Kristen Hess

Experience

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  College Works Painting

  Mar 2007 - Aug 2007

  Branch Manager

  Collected sales leads with door-to-door marketing. Estimated and sold exterior paint jobs to property owners. Set and met customer expectations within determined time frame. Interviewed, hired and managed painters. Oversaw job execution.Selected Accomplishments• Sold over $80,000 and produced close to $65,000 in paint jobs.• Managed 3 teams of painters over three months.

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  Leeds School of Business

  Sept 2009 - Mar 2010

  Research Assistant

  Active in running a competitive analysis for the Leeds School of Business under the Innovative Learning and Teaching Grant. Researched sustainable business curriculum offered in national colleges and local business interest in graduates with a background in sustainability.

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  Sterling-Rice Group

  Oct 2009 - May 2010

  Marketing Research Intern

  Analyzed, synthesized and reported on market trends in awareness, attitudes and usage. Worked primarily on the following accounts: Home Instead and The Almond Board of California.Selected Accomplishments• Invited to join Research Team as an Analyst at end of internship.

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  CompoKeeper / 1908 Brands

  Sept 2011 - Nov 2015

  Co-founder & Brand Manager of CompoKeeper

  •Developed and implemented brand mission, guidelines, and unique selling proposition for an innovative food waste bin• Managed a cross-functional team consisting of an inventor, industrial designers, injection molding program managers, and a financial investor, from prototype to commercialization• Directed a internal team of four along with outside vendors in the go-to-market strategy, encompassing a Kickstarter campaign, website development, packaging, public relations, trade show coordination and email and social media marketing• Evaluated, planned, and executed trade show events within budget, fostering key customer connections with Ace Hardware, Bed Bath & Beyond, Sam's Club, Walmart, Costco, and Rev-A-Shelf• Worked with injection molding manufacturers to establish quality acceptance criteria for 11 mold parts and identified 3+ parts for post-mold assembly machine to improve efficiency and reduce costs• Sourced 27 parts from more than 10 vendors and oversaw assembly to ensure timely delivery to 19 Bay Area Costco Wholesale Clubs• Hired, trained and managed sales representatives for Costco road shows and trade show events• Presented on CompoKeeper's unique selling points (USP) and the importance of composting at trade shows and industry conferences• Proactively monitored regional composting regulations, municipal infrastructures, and consumer trends across the nationNotable Results: • Planned and executed a Kickstarter campaign, reached $47K+ in pledges• Won the 2013 Naturally Boulder Pitch Slam, earning $50K in cash & business services• Nurtured a sales partnership with a Bay Area Costco Wholesale Buyer, resulting in a $90K+ purchase order• Identified an American metal supplier, reducing COGS by 30%• Sold CompoKeeper assets to 1908 Brands, Inc in March, 2014 Show less

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  Waste Farmers

  Jan 2013 - Jul 2013

  Social Media Manager for Maxfield's Organics

  • Defined target market• Implemented social content strategy and brand voice for consumer communications. • Developed, managed and executed editorial calendar. • Contributed to blog writing and media creation. • Directed, filmed and produced how-to videos for YouTube channel.

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  Goddess Provisions

  Oct 2016 - Aug 2021

  Box Curator & Marketing Coordinator

  • Organized and strategized annual subscription box plan, integrating market awareness, relationship building, and brand partner negotiations, while employing analytical decision-making to sustain monthly themes, control budget, and boost subscriber satisfaction• Managed a cross-functional team of seven, incl. photographers, copywriters, graphic designers, and developers, to create and deliver graphic assets for monthly go-to-market execution including product inserts, custom packaging and digital marketing• Led product creation for 40+ bespoke items including ideation, cost analysis, design submission, sample reviews and revisions• Drove the development and execution of the content calendar for the monthly blog posts. Wrote and edited copy for over 450 product descriptions, 300 email newsletters, and 30 blog posts• Led public relations and influencer marketing strategies to amplify brand visibility and engagement, including identifying thought leaders, pitching content and monitoring resultsNotable Results: • Achieved subscriber growth from 3K+ to 15K+ in 4 years, generating $3.9M+ in annual revenue. Show less

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  Bolstered

  Aug 2020 - now

  Founder of Bolstered Yoga Props

  • Built and established a “slow fashion” yoga brand that implements hand-craftsmanship and sustainable design principles to promote mindful living • Analyzed the competitive landscape and conducted customer interviews to identify market opportunities• Developed relationships with textile professionals and indigenous artisans in Mexico, Guatemala and India to produce my designs• Conceptualized, documented and communicated design specifications for 13 products including fabric selection and inspection, construction, quality control and commercialization• Crafted compelling digital narratives using copywriting, photography, and video to engage audiences across e-commerce, email, blogs, and social media platformsNotable Results: • Orchestrated the comprehensive design and development of 13 unique SKUs and 550+ handmade products with upcycled textiles both domestically and internationally• Built content marketing funnel for an online yoga series resulting in a 23% conversion rate Show less

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  Gaia, Inc.

  Jul 2024 - now

  Content Marketing Coordinator for Yoga International