Overview

Diverse leadership experience as a business development manager, product manager, marketer and consultant to early stage companies. Well exercised talents in multiple industries, including, pro audio, corporate training, retail systems, financial services and “web 2.0” development.

A catalyst in early-stage endeavors. Well suited to lead diverse teams which include creative, engineering and executive influences. Brings high IQ, energy, wisdom, humor and creativity to formative processes. Consistently empowers team members to bring all their talents to the table.
 

Experiences

Dutch Bike Co., Seattle, Nov '07 — present: Partner

Developing branding, retail and web sales strategies. Implementing web-based CRM. Redesign website and author weblog.

Stephan Schier Consulting, May '05 — Present: Principal

Quarterback emerging ventures, brilliant teams and individuals innovating business. Inspire humanized marketing strategies. Show the way, hands-on, from tech to creative.

Imagekind, LLC, Seattle, MAR '06 — Nov '06
Rallied member services team, web plug-ins and desktop software tools in unconventional ways to gather, clean lists and build first-name rapport with 25,000 artists. Designed member acquisition campaign, resulting in 9% conversion rate. Within two weeks, secured 200 digital works from emerging artists. Within two months, boosted member acquisition rate from zero to 50 per day. Sparked bug testing team to high standards, despite rapid dev pace.

Smart Portfolios, LLC, Seattle, May '05 — Jan '06
Launched secure company extranet in four days. Implemented SFA (salesforce.com) solution and trained sales team. Authored marketing collateral and widely acclaimed “NASA white” trade show look. Mapped key TV and web strategies to successfully position founder as a “niche celebrity” in the field of asset allocation.

Additional Clients
HineSight Consulting – Executive coaching. Branding, web and blog design.
Brackenwood Capital Management, LLC – SFA integration. Marketing and web design.
 

American Challenge, INC, Costa Mesa, CA , April '03 — Present: Management Advisory Team

Catalyze Russ Wicks' quest to secure blue-chip sponsors and capture land and water World Speed Records. Developed highly effective one-page proposals. Designed 3D animation used in sponsor’s marketing media. Established line of credit for operations. Demonstrated sponsor’s software solutions, organized conferences and evangelized C-level executives. captured the (35 years standing) World Stock Car Land Speed Record, July 3, 2006. raised the World Record and added a Guinness Book Record at the Bonneville Speedway, October 9, 2007 – 244.9 MPH, for the flying mile. Team photographer.

Big Beverage Company, Mar '07 — Nov '07: Acting Vice President

Lead branding, trademark and market positioning initiatives. Direct business planning and project management through Basecamp (web services). Coaching founder.

Realm Labs/High Coup, LLC, Seattle, '92 — March '03: GENERAL MANGER

Organized the research and development process of a composer, engineers and technicians. Mediated creative, engineering and financial demands into the production of entertainment and learning, hardware prototypes. Results include an encoding patent ( #5,612,943) licensed by Digital Harmony.

AccessVia, INC, Seattle, May '00 — October '02: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Pioneered industry-first, multi-vendor demonstrations of wireless kiosk, employee and customer-facing mobile applications: 2001 Retail Systems Conference, Chicago. Catalyzed key strategic partnership initiative with Symbol Technologies. Lead sales and kiosk solutions initiatives with IBM, NCR, Radiant Systems, Microsoft and Lexmark.

Pavo/Digital Harmony, Seattle, May '99 — May '00: PRODUCT MANAGER

Published landmark report on the emerging digital rights management industry. Managed legacy products portfolio, encoding technologies portfolio and hardware prototype production. Directed multinational R&D of watermarking technologies. Negotiated agreements with customers and licensees in Europe and Japan. Crafted marquee corporate sponsorship package to design the Experience Music Project's (EMP) Sound Lab control systems. Subsequently earned “most trusted” vendor accolades from EMP managers. Instigated transfer of legacy products portfolio to employee ownership.

On the Edge, LTD, Santa Fe, NM, '88 — '91: EVENT DIRECTOR

Designed, constructed and directed training events for educational foundations and corporations, including AT&T, EDS and Monsanto. Instructed communication and team building initiatives. Trained event managers in process and risk management skills. Introduced more efficient event management methods. Facilitated adult and youth-at-risk development seminars.
 

Education

Washington State University, '79 — '84: HONORS GRADUATE

BS, Cum Laude, Physical Education, Aquatics Option, Minor in Mathematics. National Dean's List and member Phi Epsilon Kappa honorary; Digiovanna Memorial Award as outstanding graduating senior and J Fred Bohler Scholarship recipient. Varied studies: computer science (COBOL, FORTRAN, Pascal, Basic), physics, kinesiology and exercise physiology.

Colorado Outward Bound School, '84: GRADUATE

Educator's Practicum: leadership, communication and problem solving skills development.
Logistics Director Training: expedition management.
 

Additional Tidbits

First generation American - speak fluent German.

Member - American Mensa

Founded Seattle's first experiential art gallery: Affect Gallery. Hosted Seattle’s master of mezzo-tech, Kim David Hall's debut, The Nugatorium: 1989.

Completed a 1000 mile, self-contained, Canadian Arctic, kayak Expedition: 1986.

Recreational interests: rock climbing (26 years), fitness, energetic medicine, cooking, bicycling, basketball, in-line skating, sailing, skiing; motorcycling and vintage auto racing.

 

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