John Morris
Elgin,IL
Summary
Versatile Director of Sales and Branding focused on promoting brand missions and increasing effectiveness of sales teams. Passionate about managing and overseeing implementation of company's daily branding, sales, and marketing operations. Quick and firm decision-maker possessing first-rate communication and organizational skills. Recognized for successfully collaborating with management to develop brand messaging, demand generation, and growth strategies. Persistent leader eager to lead and grow organizations. Skilled in creative strategic planning, problem-solving, and communication with great understanding of business principles, growth change management and team leadership. Collaborative with relentless work ethic. Highly skilled with intangible qualities that drive energy, inspire people, and fuel brand momentum.
Overview
25
25
years of professional experience
Work History
Executive Director of Brand
Club Colors
10.2021 - Current
- Led comprehensive branding and demand strategy, enhancing attention, awareness, and brand community. Led brand messaging, cross branding collaborations, PR, and communications to build and sustain brand "fandom."
- Built social media presence, provided training, and created engaging content that drove brand following from 1500 to 15000 total followers and YouTube channel subscribers.
- Achieved significant profit and sales growth through creative strategies. Doubled revenue and increased GPM by 4%
- Launched and hosted "In the Club" podcast, generating millions of brand impressions, sponsorship revenue, lead generation, client retention, and six figure revenue.
- Expanded service offerings to include marketing agency-level services to create depth of partnerships and new sales channels.
- Built personal brand with over 15,000 followers and top 5% global podcast in Business/Marketing, according to RSS.
Director of Sales
Club Colors
08.2019 - 10.2021
- Recruited, trained, and onboarded elite sales talent to scale.
- Managed high-performing sales team, doubling revenue from $16mm in '17 to $33mm in '23.
- Maintained 90% client retention rate through core values and brand consistency.
- Conducted market research to identify growth opportunities.
- Originated and launched social selling strategy and brand online presence to spark lead generation and attract talent in all departments.
- Created voice and feel on internal culture and external brand presence.
- Built layers of management, promoted from within, and designed "graduation levers" for sales staff career advancement and retention.
- Streamlined sales processes by identifying inefficiencies, implementing new tools, and providing training to team.
Sales Manager
Club Colors
11.2017 - 08.2019
- Led sales team, surpassing sales goals through effective strategies and mentorship.
- First year growth from 16mm to 19mm with zero head count increase.
- Reduced credit memo percentage from 3.2% to .8% by implementing QC process and role. Saved organization 200k in profit and drove client satisfaction from 96% to 98.5%
- Wrote first company sales and culture training manual. Defined sales funnel defined minimum standards of performance and increased average transaction sizes by 15%.
- Built new business development team, turned account management into brand advisement, and managed 50% of sales staff to personal best sales records.
- Built long-lasting client relationships through excellent customer service and consistent followups.
- Led successful sales team by providing motivational coaching and performance-based incentives.
Vice President Of Business Development
Madison Street Capital
01.2017 - 03.2017
- Managed appointment scheduling, presentations process, and deal closing.
- Managed advisory team for mid-market clients, increasing business opportunities and revenue.
- Provided strategic financial and business development expertise.
- Increased sales per day by 15% in less than month.
Director of Sales
Huntington Copper
05.2013 - 02.2015
- Built sales team from staff of 5 to 15. Drove revenue from 1.8m to 9.8m in under 2 years.
- Hired, trained, and managed appointment setting team. Wrote 5 leads per rep per day.
- Oversaw advisors identifying valuation, funding, and exit strategy opportunities.
- Increased sales revenue by developing and implementing strategic plans and setting performance goals for the sales team.
- Streamlined sales processes by identifying inefficiencies, implementing new tools, and providing training to the team.
- Implemented effective sales strategies resulting in revenue growth and client retention.
Senior Sales Executive
INTEGRATED BUSINESS ANALYSIS LIMITED
03.1999 - 09.2014
- All-time leader in sales revenue and 2-time Company MVP, generating over $250 million in sales
- Managed sales team, consistently exceeding targets
- Closed business management service deals contributing to overall organizational success.
- Built new sales division from zero to 12m in one year. 12m to 36m in year two.
- Top performing Senior Sales Executive at a firm that grew from 75m to 275m in tenure.
- Expanded market presence by identifying new business opportunities and successfully closing deals.
Education
School of Learning from My Mistakes -
Illinois State University
01.1999
Business Administration and Management, General -
University of St. Thomas
01.1996
Skills
- Brand Management
- Content Marketing/Podcast Producing/Hosting
- Sales Training and Leadership
- Client Relationship Management
- Pipeline Development
- Sales Team Training
- Social Media Marketing
- Deal Closing
- Cold-Calling
- Revenue Growth
- Profitability Optimization
- Sales Coaching
Accomplishments
- Created, Produce, and Host a Top 5% Globally Ranked Podcast for Business and Marketing according to the RSS
- Generated Sponsorship Revenue, Demand, and Lead Generation resulting in a six figure revenue generating podcast
- Doubled Revenue from 16m to 33m, while driving profit to record highs
- Published in Promo Marketing Magazine - https://www.printandpromomarketing.com/article/commodity-based-marketing-and-content-creation-why-its-time-to-move-on/
- 2 Time Company MVP
- All-Time Record for Cash Collect - (Hold 1st, 2nd, and 3rd best ever in consecutive years - Senior Sales Executive Cash Collect
- Led, managed, and produced over 250m in sales all-time (25 year career)
- Over 10k Followers on LinkedIn - Average 1.5mm brand impressions created per year 3 years in a row
Timeline
Executive Director of Brand
Club Colors
10.2021 - Current
Director of Sales
Club Colors
08.2019 - 10.2021
Sales Manager
Club Colors
11.2017 - 08.2019
Vice President Of Business Development
Madison Street Capital
01.2017 - 03.2017
Director of Sales
Huntington Copper
05.2013 - 02.2015
Senior Sales Executive
INTEGRATED BUSINESS ANALYSIS LIMITED
03.1999 - 09.2014
School of Learning from My Mistakes -
Illinois State University
Business Administration and Management, General -
University of St. Thomas
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