Ciara Ketelsen
Matawan,New Jersey
Summary
Experienced cannabis retail professional with hands-on Budtender experience at The Canna Bar, combined with 15+ years of leadership in high-volume restaurant management. Skilled in product education, personalized customer recommendations, compliance, inventory management, and team training. Seeking a Lead Budtender role to apply strong operational and people-management skills while delivering excellent customer service and supporting team development
Overview
18
18
years of professional experience
Work History
Budtender
Canna Bar
Matawan, New Jersey
04.2025 - Current
Budtender
Canna Bar
Matawan, NJ
04.2025 - Current
- Educated customers on cannabis products, including flower, edibles, concentrates, vapes, and topicals, by providing personalized recommendations that enhanced their experience and satisfaction.
- Provided exceptional customer service by addressing product questions and resolving concerns, fostering a welcoming atmosphere that encouraged repeat business.
- Processed sales transactions using the Dutchie POS system, ensuring accuracy and efficiency in cash and digital payments within a high-volume retail environment.
- Kept the sales floor clean, organized, and properly merchandised to enhance the overall customer experience.
General Manager
MJ's Restaurant
Toms River, New Jersey
03.2024 - Current
- Monitored financial performance and identified areas for improvement in cost savings and revenue generation.
- Analyzed existing processes for effectiveness and developed new systems to enhance overall productivity levels.
- Ensured compliance with applicable laws, regulations and industry standards pertaining to operations management.
- Provided guidance and support to subordinate managers in order to foster an atmosphere of cooperation throughout the organization.
- Created a positive work environment by developing team building activities that encouraged collaboration among departments.
- Resolved customer complaints quickly while maintaining high quality standards of service delivery.
New Jersey Licensed Realtor
Sherlock Homes Realty
10.2019 - Current
- Facilitated delivery of paperwork including final offers, contracts, purchase agreements, and closing statements to ensure smooth transactions.
- Design marketing campaigns using digital media and promotional items to obtain business from referrals
- Initiate negotiation processes, consult with clients concerning market conditions, prices, mortgages, and legal requirements to ensure a fair and honest dealing
- Guide sellers and buyers in marketing and purchasing property, increasing agency revenue
- Cultivated relationships with mortgage lenders, appraisers, home inspectors, title companies, and attorneys to streamline client referrals.
General Manager
Moe's Southwest Grill (N.J)
11.2018 - 09.2019
- Oversee operations for a fast-casual restaurant, manage P&L statements and identify opportunities to enhance workflow and operational efficiency
- Manage 20 employees (assistant managers, servers and sous chefs)
- Lead efforts to improve communication between front of house and back of the house during high volume periods
- Ensure good service in order to yield favorable and profitable results
- Develop new procedures to improve inventory management and forecasting
- Cooperate with corporate restaurant standards, rules and regulations.
General Manager
Marie's Gourmet (S.I)
01.2017 - 11.2018
- Manage all aspects of daily operations for very fast paced, always busy American/Italian restaurant
- Conduct negotiations with vendors to secure optimal pricing for food products and ingredients in order to reduce cost and increase profits.
General Manager
Brooklyn Tap House (BKL)
06.2015 - 01.2017
- Meet restaurant financial objectives by analyzing variances; initiating corrective actions; establishing and monitoring financial controls; developing and implementing strategies to increase profitability
- Maintain patron satisfaction by monitoring, evaluating and auditing food/beverage service
- Maintain a safe, secure, and healthy facility/environment by establishing, following, and enforcing sanitation standards and procedures as well as comply with health and legal regulations.
General Manager
Brooklyn Tap House (Sunset Beer Distributors)
Brooklyn, New York
01.2014 - 10.2015
- Provided guidance and support to subordinate managers in order to foster an atmosphere of cooperation throughout the organization.
- Created a positive work environment by developing team building activities that encouraged collaboration among departments.
- Ensured compliance with applicable laws, regulations and industry standards pertaining to operations management.
Manager/Maître D
Celebrate at Snug Harbor (S.I)
02.2009 - 06.2015
- Manage staff teams during catered events
- Liase between kitchen staff and front of house
- Effectively manage inventory and P&L statements
- Use problem-solving skills, communication skills, presentation skills, attention to detail and the ability to think on my feet whilst under pressure to ensure events have positive outcomes
- Oversee guest relations and pro-actively deal with guest queries and concerns.
Education
B.S - Bachelors in Secondary Education (Spanish)
Collage of Staten Island at Staten Island
A.S - Associates in Arts & Humanities in Liberal Arts
Kingsborough Community College at Brooklyn New York
Skills
Cannabis & Product Knowledge
Cannabis product knowledge (flower, edibles, concentrates, vapes, topicals) Strain effects, terpenes, and dosing guidance Customer education and consultative selling Personalized product recommendations
Compliance & Operations
New Jersey CRC regulations Age verification and purchase limits Metrc seed-to-sale tracking Dutchie POS system Inventory management Cash handling and register reconciliation
Leadership & Team Management
Team leadership Training and coaching Team management Conflict resolution
Customer Service & Sales
Customer service Consultative selling and upselling Service quality improvement Bilingual (fluent in Spanish)
Additional
Microsoft Excel Microsoft Word
Timeline
Budtender
Canna Bar
04.2025 - Current
Budtender
Canna Bar
04.2025 - Current
General Manager
MJ's Restaurant
03.2024 - Current
New Jersey Licensed Realtor
Sherlock Homes Realty
10.2019 - Current
General Manager
Moe's Southwest Grill (N.J)
11.2018 - 09.2019
General Manager
Marie's Gourmet (S.I)
01.2017 - 11.2018
General Manager
Brooklyn Tap House (BKL)
06.2015 - 01.2017
General Manager
Brooklyn Tap House (Sunset Beer Distributors)
01.2014 - 10.2015
Manager/Maître D
Celebrate at Snug Harbor (S.I)
02.2009 - 06.2015
B.S - Bachelors in Secondary Education (Spanish)
Collage of Staten Island at Staten Island
A.S - Associates in Arts & Humanities in Liberal Arts
Kingsborough Community College at Brooklyn New York