Sales Management

Julie L. Ekelund

**** ********* ****** . *********, ** 55331

612-***-**** . *********@***.***

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SALES MANAGEMENT & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT EXECUTIVE

Key Account Management . New Business Development . Consumer Packaged Goods

. Licensing

Relationship Management . Brand Awareness . Strategic and Market Planning .

P&L Management

Merchandising . Project Management . Contract/Price Negotiation . Staff

Development & Motivation

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PROFILE

Entrepreneurial executive with a dynamic 25-year career leading sales,

marketing and operations for start-up, turn-around, and established

consumer packaged goods companies. Motivational management style with a

record of building and retaining highly motivated sales teams.

. Outstanding success in developing and selling consumer

products into retail distribution channels including mass,

gift, club, book and electronics accounts.

. Exceptionally well organized with a track record that

demonstrates imagination, creativity and initiative to

achieve individual, team, and corporate goals.

. Customer-focused and performance-driven.

. Decisive, efficient team approach; outstanding communication

skills.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2010 - Present Fragrance Marketing Group, Chanhassen, MN

Co-Founder

Brand licensing personal care company focused on developing,

manufacturing, marketing and distributing personal care products

to mass/drug/grocery accounts including Target, Walmart,

Walgreens, Whole Foods, etc.

2009 The Thymes, Minneapolis, MN

Vice President of Sales

Provide clear executive leadership and management to internal

and external sales organizations. Responsible for communication

of clear and consistent messaging, training, and establishment

and prioritization of focused distribution targets.

. Reorganized and realigned the sales department to be a more

responsive, better informed group supporting the field sales

force.

. Identified key strategic initiatives to grow business by

identifying need to develop, support and communicate specific

individual business units within the Thymes.

. Secured new business in excess of $500K immediately and made

presentations to new accounts with sales potential in excess

of $2-3 million for 2010.

. Established 2010 strategy and execution plan for European

expansion for estimated Year 1 sales of $5 million.

. Initiated long-term strategy to prioritize existing business

and establish new distribution and incremental sales outside

of traditional gift/specialty channel

2006-2009 Ekelund & Associates, Excelsior, MN

Independent Business Development Consultant

Provide sales, marketing and business development consulting

services to a variety of companies seeking business with big box

retailers including Target, Walmart, Costco etc.

. Oversee sales for sporting goods and apparel manufacturer

into mass market (TS2, 2009-2010)

. Oversee the start-up of chemical manufacturer in the areas of

sales, operations, regulatory and finance positioning the

company to successfully compete in a global marketplace

(Duraban Worldwide, 2007-2009)

. Managed restructuring of upscale specialty retail clothing

chain. (Kuhlman Company, 2007-2008)

. Strategized, negotiated and delivered $10 million CD program

at major national retail chain. (180 Music, 2006-2007)

. Guided negotiations to purchase assets of entertainment

publisher to form a new music and DVD company. (Pacific

Entertainment, 2006)

2002-2006 Genius Products, San Diego, CA

Executive Vice President Music Division 2004-

2006

Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing 2002-2004

Member of 5-person executive team tasked with the start-up,

development and growth of publicly-held entertainment company.

Managed sales, marketing, product development, and licensing.

. Accelerated growth of company revenues from $250K to $20

million.

. Rapidly increased music division sales from $2 million to $6

million in 18 months while overall music industry business

was contracting.

. Achieved margin % goals and exceeded margin $ goals.

. Identified, pursued and negotiated DVD and music license

deals for company.

. Assisted in raising over $2 million in private placement

offering.

. Created distribution strategy and negotiated contracts with

all major retailers and distributors including Target,

Walmart, Best Buy etc.

. Hired, trained and managed sales people, support staff and

music production staff.

1993-2004 Ekelund & Associates, Excelsior, MN

Independent Consultant/Manufacturer's Representative

Work with small and mid-sized companies and their management

teams on new product development, package design, promotions,

strategic planning and sales/distribution strategies. Clients

included Time-Life Music, Smithsonian Division of Recordings, K-

Tel Entertainment, Radio Spirits, Genius Products, Topics

Entertainment and others. Retailers included Target, Walmart,

Costco, Sams, Best Buy, Barnes & Noble, etc.

. Successfully launched Time-Life Music and Smithsonian

Division of Recordings into the retail marketplace.

. Expanded distribution for K-Tel into Borders, Barnes & Noble,

Sams Club, BJs and Costco resulting in sales of over $3

million.

. Developed and launched retail product line for Radio Spirits,

taking the company from $250K to $7 million in sales

successfully securing placement in over 6000 retail outlets.

. Re-designed, re-positioned and re-launched Genius Products'

children's music line increasing sales by over 200% in its

first year.

. Secured additional distribution for Topics Entertainment into

Target, Sams Club, Borders and Barnes & Noble for incremental

sales of over $4 million.

1992-1993 NordicTrack, Chaska, MN

Director of Marketing

1990-1992 Metacom, Plymouth, MN

Director of Sales & Marketing

1985-1990 Minnetonka, Chaska, MN

Brand Manager

EDUCATION

1987 Augsburg College, Minneapolis, MN

B.A. in Marketing Management

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