Cars
Open To Work
Ben Schneider
Media Specialist
St. Louis,MO
Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you’re right!
Henry Ford
Summary
Personable and action-oriented marketing professional with 9+ years of experience driving community growth, digital engagement, and brand partnerships. Founder of Cars and Coffee St. Louis, the largest car show organization in the greater St. Louis area, where I scaled attendance up to 2,000+ vehicles per event and built an audience of over 14,000 Instagram followers and 17,000 group members. Skilled at social media strategy, website design, content creation, influencer collaboration, and loyalty-driven campaigns. Recognized in Ranken Technical College's Alumni Spotlight and featured by Fox2, KMOV, and the St. Louis Business Journal. Equally skilled in creative marketing and technical execution, with hands-on experience in website redesign and IT systems troubleshooting.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
Work History
Founder / Marketing Director
Cars and Coffee St. Louis
03.2016 - Current
- Created and scaled the Midwest's largest recurring car event series, drawing up to 2,000 attendees monthly.
- Achieved strong growth on Instagram (14,360+ followers, 17,000+ group members) and Facebook (217,000+ video views in July 2025).
- Build and maintain high-value partnerships, allowing us to secure vehicles and sponsorships at zero cost for brand activations (e.g., 7-Eleven x Phorm Energy commercial shoot).
- Mentored two volunteer social media coordinators and managed teams of 20+ volunteers for various events.
- Improved community loyalty through consistent newsletters with 4,000+ subscribers and 45-50% open rates.
- Featured by local press (Fox2, KMOV, St. Louis Business Journal) for community leadership and charitable drives.
- Collaborated with local photographers, videographers, and influencers to expand content and organic reach.
Ambassador (Part-Time)
RP Exotics LLC
06.2023 - Current
- Serve as a brand ambassador for a premier luxury and exotic vehicle retailer specializing in PROsignments sales.
- Support sales through social media communications, networking, and brand representation at events; enhance client experience through digital promotion.
Media Specialist
UNCOMN, LLC (formerly Aegis Strategies)
06.2018 - 07.2023
- Obtained and maintained Department of Defense Secret Clearance while supporting projects.
- Promoted to Media Specialist.
- Redesigned trade show materials and implemented rebranded elements (Aegis Strategies to UNCOMN).
- Managed budgets for ads, swag, and event materials while keeping costs under budget through strategic vendor negotiations.
- Managed digital marketing campaigns; created media assets; improved ROI through testing and analytics.
- Collaborated across teams to deliver projects under deadline and within budget.
Technical Support Engineer
Aegis Strategies (now UNCOMN, LLC)
08.2015 - 06.2018
- Ran internal technical operations for a consulting firm at Scott Air Force Base.
- Supported rapid company growth (Inc. 5000 #952 in 2016; St. Louis Business Journal's fastest-growing company in 2017).
- Provided IT support, VOIP setup, network configuration, hardware/software installs, and infrastructure improvements.
Social Media Marketing Consultant
Luxury Sports & Imports
10.2015 - 06.2016
- Designed and managed social media marketing campaigns for a luxury auto dealer showroom; increased brand awareness and customer traffic through organic content creation.
Research and Development Intern
Aegis Strategies
03.2015 - 08.2015
- Supported internal IT and marketing functions while completing coursework at Ranken Technical College.
Project Manager
William H. Chen and Associates / Chen Laser Institute
08.2014 - 03.2015
- Led back office technical operations; implemented online marketing; improved digital presence for the institute.
- Created presentations, marketing materials, and digital advertising campaigns.
Education
Associate of Applied Science - Internet and Web-Based Technology
01.2015
Skills
- Social Media Strategy & Management (Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, LinkedIn, YouTube)
- Customer Engagement & Community Relations (building loyalty, newsletter, repeat event attendees)
- Event Marketing & Coordination (2,000-person shows, vendor logistics, volunteer teams)
- Brand Awareness & Media Relations (press coverage, news interviews, brand storytelling)
- Influencer Partnerships & Creative Strategies (collaborations, content campaigns)
- Website Design & Optimization (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)
- Email Marketing & Loyalty Programs (4,000 subscribers, 45-50% open rates)
- Vendor & Sponsor Negotiation (1st Phorm, WWT Raceway)
- Team Management & Mentorship (trained and led volunteers, media coordinators)
- Adobe Creative Suite / Canva / CapCut (Photoshop, Premiere Pro, video editing)
- Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
- IT Troubleshooting & Tech Management (hardware, software, drones, cameras)
Affiliations
- Board Member - St. Louis European Auto Show (2017 to Present): supports St. Louis Arc.
- Founder - Cars and Coffee St Louis
- Member - T-REX Technology Entrepreneur Center (2016 to Present): community coworking and venture hub.
Timeline
Ambassador (Part-Time) - RP Exotics LLC
06.2023 - Current
Media Specialist - UNCOMN, LLC (formerly Aegis Strategies)
06.2018 - 07.2023
Founder / Marketing Director - Cars and Coffee St. Louis
03.2016 - Current
Social Media Marketing Consultant - Luxury Sports & Imports
10.2015 - 06.2016
Technical Support Engineer - Aegis Strategies (now UNCOMN, LLC)
08.2015 - 06.2018
Research and Development Intern - Aegis Strategies
03.2015 - 08.2015
Project Manager - William H. Chen and Associates / Chen Laser Institute
08.2014 - 03.2015
Ranken Technical College - Associate of Applied Science, Internet and Web-Based Technology
Tools and Platforms
- Meta Business Suite; Instagram Creator Tools; Facebook Ads Manager; Google Analytics; Mailchimp or ConvertKit; Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook); Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Premiere Pro, Illustrator, InDesign); Canva; CapCut; Figma (familiar); HTML, CSS, JavaScript; Python basics for analysis; Influencer Marketing; Event Management Logistics.
- Professional references available on request.
Recognition and Media
- Ranken Technical College Alumni Spotlight (2023) - Featured for professional achievements and community impact.
- Fox2 and KMOV - Interviewed on-air about charitable events and St. Louis parades.
- St. Louis Business Journal - Covered for Cars and Coffee STL growth and community events.
Interests
Technology
Tinkering
Work Preference
Work Type
Full TimePart TimeLocation Preference
HybridPortfolio
Ranken Alumni Spotlight
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