Sarah Pilsl
Scottsdale,AZ
Summary
Driven key account manager with a proven track record of establishing successful relationships with C-Level executives at major brands and agencies. Exceptional organizational and communication skills to assist colleagues and clients in achieving their goals through innovative and meaningful solutions. Thrives in a team environment while maintaining accountability and responsibility. Remains calm under pressure, particularly during live events. Delivers high-level client service, meeting organizational expectations and driving increased annual spends to cultivate happy clients and foster long-term brand partnerships.
Overview
20
20
years of professional experience
Work History
Sponsorship Events Manager
Medium Rare
02.2023 - Current
- Serve as a liaison between Medium Rare and Sponsors to ensure their onsite activations seamlessly come to life
- Responsible for ensuring all Sponsor activations are complete and show ready leading into the event
- Work closely with all internal teams and stakeholders to achieve success and oversee branded integrations across the event's activations
- Work alongside the Medium Rare Sponsorship Sales leads to ensure activations are properly built and all deal points are fulfilled
- Ensure all deliveries have landed and product is available for display at activations and on VIP tables (where applicable)
- Manage communication with key executives and agencies for each specific sponsorship
Sponsorship Operations and Activation Manager
Scoremore Holdings LLC
01.2020 - Current
- Direct liaison between Scoremore, their individual festivals and associated sponsors and strategic partners
- Leverage and grow existing brand partnerships
- Fulfillment of all sponsorship contract deliverables
- Organize and manage weekly team meetings with brand partners and internal departments
- Work with festival operations team on activation placements, build outs and permitting
- Develop, implement and manage sponsor advancement strategy for each festival including onsite activations, equipment and labor, credentials, load-in and load-out, signage, power, fresh water, grey water and security, etc
- Collaborate with sponsors, brands and agencies to establish and implement social media and marketing campaigns aligning with brand goals
- Manage onsite team of wranglers, labor and sponsorship activation/operations staff
- Develop and execute ticketing and hospitality packages for brands and VIPs
- Responsible for upselling incremental revenue opportunities and collecting associated receivables following each event
- Conduct all post-show financial collections and settle billbacks
- Major brand sponsors/partners include Nike, Google Pixel, Red Bull, Verizon, Tito's Vodka, NBA 2K, Levis, Houston Rockets, Bacardi, Patron, DIAGEO, Monster Energy and more
Director of Corporate Partner Activation and Fulfillment
KAABOO Music Festival
01.2015 - 01.2017
- Company Overview: KAABOO Music Festival is an annual event held in Del Mar, CA consisting of 30,000 attendees per day, 6 stages, 70+ musical acts and additional guest experiences
- Optimized relationships with over 60 corporate brand partners and corporate hospitality clients generating over $5mm in annual revenue
- Leveraged brand partner marketing channels to provide massive reach and engagement for KAABOO, while delivering authentic event association for the brands
- Maximized client service to achieve an average annual renewal rate over 90%
- Collaborated with brand partner agencies and PR firms to maximize value-add festival association opportunities
- Worked with internal departments (design, operations, production, security, food and beverage, etc) to create and bring to life new activations and hospitality experiences specific to individual brand partners
- Managed advancement, load-in, onsite service and load-out for 100+ activations
- Improved the processes and streamlined the activation and fulfillment systems
- Major brand partners included Mercedes-Benz, MillerCoors, MGM Resorts, Synchrony Bank, Constellation Brands, DIAGEO, New Era Caps, EJ Gallo, William Grant & Sons, Maui Jim, KRAVE, Kashi and more
- Worked closely with internal food and beverage department to ensure accurate fulfillment of brand partner contracts
Director of Communications
Sprocket Marketing LLC
01.2013 - 01.2015
- Company Overview: Sprocket created and sold partnership opportunity portfolios for events and venues
- Ingredients included onsite experiences, traditional media, extended online and social media, onsite advertising, direct marketing, artist and VIP interaction and other custom interactive solutions
- Managed property relationships and communications with 5 music festivals
- Produced sales decks and collateral to be used in the acquisition of brand partners
- Managed a national experiential marketing program for a national wine brand client - developed the concept, budget, routing, staffing, logistics and reporting
- Delivered turnkey solutions for experiential marketing activations for clients such as Budweiser, Starbucks, Chaco Footwear, Mountain Dew, Francis Ford Coppola Winery and Shiner Bock Beer
- Sprocket created and sold partnership opportunity portfolios for events and venues
- Ingredients included onsite experiences, traditional media, extended online and social media, onsite advertising, direct marketing, artist and VIP interaction and other custom interactive solutions
Account Executive
Nicholson Kovac
01.2007 - 01.2008
- Direct and coordinate the day-to-day agency efforts on behalf of the client, including; development and execution of printed, collateral and web material, development and management of annual budget exceeding $1.8 million, market research and media buying
- Oversee all aspects of planning and execution of annual trade show exhibit
- Preparation and presentation of marketing recommendations, strategies and actions to aid in the client reaching their business objectives
- Preparation and maintenance of accurate budget and timeline information throughout project
- Create and manage project timetables and other team members to ensure timely development, completion and delivery of client projects
Corporate Sales and Marketing Coordinator
Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
01.2005 - 01.2007
- Promoted to current position within first year
- Assist National Account Managers with sales and fulfillment responsibilities to ensure targeted annual revenue exceeding $4.5 million
- Work directly with key decision-makers at top 50 clients such as The Toro Company, John Deere, Bayer, BASF, DuPont and more to develop and implement annual marketing/media plans and targeted sponsorships
- Report to Director of Corporate Sales and Marketing to provide support to exceed annual department revenue goals - annual goals were exceeded for the first time in 8 years in 2006
- Support the Director and National Account Managers by planning department meetings and events, preparing expense and commission reports, planning and organizing travel and acting as a liaison to other departments
- Responsible for planning and fulfillment of all aspects pertaining to client visits, meetings and events
Education
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) - Mass Communication/Media Studies
Washburn University
Topeka, KS01.2005
Skills
- Business communication
- Client services and management
- Vendor negotiation
- Registration management
- Coordinate exhibits
- Social media promotion
- Cross-functional teams leadership
- Event staff management
- Budget management
- Client meetings
- Sponsorship management
- Event billing
Timeline
Sponsorship Events Manager
Medium Rare
02.2023 - Current
Sponsorship Operations and Activation Manager
Scoremore Holdings LLC
01.2020 - Current
Director of Corporate Partner Activation and Fulfillment
KAABOO Music Festival
01.2015 - 01.2017
Director of Communications
Sprocket Marketing LLC
01.2013 - 01.2015
Account Executive
Nicholson Kovac
01.2007 - 01.2008
Corporate Sales and Marketing Coordinator
Golf Course Superintendents Association of America
01.2005 - 01.2007
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) - Mass Communication/Media Studies
Washburn University
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