Curriculum Vitae

For Bill Barlow

PERSONAL INFORMATION

Bill Barlow Jr.

Location: Tampa Bay, Florida

Email: ad4lxr@r.postjobfree.com

LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bill-barlow-b962128/

Professional Skills as validated by my piers include:

New Business Development & Entrepreneurship

Brand Development 99+ LinkedIn Endorsements

Market Strategy 99+ LinkedIn Endorsements

Entrepreneurship 95+ LinkedIn Endorsements

Direct Marketing 99+ LinkedIn Endorsements

Online Marketing 99+ LinkedIn Endorsements

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

Bill Barlow has demonstrated organizational leadership in a career spanning two decades. Barlow has left an indelible mark on the realms of consumer products, technology, and innovations in direct-to-consumer and electronic retailing. Renowned for his proficiency in business development, high-level brand planning, sales contract negotiations, and go-to-market strategies, Barlow stands out as a results-driven professional adept at optimizing sales pipelines and ensuring effective communications.

As a seasoned strategist and dealmaker, Barlow's international experience sets him apart as not just a visionary but a proven closer. His contributions have played a pivotal role in propelling global retail sales to unprecedented heights, surpassing the remarkable milestone of $16 billion. An exceptional feat lies in Barlow's personal visits to every 24-hour live TV shopping channel worldwide, showcasing a unique hands-on approach to marketing.

Barlow's impact extends beyond borders, leveraging a robust network of international distributors to successfully sell products in every country with a television. His ability to envision and execute global brand expansions has earned him accolades as an award-winning visionary with a keen focus on big-picture thinking and strategic planning.

Barlow has thrived in diverse roles, including celebrity brand developer, strategic consultant, corporate advisor, and corporate board member. His problem-solving acumen, particularly in addressing challenges that keep CEOs awake at night, has made him a sought-after figure in the industry.

Now, Barlow seeks a new strategic role, bringing with him a wealth of experience and a commitment contributing to the success of a dynamic team.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Famous Discoveries LLC

President

December 2013 – Present

Famous Discoveries® is a consulting company that offers strategic branding, business development, B2B, B2C and consumer product development services. Barlow plays a significant consulting role for companies in corporate strategy, business / product development, sourcing & manufacturing, and international sales. Barlow excels in solving the problems that keep CEO’s up at night.

Skills: Corporate strategy, business plan development, P&L, budgeting, nutritional product development, product sourcing, streaming broadcast, branding, licensing, contract negotiations, international trade and brand expansion, project management, operations, finance, franchise marketing, SaaS development, and fundraising. Including a deep understanding of manufacturing processes and cannabis sector products.

Clients Include: QVC, Nygard International, National Food brands and growers, international consumer product brands, cannabis wellness brands, national restaurant and franchise brands, medical products, fashion, TV Shopping channels and marketing technology groups.

Highlights:

Developed a new product sales concept called Fork U Academy® which is available on the QVC+ streaming platform and DBTV via the Amazon Fire and Roku Platforms.

Developed CBme Beauty, a skincare line with Denise Richards.

Barlow was enlisted by numerous cannabis sector and nutritional companies to develop or source new wellness products and design product line extensions.

Teewinot Life Sciences, a non-recreational cannabis sector biotech company, generating natural cannabinoids through biocatalysts, hired Barlow as a consumer product expert. Barlow redrafted the company’s business plan and established the company’s initial consumer brands and go-to-market strategy. Barlow’s business plan reduced costs for the company by 30%. Teewinot later decided to spin out the consumer product division. Based on his contributions, Barlow then served as a consultant to the new entity, Canavation Product Group Inc.

Barlow provided strategic brand consultation to agencies and brands. Barlow’s contributions have led to significant growth of client brand sales (SmartScience Labs, Reakiro, Brass & Co. MaxVera Wellness, Pearson Farms, Sonny’s BBQ, Wish Farms, Georgia Pecan Council). Barlow helped one client convert an online “hobby” business to generate over $2mm in annual sales.

RegimenMD, an enterprise network that connects skincare specialists, patients, and cosmeceutical product manufacturers, hired Barlow to establish its SaaS business platform from startup. Barlow was the system architect designing the software platform. Barlow also developed the B2B go to market strategy. Barlow helped increase customer retention to 35% and the lifetime value of RegimenMD customers exceeding forecast models by over 65%.

Helped Nygard International expand Slims™, a fashion brand, increase revenue, by over 43%.

Partnered with Smokey Robinson to develop skincare brands for people of color called My Girl® for women and Get Ready Cause Here I Come® for men. Barlow’s marketing and public relations campaign was seen by millions of skincare consumers around the world.

Pitch World

Executive Director

December 2011 – December 2013

Pitch World a 24/7 Television shopping network in the United Kingdom selling consumer products. Its products were sold on its own television channels as well as in retail stores in Europe and via third party television distributors worldwide. Barlow served as the Executive Director of Pitch World and its over 100 employees, hired to confidentially make the company attractive for sale. Under Barlow’s direction, Pitch World leveraged its successful products by selling them to its international network of distributors throughout the world, many brought to the company by Barlow. Barlow oversaw the product and creative development and sourcing teams for the company as well as the international distribution network. Overall sales for Pitch World tripled in the 2.3 years when Barlow was running the company.

Skills: Business development, M&A, strategy, finance, broadcast, operations, licensing, contract negotiations, margin analysis, international trade, product development and sourcing, branding, campaign management, margin analysis, workflow, relationship management, process improvement, exit planning.

Highlights:

As the Executive Director, Barlow raised profits and positioned the company for sale ahead of the scheduled time frame. Barlow expanded the international distribution network and grew top line and marginal sales for Pitch World by 300% in just 2 years.

Barlow helped develop the network’s existing brands as well as diversifying into new brands. New brands were developed in-house, sourced from Barlow’s connections in Asia or licensed by 3rd party product owners that had seen success in other markets.

Barlow leveraged his international connections to expand the networks sales into international territories.

Infusion Brands

Executive Vice President of Global Business Development

March 2009– Nov 2011

Infusion Brands is a consumer product development and distribution company. After consulting with Infusion Brands for approximately 1 year, Barlow was hired as the Executive Vice President of Global Business Development. Barlow focused on brand development for house brands and international sales expansion through direct sales on TV Shopping channels and a worldwide distributor network. In his last year with Infusion Barlow went around the world 7 times.

Skills: New business development, M&A, strategy, sales, licensing new innovations, contract negotiations, international trade, product development and sourcing / manufacturing, branding, joint venture relationships, sales management, project management, broadcast operations, and operations.

Brands Include: Dual Saw, Westinghouse Kitchen, Professor Amos Cleaning, Tony Little Fitness, Ricarda M Beauty.

Highlights:

Barlow individually generated over $24mm in sales in 2.4 years.

Barlow leveraged his international relationships to extend the company brands to consumers globally.

Built and managed an international sales team and guided the company to establish international offices in Spain, China and Taiwan and was then selling its products on every continent of the globe.

Co-developed and patented a new television broadcast method. The new broadcast method significantly expanded sales for Infusion’s international TV shopping business. This patented innovation allowed the company to increase sales while significantly reducing travel and marketing costs. Previously, broadcasters had to put at risk their broadcast license when transmitting live signals for telecast. The new broadcast method significantly expanded sales for Infusion’s international TV shopping business.

Direct Ventures International

President

Oct 2007 – Dec 2010

Barlow was the founder of Direct Ventures International (DVI), a direct response consulting and marketing company that specialized in worldwide direct response commercials in all media and live shopping channels. Barlow led clients to increase sales through direct response marketing and leveraging new channels of distribution and new markets.

Skills: Business development, strategy, project management, operations, licensing new innovations, contract negotiations, international trade, product development and sourcing / manufacturing, branding, campaign management, entrepreneurship.

Clients Include: Tony Little Fitness, Consumer Product Companies, Black and Decker, Westinghouse and a marketing technology company.

Highlights:

Barlow co-developed propitiatory social network marketing intelligence with Jagged Peak and leveraged consumer product sales through a joint venture. These new methods for consumers to buy and sell products generated significant revenue through affiliate channels.

Barlow established a national campaign in the USA for Black and Decker bringing the company direct to consumers through the marketing efforts. This brought new revenue to the company.

Barlow led a product innovation team who developed kitchen products for Westinghouse. The team redeveloped over 20 kitchen appliances in 24 months for the brand’s increasing sales.

Barlow helped develop new food products for Tony Little Fitness creating products with selling features that had never existed. These products saw significant sales on HSN, QVC UK and the Shopping Channel in Canada.

Barlow launched Airborne brand of products into China.

Helped launch consumer brand products for Infusion Brands into new international markets. The company saw initial revenues increased by over $5mm.

Famous Discoveries

President

Nov 2003 – Dec 2007

Barlow is a co-founder of Famous Discoveries a consumer product brands development company that develops and distributes home grown innovations to worldwide. Barlow was the driving force behind significant sales growth. Focused on launching products through TV Shopping channels and expanding sales into international markets in the cleaning, beauty, fitness, electronics, and kitchen categories.

Skills: Fundraising, business plan development, strategy, operations, sales, licensing, P&L, contract negotiations, international trade, product development and sourcing new product innovations, branding, creative development, campaign management, project management, Joint Venture relationships.

Accomplished:

Barlow took a product called Stainz-R-Out™ earning around $265,000 annually and grew sales to $8 million annually in 3.5 years.

Under Barlow’s direction, Stainz-R-Out® became an international cleaning brand selling in all channels of distribution around the world including B2B and B2C.

Barlow led the launch of 2 separate joint ventures operating television shopping operations in the UK and Canada. The groundwork was further established under Barlow’s leadership for a third joint venture television operating between the US and Korea.

Barlow licensed and launched Airborne brand products into China and launched many new brands on TV Shopping globally including Kathy Hilton cosmetics, which launched on HSN.

Barlow drove product innovation which led to the launch of new brands in electronics, cosmetics, Dr Carz automotive and Chef Cooks kitchen products.

In 2007, Barlow sold Famous Discoveries for $6 million to Responze TV PLC in London and got the company back in 2011 after a buyer’s contract default.

RECOGNITION

In 2021, Barlow was honored in the fifth annual Global CEO Excellence Awards by being awarded the Most Visionary Wellness Product Development Business Leader in the USA.

In 2020 and 2021, Barlow was also chosen by CEO Magazine as the CEO of the Year for the USA.

CHARITY INVOLVEMENT

Barlow participates in various charities and fundraisers. Current charitable activities include:

Board of Directors of the Tampa March of Dimes Signature Chef’s Event

2020 to Present

Barlow helps to raise critical funds for moms and all babies in an annual black tie gala fundraiser showcasing some of the city’s top chefs. Barlow assists in project coordination, relationship building, fundraising, and networking.

EDUCATION

SPVTI Technical College – Communications Degree

California University of Pennsylvania – Marketing Communications

Continuous Independent Studies include:

Consumer Psychology / Psychographics

Business Administration

Computer Software

Audio / Video Editing

Podcast Platforms

Adobe Suite, Photoshop

Ecommerce systems and platforms; Google, Amazon, Shopify, Commerce Hub

WordPress

Various AI Platforms; Chat GPT, VoxBox, DALL-E technology

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