Michael Lucas

As Senior Vice President at GTIF Capital, I lead business strategy, operations, and high-level partnership development, driving the firm’s growth in the investment and advisory landscape. My role encompasses:

• Business Strategy & Operations: Oversee corporate strategy, market positioning, and operational execution to enhance GTIF Capital’s investment portfolio and advisory services.
• Strategic Partnerships: Establish and manage key partnerships with industry-leading companies, including Roland, Neewer, Cisco Systems, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship, Miami Pro League, Nike, Razer, Ford Models, and Faze Clan, expanding the firm’s influence across gaming, sports, entertainment, and technology sectors.
• High-Profile Client Management: Lead talent management initiatives, working with content creators, professional gamers, athletes, actors, actresses, and models, securing sponsorships, endorsements, and strategic brand collaborations.
• Sponsorships & Brand Deals: Negotiate and secure high-value sponsorship and branding opportunities for clients, leveraging an extensive network of industry connections to drive long-term partnerships including a standout deal exceeding $160,000.
• Consulting & Advisory Services: Provide strategic guidance to clients on market entry, business model development, and international expansion—particularly in emerging sectors like crypto and digital media. Helped generate over $1.2 million in revenue through advisory and consulting engagements by delivering tailored growth strategies and execution support.

As Vice President of Business Strategies at the North American Collegiate League (NACL), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, I led strategic initiatives to drive growth, partnerships, and operational excellence in collegiate esports. My responsibilities include:

• Operational Leadership: Oversee day-to-day operations and manage a team responsible for organizing and executing university-level esports tournaments, ensuring seamless event execution and player engagement.
• Strategic Partnerships: Secure sponsorships and collaborations with major brands to support and fund collegiate esports leagues, enhancing exposure and financial backing for tournaments.
• University & Team Engagement: Establish and nurture relationships with universities and collegiate esports teams, onboarding them into NACL tournaments and expanding competitive opportunities for student gamers.
• Scholarship & Fund Allocation: Support the organization’s mission by ensuring that tournament revenues and sponsorship funds contribute directly to scholarships for students, reinforcing NACL’s nonprofit commitment to education and esports.
• Esports Ecosystem Development: Help position NACL as a leading force in the collegiate esports space by building sustainable business strategies that fostered growth and long-term impact.

As Business Development Manager at Arcade, I played a pivotal role in expanding the company’s footprint within the Web3 and crypto gaming ecosystem, forging strategic partnerships and advising clients on critical business and investment strategies. My key responsibilities included:

• Investment Research & Due Diligence: Conducted in-depth investment analysis using data from whitepapers, market trends, company valuations, and private wallet reports to assess opportunities in the Web3 and crypto space.
• Strategic Partnerships: Built and maintained relationships with Web3 gaming companies, facilitating collaborations that aligned with Arcade’s investment and growth strategy.
• Advisory & Client Support: Provided advisory services to 16 clients, including Walker Labs, Metropolis, WAGMI, and BoF.xyz, assisting with fundraising, tokenomics, game economy, marketing, and corporate strategy.
• Fundraising Involvement: Actively supported Arcade’s two successful funding rounds, which collectively raised $8 million—contributing to investor outreach, due diligence, pitch development, and strategic positioning that helped bring capital into the company.
• Market & Industry Reports: Developed Game Reports, Quarterly Reports, Market Trend Analyses, and Portfolio Updates, presenting key insights to the executive team.
• Cross-Departmental Communication: Worked closely with Research and Marketing teams to ensure premium content and informed decision-making for investment and partnership opportunities.
• Executive & Internal Strategy Support: Optimized internal documents for the Executive Team, producing detailed notations to assist with advisory services and high-level decision-making.
• Networking & Industry Engagement: Attended industry conferences, client meetings, and private partner events, representing Arcade in strategic discussions.

As Vice President of Operations at Craftmasters, I led end-to-end operational strategy and execution, driving efficiency, client satisfaction, and revenue growth. My key responsibilities included:

• Operations & Production Management: Oversaw all daily operations for the countertop and cabinet divisions, optimizing weekly production forecasting, purchasing, and fabrication processes to ensure seamless execution.
• Strategic Account Leadership: Served as Lead Account Manager, managing key house accounts including D.R. Horton North and South Divisions, ensuring client satisfaction and operational excellence.
• Compliance & Documentation Oversight: Worked closely with the Vice President of Sales to review and correct compliance errors, as well as finalize and approve closeout documentation for all projects.
• Sales & Revenue Growth: Managed major national retail accounts, including Home Depot, Lowe’s, and Sears, driving granite sales exceeding $5.65 million, positioning Craftmasters as a top fabricator in North America’s largest territory.
• Client Satisfaction & Relationship Management: Achieved industry-leading client satisfaction ratings, reinforcing Craftmasters’ reputation as a trusted supplier in the home improvement and construction sectors.

My leadership at Craftmasters was instrumental in optimizing operational workflows, driving revenue growth, and enhancing client relationships, contributing to the company’s sustained success in a competitive market.

As a Research Analyst at Jet Lag Trading, I conducted crypto market research, portfolio performance analysis, and investment strategy development to support day-trading and long-term investment decisions. Key responsibilities included:

• Crypto Market Analysis: Researched and analyzed market trends, asset performance, and trading patterns to develop informed investment strategies.
• Portfolio Performance Evaluation: Assessed portfolio trends and performance metrics to optimize investment decisions.
• Data Analysis & Insights: Utilized data-driven methodologies to identify profitable trading opportunities and assess market conditions.
• Investment Research & Reporting: Compiled and presented market research findings, supporting strategic trading decisions.

This role enhanced my expertise in crypto trading, market analysis, and data-driven investment strategies, contributing to effective trading and portfolio management in the digital asset space.