Stephen Dowd Email & Phone Number

Sheffield, England, United Kingdom

Functional Nutrition is a multi-channel speciality retailer of high-quality nutraceuticals. Today, Functional Nutrition is growing into one of the UK’s largest vitamin and nutritional supplement retailers, carrying some of the most well-known and well-respected nutraceutical brands. The health and wellness products are available to customers all over the world via the Supplement Hub, Amrita Nutrition and Nutritional Wholesaler websites. The business is based in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands.The mission of the business is to become the most trusted nutraceuticals partner on planet Earth.

Kirby Lonsdale

Better2Know are leaders in confidential & anonymous sexual health testing with clinics across four continents. The business provides a world class patient service on hand 24/7, 365 days a year.The role is to develop and grow new revenue streams for the Better2Know business using unexploited digital channels. This is achieved through online marketplaces, building affiliate partnerships, expanding brand awareness, and owning the customer lifecycle. Main Achievements To Date:* Developed and grew the brand on Amazon with compelling product listings, brand registration, sponsored product advertising, Prime and organic SEO keyword optimisation. Maintained an excellent account health on Amazon with adherence to performance targets and the policies require to sell on the marketplace platform.* Created an eBay presence with attractive product listings and branding. The objective is to create build brand authority with a brand store.* Implemented an affiliate marketing program for the brand and developed relationships with relevant third-party publishers.* Built a brand experience for the new range of wellness products with digital assets that support both the retail and business to business department.* Implemented Google Shopping through the Google Merchant Centre alongside Paid Search for broader reach while utilising Performance Max to optimize conversion goals.* Developed an email marketing strategy to retain and own the customer lifecycle.* Created a range of print publications and brochures for visibility and cross selling for the new range of wellness products.* Developed a technical solution for an online pharmacy to be added to the website. This complex solution is challenging due to the product restrictions around prescription only medication and regulation from the General Pharmaceutical Council.* Negotiated contracts with suppliers and developed effective working relationships.

Wilmslow, England, United Kingdom

Saks Medical & Cosmetics Ltd is an eCommerce company specialising in Hair Loss solutions and products. The business has exclusive UK distribution agreements to represent, manage and retail world leading hair loss treatments such as Low-Level Laser Therapy by HairMax, the Supplement Brand HelpHair and Cosmetic Solutions such as Toppik and DermMatch.The objective is to implement multi-channel retail and build an efficient operational infrastructure to maximize on customer care. A digital marketing strategy is employed to build visibility and brand awareness while maximizing operational profitability through cross selling complimentary therapies and solutions.Main Achievements:* Implemented omni channel software Brightpearl for retail management of the different brands and developed effective internal IT and operation procedures to support.* Specified, designed and implemented retail websites to support the brands using a combination of Magento and Shopify platforms.* Developed marketing strategies supporting the brands through Paid Search, Paid Social, Social Media, Digital PR, Email Marketing and Content Marketing. This was combined with Offline Marketing solutions such as Direct Mail, Print Publications and Trade shows.* Grew visibility of the brands on Amazon and eBay through Brand Registry, Sponsored Product Advertising and Organic SEO keyword optimisation.* Recruited and trained new staff members through the apprenticeship programme providing regular appraisals and reviews and instilling a philosophy of continuous improvement to ensure career development.* Provided business insight based on the measurement of data while identifying trends, opportunities, and threats.

Manchester

Hamilton Pharmaceuticals is a Manchester based distribution company trading with the NHS, Pharmaceutical groups and online with its eCommerce division - All Day Pharmacy.The objectives are to upgrade the technology solution and develop a marketing strategy for the All Day Pharmacy website while maximising opportunities though the trading platforms of Amazon and eBay.Main Achievements:* Identifying Over The Counter (OTC) product opportunities to be sold FBA on Amazon and eBay. Maximizing Account Health, Policy Compliance and Customer Service Performance in a highly competitive marketplace.* Implemented a website solution and procedures to sell prescription medications online by working with the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)* Training and managing a fulfillment team that were trained to work within GPhC regulations

Manchester

The objectives were to consolidate the various online businesses onto one new eCommerce platform, maximise operational efficiency and develop an IT and marketing strategy to turn the loss making online division into profitability.Main Achievements:* Turned the online business into profitability by effective management of technology solutions, warehousing and customer support resources.* Consolidated five web sites onto a new Magento eCommerce platform to improve operational efficiency, fulfilment and scalability.* Provided online fulfilment (buy.energizer.co.uk & buy.wilkinsonsword.co.uk) and technical consultancy advice for the Energizer and Wilkinson Sword brands which were managed under license.* Recruited, trained and developed a new team of people to provide an exceptional level of customer service and product knowledge. An excellent customer experience was developed that constantly reviewed conversion rates and satisfaction using independent analytical data. Retention rates were in excess of 65%.* Developed branding, technical specifications and a marketing strategy for a new light bulb site, www.lightbulbs.co.uk which was launched in the Autumn of 2013.* Recruited new customers by building brand awareness, developing search engine optimisation through good quality scores and content and by creating efficient pay per click campaigns with a 7 times Return On Investment.* Ran a highly effective Amazon campaign that competed aggressively in the European marketplace.

Preston, United Kingdom

everywine.co.uk was the Internet’s largest wine warehouse to buy. It was owned by EH Booths & Co. Ltd; a North West based regional food and drink supermarket business.Main Achievements:* Promoted to Operations Director within 12 months with a remit to ensure that everwine.co.uk (formed in 2000) would become the leading wine seller through an Internet channel. Since the launch in November 2000, the brand has grown both nationally and internationally and is currently achieving a turnover of £2M.* Recruited, trained and led a new team of eight people, providing regular appraisals and reviews and instilling a philosophy of continuous improvement to ensure outstanding results.* Evaluated specific software solutions and appropriate vendor’s to ensure a web platform was built that incorporated a search and merchandising functionality, with content management, that resulted in improved conversion rates above industry standards.* Dramatically improved the customer experience by innovating on a challenging fulfillment system, improving the team’s interpersonal skills and implementing a Customer Relationship Management system which listens to, retains and extends the customer lifecycle. As a result customer surveys rate the satisfaction levels at 96.8%.* Developed and implemented a long tail marketing strategy utilising search engine optimisation, backing linking strategies, affiliate marketing and social media resulting in a 57% increase in visitor numbers.

Ramsbottom Lancashire

The Happening Corporation was formed in March 1998 to provide training and IT solutions to the business community in the North West.Main Achievements:* Consultancy work for Rapport Communications Consultancy delivering IT support and training. Work included installing a new network of computers and the groupware product Lotus Domino which provided a secure Intranet for the company’s associate consultants based around the country. * Working as an associate consultant for Rapport providing Year 2000 consultancy for the Rail Millennium Programme Office (funded by Railtrack PLC to deal with Year 2000 issues within the rail industry).* In 1999, work commenced for ICL on the Horizon Pathway project, one of the largest IT projects in Europe. The project objectives included training Post Office workers to use a new electronic point of sales system being installed across the Post Office retail network.

Manchester, United Kingdom

Optical Retail Group which was a revolution combining ‘old fashioned service with high fashion eyewear’.Main Achievements:* First store opened in Ramsbottom with a second store opening in city centre Manchester in December 1991. * In mid 1992 the partners entered the Granada Television business enterprise competition ‘Flying Start’. Angela Campbell appeared on the programme before 3.1 million people and achieved the Bronze award out of an entry of over 1,000.* On September 1993 Angela Campbell Opticians was accredited with the International Standard ISO 9002 (British Standard 5750 Part 2) and the company was recognised as an Investor in People in September 1996* On February 1995 a third retail store was added in Altrincham, Cheshire.* Angela Campbell Opticians floated on the OFFEX market and became plc status at the end of August 1996. In December 1996, the fourth store was opened at 82 King Street, Manchester.* In June 1997 the company acquired Speedspecs of Harrogate which increased the total turnover of the group to over £1.5 million.

Various

Senior Retail Manager with Dixons Stores GroupMain Achievements:* In March 1986, was given the responsibility of managing a ‘problem’ branch. After quickly resolving all the problems, creating record sales and bringing the branch to the required standard within five months, was promoted to Branch Manager at Currys in Nelson in July 1986 which had an annual turnover of £850,000.* In February 1987, was promoted to Branch Manager to the Currys store in Oldham and in March 1988, became the first Branch Manager to move from a Currys store to a Dixons store. The store had a turnover of £2 million.* In January 1990, became Senior Manager responsible for nine branches in the area as well as managing the Dixons store in Bury.