In southern Florida I spent a few years in Tampa and Naples before realizing Delaware was truly my home and rooted in Lewes/Rehoboth Beach. For ten years I worked as the Customer Success Executive Manager for State Farm Insurance company that was a scratch agency start-up. I was specifically hired to manage the Property & Casualty side of the company and spent my first 3 months designing the procedural standards of operation.
Each aspect of our daily responsibilities ranging from my HR Generalist support, compliance, strategic planning & operations and sales practices, were molded precisely and specifically by myself, so that we as a team can streamline the production and collaborate together in this competitive market.
There I directed a customer-centric team in the customization of sales techniques by providing a thorough understanding of client needs and product deliverables. I pioneered the successful implementation of onboarding and sequential customer segmentation resulting in an increase of retention rates from 80% to 94%. I generated growth in key areas such as Customer Success & Customer Engagement/Services, heading up my team with a 93% closing ratio. I improved customer engagement models by identifying client needs verses company engagement.
MANAGING As executive manager I was responsible for mentoring my sales team by coaching them on how to properly utilize sales techniques, negotiating skills and closing methods. My managing philosophy involves connecting with my team to create a positive environment, with an open communication, trust and a mutual respect. I value having an authentic, direct and honest relationship with them, which has been most beneficial. Being fully present gives both myself and them an edge to brainstorm about ideas, better ways to effectively work together and it also gives them a sense of ownership. My training and mentoring skills strengthened my teams to reach the peaks of their goals.
SALES As a Sr. Sales consultant, I was consistently networking and building contacts as well as strengthening my current client relationship management. I view every point of contact as an opportunity.
I have spent many years honing my sales techniques and best practices. My position requires me to set appointments, communicate with my clients and analyze their needs and wants, while helping them figure out which products fit their lifestyle and budget. My position is also heavily commission based so it is a fine balance to meet my goals while sincerely selling to my clients. My success has been largely attributed to my organization and follow up skills, and simply talking to people about insurance and their finances.
There's an entirely different side to me, that is not largely showcased on my professional resume, but worthy of noting. For a solid portion of my life I have had a need and desire to create. My artistry comes in the form of writing, blogging, managing & producing, planning & directing events, shows, weddings,showers, parties and my most prized accomplishment, festivals. As all of my "jobs" have been different, it was challenging to properly fit a singular title for my positions, considering I have worn many hats over the years- Band/Artist Manager, Wedding Planner, Festival Director/Producer, Calligrapher, & Event Planner.
My largest event was directing a festival with 1200 patrons. We successfully had 2 stages, 10 vendors and 25 bands. I was brought in around the 5th year of the festivals existence and managed to earn the festival a notable profit, which was also the first time they had even produced enough capital to cover the overhead.
Almost all of these endeavors have brought me compensation as well as a pride that I don't get from my full time profession. Art gives you a satisfaction during each phase of the creative process and especially at the end, when you get to see your final creation come to life. I can confidently say that I feel very much in my element when I am creating, no matter what form it ends up taking. Some of my key skills and descriptions of work are below:
Successfully strengthened company viability by generating never before seen profit margins within the first year.
Coordinated the musical acts, scheduling, travel & transportation, and ensured a positive experience for visiting musicians & artists.
Conceived development of the creative campaign & vision which includes artist selection, artistic design and concepts, print, website, social networking and the all around vibe of the festival/event.
Secured venue, sound, lighting, stage & power equip. along w/tech personnel needed for production of event w/ projected attendance of averages 200-1000 patrons.
Liaison w/ external parties involved in production including venue providers, caterers, vendors, small businesses, performers and others.
Featured below are some of the flyers that were conceived by myself, the artist Jeff Arsenault and the festival's owner, Mike Oswald.