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Work Background
Bespoke BizDev LLCFounder & CEO
Aug. 2017Chicago & Iowa CityBespoke BizDev LLC is a Business Development Agency for B2B software startups. Helping founders through executive business introductions, messaging & business writing, sales planning & operations, pipeline building, partner & agency management, proposal writing, and social media. Startup experience with Silicon Valley, New York City, and Chicago founders. Typical engagements are 90+ days. Full-time or part-time. Learn more at www.bespokebizdev.com.
freelance business developmentSoftware Sales & Business Development Consultant - eCommerce, Social, Mobile & Cloud
Jan. 2008Chicago & Iowa CityHelping software start-ups scale and jump-start their sales & business development efforts. I engage through executive business introductions, and can act as a sales hunter, pipeline builder, deal closer and account director after the sale. I work with entrepreneurial SaaS (software-as-a-service) start-up companies, many times as their first salesperson, setting up sales strategy, marketing & sales messaging, CRM, target account lists, prospecting strategy, and social media presence. I then execute on that plan by hunting within Fortune 1000, Internet Retailers, and Major Brands to secure meetings/demos for my founder entrepreneurs to pitch their solutions. These engagements can be both short-term and longer-term, depending upon the needs of the client company. My role becomes “sales quarterback” to prospect, demo software and manage pipeline and proposals to move sales opportunities to close. I then act as an Account Director to ensure client satisfaction upon completion of sale until launch of the client project, scheduling meeting milestones and securing internal resources to ensure the client’s project success. My specialty is calling into eCommerce, Internet Retailers, Digital Marketing, Major Brands, CMO, CIO, and partnering with client interactive agencies such as Razorfish and Digitas to win client business.
ChooseologyBusiness Development Consultant
May. 2021 - Jan. 2023Chicago & Iowa City(Consulting Engagement) Chooseology is an eCommerce virtual shopping simulator that measures respondent behaviors and engagement with your brand. Armed with powerful insight, you can drive greater performance of your online sales channels.
BluPrairieBusiness Development Consultant
Mar. 2017 - Jul. 2017Iowa City, Iowa Area(Short-term Consulting Engagement) I engaged BluPrairie's CEO and founder through executive business introductions. About us: By the year 2020, half of all small and medium-sized businesses will have moved their business systems to the cloud. How to begin? BluPrairie was born to fill this need. Our goal is to learn about your business goals, collaborate about ideas, and come up with a strategic plan. Then, we make recommendations as to how best to move your business systems forward. We are a GSuite by Google Cloud Partner, as well as an Amazon Web Services Partner, and can recommend other technology solutions as you need them. www.bluprairietech.com
Stock Option CounselMarketing Communications Consultant
Aug. 2015 - Oct. 2015San Francisco Bay Area(Short-term Consulting Engagement) Marketing Communications & Social Media Consultant - set-up marketing messaging, sales operations & CRM, & client relations for this Silicon Valley-based law firm specializing in counseling executives, employees and founders who want to evaluate, negotiate & monetize startup equity. www.stockoptioncounsel.com
PhonicBusiness Development Consultant
Feb. 2022 - Apr. 2022Chicago & Iowa City(Short-term Consulting Engagement) Turn Surveys into conversations. Join thousands of researchers on the leading voice and video research platform.
Meld MarketingBusiness Development Consultant
Mar. 2017 - Jul. 2017Iowa City, Iowa Area(Short-term Consulting Engagement) I engaged Meld Marketing's CEO and founder through executive business introductions. About us: Meld is a boutique marketing and brand agency. Fresh Brands Built Here -- Brand Strategy, Marketing, and Communications. Meld Marketing (formerly Melinda Pradarelli & Company) has nearly 20 years of experience in marketing, communications, and brand development. The company has worked with a wide range of industries, including healthcare, real estate, start-ups, technology, non-profits, food packaging, department stores, and colleges and universities around the nation and the world. Clients have included Fortune 500 companies and Ivy League universities as well as small- to medium-size businesses. www.thinkmeld.com
FollowAnalyticsBusiness Development Consultant
Jan. 2016 - Feb. 2016San Francisco Bay Area(Short-term Consulting Engagement) FollowAnalytics works with Fortune 2000 companies to transform their customers into brand advocates through extraordinary mobile app interactions. Using FollowAnalytics mobile marketing automation and engagement platform, brands have the tools to monetize loyal customers and revitalize unresponsive customers through a journey of personalized, contextual mobile marketing moments. The platform was built from the ground up for mobile marketers, rather than developers, making it intuitive and easy-to-use and implement. FollowAnalytics combines analytics that connect across CRM systems with machine learning to analyze and predict customer behavior and identify the right mobile moments to engage users. www.followanalytics.com.
Avaamo (www.avaamo.com)Business Development Consultant
Feb. 2015 - May. 2015San Francisco Bay Area(Short-term Consulting Engagement) Sales hunter. Helped to start up the national business development & sales effort for this Silicon-Valley-based SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) mobile software start-up. Think "What's App for Business". www.avaamo.com.
Green Rocket Security Inc.Social Media Consultant
Mar. 2015 - May. 2015San Francisco Bay Area(Short-term Consulting Engagement) Started up the social media presence for this Silicon Valley-based security software start-up. www.greenrocketsecurity.com.
ACR AnalyticsBusiness Development Consultant
Jun. 2014 - Aug. 2014Portland, Oregon Area(Short-term Consulting Engagement) Sales hunter. Helped start up the national business development & sales efforts for this Portland, Oregon-based digital marketing consultancy fueled by analytics. www.acranalytics.com
FanopiaBusiness Development Consultant
Apr. 2014 - Jun. 2014Greater New York City Area(Short-term Consulting Engagement) Sales hunter. Helped start up the national business development & sales effort for this NYC-based SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) Internet software start-up -- Social Media Community Software for online publishers and bloggers. www.fanopia.com
PictacularBusiness Development Consultant
Jan. 2014 - Mar. 2014San Francisco Bay Area(Short-term Consulting Engagement) Sales hunter. Started up the national business development & sales effort for this Silicon Valley-based SaaS Internet software start-up. Pictacular is an Instagram-based engagement and analytics dashboard for marketing and communication professionals that helps companies and brands see what photos people are taking about and near them and to engage with those photos. www.pictacular.co
elicit, Inc.Director, Business Development | Consultant
Nov. 2011 - Dec. 2013Greater Chicago Area(Consulting Engagement) Sales hunter, pipeline builder, closer & account director. Started up the national business development & sales effort for this Chicago-based SaaS Internet software start-up selling to brand marketers, Chief Marketing Officers, Fortune 500, and eCommerce retailers specializing in maximizing on-site, curated search for web, mobile & social media sites. Post-sale, I step-in as an Account Director, managing the successful on-boarding of the client from production through launch, ensuring client satisfaction and growing our business and relationship with the client to other web properties nationally and internationally. www.elicitsearch.com
NaviscentBusiness Development Consultant
Jun. 2009 - Nov. 2011San Francisco Bay Area(Consulting Engagement) Sales hunter. Started up the national Business Development effort for this Silicon Valley Web Design & User Experience consultancy. Clients include Fortune 1000, Software & Technology companies, and eCommerce Internet Retailers. Goal is to maximize B2C/B2B Return-on-Design to enhance customer and employee user experience with Internet/Intranet websites & software user interfaces. www.naviscent.com
MacquariumBusiness Development Director
Sep. 2007 - Jan. 2008Greater Atlanta AreaOutside Enterprise Sales of Strategic Web Development Solutions specializing in Interactive Media, User Experience, Internet Portals, Social Media & eCommerce Solutions to marketing & IT executives at large Fortune 500 accounts. Started-up the Chicago territory for this small Atlanta-based Interactive Agency. www.macquarium.com
FryAccount Director
Jul. 2006 - May. 2007Greater Chicago AreaAccount management of eCommerce platform software, software development services, & hosting to large Internet Retailers. Managed a large Seattle-based Internet Retailer client during their eCommerce platform redesign for this small professional services company.
Microsoft CorporationCorporate Account Executive, Regional Partner Manager, & Executive Relations
Jan. 1996 - Dec. 2003Greater Chicago AreaSales hunter & account manager. Outside Enterprise Software sales of complete Microsoft software product line to large Fortune 500 clients, medium businesses, & via Microsoft Certified Channel Partners. This included closing large enterprise software license agreements & a large volume of smaller software server deals via building executive relationships & sales evangelism within client accounts. Created & organized a Chicago CEO summit for Bill Gates at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and a CXO executive breakfast with Steve Ballmer for one of my large clients.
RR DonnelleyApplications Consultant | Enterprise Sales
Dec. 1992 - Dec. 1996Greater Chicago AreaOutside Enterprise Sales & Sales Evangelist of Interactive Media, Electronic Catalog, Content Management, & Product Information Management Software & Services for this small start-up software division of the worldwide printing giant RRD. Sales of early days of internet technologies to marketing & IT executives at large Fortune 500 clients nationally.
Eastman Kodak CompanyAccount Representative
Dec. 1986 - Dec. 1992Greater Chicago AreaSales hunter, pipeline builder, closer & account manager. Outside Enterprise Sales of Work-Flow Business Software Applications to Line-of-Business executives at Fortune 1000 accounts for the Business Imaging Systems Division of this photography giant.
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