Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Certification
Timeline
Generic

NICOLE MUNSON

Laguna Niguel,CA

Summary

Visual Merchandising: Over three years experience leading and coaching a dynamic visual merchandising team. Expertise in managing over-stock by driving sales of underperforming products through visual merchandising strategies, elevating guest satisfaction, and fostering improved team collaboration through the creation of visually compelling displays. Contributes unwavering work ethic and commitment to quality. Known for customer-focused initiatives and knowledgeable about modern merchandising.

Organization: Optimized business procedures through meticulous project planning, effective delegation, and efficient time management, resulting in improved workflow and productivity across diverse team environments.

Customer Service: More than six years experience in the retail industry with a proven record of high levels of professionalism, strategic thinking, problem-solving skills, and customer service skills.

Overview

8
8
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification

Work History

Visual Merchandising Specialist

Lululemon
10.2022 - Current
  • Strategically design and execute visual merchandising plans tailored from mainline campaigns, adeptly customized to fit diverse outlet environments. Achieve significant improvements in sales performance by revitalizing low-performing franchises, boosting units per transaction (UPT), and elevating overall customer satisfaction
  • Develop impactful sell-through strategies by meticulously analyzing exit reports, monitoring key product performance metrics, and fostering collaboration across store departments. Successfully engage and align team members with the sell-through strategy, leading to improved inventory management practices and notable increases in sales performance
  • Lead and coach a proficient visual merchandising team of three successors, cultivating transparent communication, time management, task delegation, providing immediate coaching and feedback, and upholding high-performance levels
  • Played a pivotal role in the successful re-launch of a new store opening, collaborating closely with the VM SOS team. Recognized as the most optimized outlet to date, that transitioned to a medium volume store this year
  • Direct in-store training sessions for new hires, effectively aligning product presentation standards, providing technical education, and clarifying role expectations
  • Consistently engage with guests on the sales floor, delivering pertinent product information, while keenly observing guest interaction with store displays. Utilize gathered visual and verbal feedback to adjust merchandising strategies for improved efficiency and guest experience

Key Leader

Lululemon
10.2022 - 08.2023
  • Directed and empowered teams of up to fifteen associates per shift, while overseeing front and back-end processes to consistently deliver a seamless and efficient operation
  • Championed feedback discussions within the team, orchestrating inclusive dialogues involving relevant stakeholders, leading to productive conflict resolution and a notable boost in team morale
  • Orchestrated the enrollment of a team of over thirty educators in product campaign and visual merchandising trainings, utilizing dynamic participatory activities in staff-meetings followed by comprehensive reinforcement through various company channels to solidify learnings
  • Played an integral role in conducting first and second-round interviews, instrumental in onboarding ten seasonal educators and securing the commitment of five permanent educators last year
  • Aligned team with daily sales goals through clear communication and expectation setting, fostering accountability and a shared focus on achieving exceptional sales outcomes, ultimately surpassing targets

Educator (Sales Associate)

Lululemon
11.2021 - 10.2022
  • Established strong client relationships by engaging and communicating with up to hundreds of guests daily, establishing trust, creating a sense of community, and providing value to each guest experience
  • Efficiently input SKUs and keyed in pricing on a POS system within a fast-paced environment, ensuring timely and accurate transactions. Diligently managed price adjustments and applied discounts, guaranteeing precise and prompt guest checkouts
  • Boosted store's NPS scores by personally garnering positive feedback from multiple guests, earning recognition for exceptional customer service skills
  • Stayed updated on product strategy and technical education to assist guests in finding the most relevant products and offered tailored recommendations based on their preferences. This approach contributed to increased sales and units per transaction
  • Enhanced operational procedures by managing inventory receiving, ship from store order processing, and restocking procedures
  • Worked jointly with the team to surpass sales objectives, resulting in consistently meeting sales goals for the previous year

Flower Shop Assistant

Brown's Flowers
12.2019 - 06.2020
  • Built customer loyalty and retention by delivering excellent experiences via phone and in person
  • Managed inventory by receiving, inspecting, processing, and merchandising new florals and ensuring that the floral displays were aptly stocked
  • Took orders over the phone and in person for deliveries and special occasions, noting client's requests and being able to speak to seasonal availability
  • Worked during peak season and holidays, navigating a high-volume of orders while providing a personable and tailored experience in store by creating bouquets based on each customer's preferences
  • Remained calm and composed in tense situations involving angry or upset customers
  • Maintained store cleanliness by sanitizing and switching out water buckets, inspecting florals, consolidating inventory, wiping down surfaces, and sweeping up debris

Social Media Manager

Nuance
11.2019 - 06.2020
  • Created and curated engaging content across multiple social media platforms (e.g. Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest) to showcase new products and advertise special promotions and events
  • Engaged with a community of followers and designers on Instagram via direct messages and comments, building positive relationships
  • Collaborated with the lead designer and shop manager to create visually appealing and cohesive social media posts and campaigns that aligned with the brand's aesthetic and voice
  • Monitored and analyzed social media metrics using tools such as Hootsuite to identify trends and adjust strategies as needed

Retail Sales Associate

Nuance
10.2018 - 01.2020
  • Exceeded previous year's sales as part of a highly synergistic team
  • Generated new design-firm clients by building trust and effectively communicating the designer's process and reputation to boutique guests
  • Answered complex furnishing-related questions by demonstrating expertise in product specifications in relation to preexisting design features
  • Created visually appealing and on-brand displays that effectively showcased new arrivals to customers
  • Ensured proper product placement and accessibility for customers, resulting in increased sales and customer engagement

Design Firm Intern

Lisa McDennon Design
07.2019 - 12.2019
  • Organized and updated the design library, including textiles, source books, and samples, resulting in easy accessibility and streamlined workflows for the design team
  • Submitted product inquiries and proposals for large projects, enabling the design team to effectively plan for and manage lead times
  • Assisted designers with large-scale projects by sourcing, purchasing, transporting, and managing home accessories, resulting in a frictionless installation while ensuring a high level of client satisfaction
  • Discovered new suppliers and opened accounts, allowing the design team to source a wider range of products and materials for projects
  • Managed inbound calls and improved communication flow by relaying messages or redirecting calls as needed, ensuring that the design team could focus on their work without interruptions

Sales Associate

Laguna Exchange
07.2017 - 07.2018
  • Key-holder responsible for opening and closing operations
  • Ensured store tidiness by cleaning floors, restrooms, and wiping down surfaces
  • Answered guest questions related to available products, the reselling program, and the store's mission and impact in the area, fostering guest relations founded on trust and sense of community involvement
  • Refreshed window displays, showcasing new arrivals, resulting in articles being sold directly off window mannequins

Sales Associate

Nordstrom
11.2016 - 10.2017
  • Delivered personalized shopping experiences to a diverse clientele with unique and specific needs
  • Stayed current on company offerings and industry trends creating a valuable and frictionless experience for each client
  • Achieved or exceeded department sales goals in a commission-based team environment
  • Demonstrated active-listening by hearing out customer complaints, advocating for the most feasible and generous conclusion in accordance with the customer’s requests

Resource Library Assistant

Halsey & Harsey Showroom
05.2016 - 10.2016
  • Educated interior designers and clients on various textiles and furniture available
  • Contacted vendors to obtain accurate information on textile pricing, availability, and lead times; assisting clients in making informed purchasing decisions
  • Promoted showroom organization by keeping displays, source books, and memo stock up-to-date, encouraging a fluid and organized design process
  • Managed source book rentals by issuing and tracking loans while proactively communicating deadlines to borrowers

Education

Associate of Arts - Psychology

Orange Coast College
Costa Mesa, CA
08.2024

High School Diploma -

Dana Hills High School
Dana Point, CA
06.2015

Skills

  • Cross-Functional Team Management
  • Strategic thinking
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Leadership
  • Collaboration
  • Data Analysis
  • Inventory Management
  • Communication Skills

Certification

  • Yoga Teacher Training, Saddleback College, 2016-2018

Timeline

Visual Merchandising Specialist

Lululemon
10.2022 - Current

Key Leader

Lululemon
10.2022 - 08.2023

Educator (Sales Associate)

Lululemon
11.2021 - 10.2022

Flower Shop Assistant

Brown's Flowers
12.2019 - 06.2020

Social Media Manager

Nuance
11.2019 - 06.2020

Design Firm Intern

Lisa McDennon Design
07.2019 - 12.2019

Retail Sales Associate

Nuance
10.2018 - 01.2020

Sales Associate

Laguna Exchange
07.2017 - 07.2018

Sales Associate

Nordstrom
11.2016 - 10.2017

Resource Library Assistant

Halsey & Harsey Showroom
05.2016 - 10.2016

Associate of Arts - Psychology

Orange Coast College

High School Diploma -

Dana Hills High School

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NICOLE MUNSON