Business Development Manager
Sandals Resorts international
Total years of experience :17 years, 9 Months
• Developed and implemented the sales plan for assigned Los Angeles territory, increasing sales from $6M to nearly $8M.
• Managed over 500 B2B (owners and C-level) relationships with travel agencies, tourist boards, and tour operators to achieve sales goals.
• Engineered sales plan (prospecting), marketing solutions (qualifying), and alternative profit growth (closing) to achieve record sales of 33%.
• Increased business opportunities through daily office meetings, workshop trainings, bridal shows, host FAM trips, and by participation in major industry travel shows.
• Maximized brand position and sales by traveling to accounts; 60% travel in Los Angeles and 30% more traveling outside of territory in AZ, CO, KS, NE, NV, and TX.
• Created a business development plan to secure and market women’s fashion, including the creative vision and direction of the store's merchandising and displays.
• Managed relationships with over 50 manufacturers and vendors and increased sales from $70, 000 in 2010 to over $300, 000 by 2015.
• Sourced and directed various textile and notion sellers, pattern makers, sample sewers, and large production manufacturers to launch in-house collection in 2014.
Researched market trends using various sources and forecast methodologies; attended many industry textile and apparel marts in the U.S and abroad to stay abreast.
• Managed various storage properties across 8 locations in greater Minnesota with an average of 280 units per location.
• Achieved 85% new account opening rate at first contact with customers while maintaining above 80% occupancy level, including 95% satisfactory from customers.
• Completed lease contracts on a daily bases, including managing over 300 paying clients.
• Processed daily bank deposits, accounts receivable and payable, and delinquency and collection prevention.
• Trained new employees with my unique personal approach proven to produce success and value by the VP of Operations.
• Directed successful corporate, private, and social events for prominent clients, ranging in size from 20 to 1700 (weddings, meetings, holiday events, birthday parties etc.).
• Managed cross-functional team leaders of over 5 highly qualified vendors, suppliers, entertainers, caterers, law enforcement, and setup crew including their staff to achieve success.
• Accomplished strong relationship with 100s of clients/brands like Target, 3M, Best Buy, and the Minnesota Twins Baseball to host their events throughout the year.
• Produced successful sales tours to win over the business of future clients to SMM.
The Apparel Industry Management Program is designed to prepare students for eventual ownership and/or management of a global fashion manufacturing company. The program combines creativity, business knowledge, and computer technology, involving the student in all phases of product innovation, line development, global sourcing, production planning, technology use, sales management, financial control, and global human resources management. The curriculum stresses the importance of leadership, teamwork, creativity, and effective communication in decision-making from the visionary development of the initial concept to the delivery of the finished product.
The international business concentration focuses first on domestic business to develop an appropriate context before expanding studies into international business. In addition to business courses, Saint Thomas offers students courses in intercultural communication, economics and foreign language. Students spend at least one semester studying abroad to gain an understanding of the cultural and living conditions of the country chosen, and will take elective business courses taught in the language of the host country. For my study abroad, I chose to study at the American University in Dubai. I took courses in Middle Eastern Business, Arabic, International Business Management, International Business Marketing, and Finance, just to name a few. The business communications curriculum gives students a solid understanding of business fundamentals supplemented by a variety of courses offered by the Communications and Journalism department focusing on: how to persuade and put forth particular points of view how to produce media in all forms the cultural variables involved in communication technology in today’s workplace.
Completed International study abroad exchange program in Dubai for a semester. My studies focused on understanding and doing business in the Middle East within the requirements of my International Business-Management Degree.