DOUGLAS DESANTIS
Los Angeles,CA
Summary
Dynamic leader with a history of driving company growth and increasing year-over-year sales by up to 112%. Proven expertise in strategic planning, logistics, financial management, and technology deployment, while effectively leading cross-functional teams in fast-paced environments.
Overview
34
34
years of professional experience
Work History
Founder & CEO
VIOSKI INC
06.2002 - 01.2026
- Opened first retail showroom, introducing Vioski to the marketplace and achieving significant sales.
- Used online and offline marketing to increase brand exposure by 20% to 50% and increase year-over-year sales by 50% to 112%
- Established relationships with key stakeholders in industry associations, increasing brand visibility.
- Developed sales channel partnerships to expand the reach of the business.
- Managed financial budgeting, forecasting, and reporting system aligned with CRM to enhance financial oversight.
- Negotiated contracts with vendors and suppliers for optimal pricing structure.
- Built domestic and international logistics operations and partnerships to ensure safe, timely delivery of orders to any customer location.
- Evaluated and deployed new technologies to improve organization's processes and efficiencies including CRM customizations.
- Created original furniture designs and managed manufacturing processes to ensure quality and craftsmanship.
Founder & Chief Operating Officer
POINT.COM
07.1996 - 06.2002
- Oversaw all aspects of operations including product development, content acquisition, marketing, and customer service
- Hired and managed C-Suite team of 8, scaling workforce to 150 employees.
- Developed and implemented a comprehensive business plan to launch the company.
- Grew company to 150 employees and successfully facilitated its sale.
- Built presentations for prospective investors. Garnered investments in excess of $11,000,000.
- Established policies and procedures for efficient workflow management, optimizing daily transfer of large, diverse data sets using internet and database technologies.
- Reduced data processing time by 50%. Reduced data loss by 20-25%.
- EARLY MOBILE PHONES AND PLANS COMPARISON SHOPPING WEBSITE - 1990S
Director of Internet Strategy - Microsoft Windows
MICROSOFT CORPORATION
10.1991 - 05.1996
- Acted as a public Windows product expert and spokesperson. Presented live with Bill Gates, Jim Allchin, and other company executives at industry events around the world. Also presented individually. Audiences were up to 5,000.
- Developed and delivered presentations and technical demonstrations for events and board meetings, highlighting key company developments.
- Led project planning sessions with multiple departments to map out timelines for future releases, specifically where the internet could be integrated into Microsoft products.
- Analyzed market conditions and competitor activities to guide strategic business decisions.
- Engaged customers through effective dialogue to uncover their needs and requirements.
Education
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING - ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE
Duke University
Durham, NCCOURSE OF STUDY - PSYCHOLOGY
Harvard University
Cambridge, MACOURSE OF STUDY - BRITISH POLITICS, PHILOSOPHY, AND ECONOMICS (Years 1500 to Present Day)
University of Oxford
Oxford, United KingdomSkills
- Sales and leadership
- Business development
- Strategic partnerships
- Financial analysis
- Financial software management
- Microsoft Excel and Access
- CRM management
- Supply chain management
- Data interpretation skills
Timeline
Founder & CEO
VIOSKI INC
06.2002 - 01.2026
Founder & Chief Operating Officer
POINT.COM
07.1996 - 06.2002
Director of Internet Strategy - Microsoft Windows
MICROSOFT CORPORATION
10.1991 - 05.1996
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING - ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE
Duke University
COURSE OF STUDY - PSYCHOLOGY
Harvard University
COURSE OF STUDY - BRITISH POLITICS, PHILOSOPHY, AND ECONOMICS (Years 1500 to Present Day)
University of Oxford