Worked with reporters and editors daily. Prepared budgets and media plans. Complete oversight of public relations planning including media research, pitching to editors and reporters, developing creative story angles, strategic planning, and news release distribution.

Wrote dozens of articles while also learning what it was like to have post-college bills to pay. First article about the chef at Tratorria Acqua ended up being the location I proposed to my wife at a few months later. No quid pro quo, but they helped make it a special evening. Sadly the restaurant is now closed.