Strategic Initiatives Manager | Growth & Impact through Collaborative Partnerships

I lead and write from a place of purpose, heart posture, and story. 

My work spans development, partnerships, and strategy, and the thread through everything is relationship. I listen closely, notice what’s often unspoken, and use storytelling to help people feel seen, valued, and invited into something meaningful.

At the core of who I am is this
people matter
stories matter
and when the heart is engaged, everything changes.

Summer Applegate🍏

Applegate

I steer the strategic direction for sales, acting as the primary voice for key account planning, integrated business planning, and demand forecasting. I formulate and oversee corporate Trade Fund and Slotting budgets, efficiently allocate resources, and provide strategic guidance to maximize the utilization of available assets for successful trade and sales planning. I extend cross-functional leadership by collaborating with sales ops, finance, accounting, logistics, and procurement. 
I spearhead the inventory allocation process for the entire sales organization and manage relationships and production planning for a $75 million Bacon portfolio.
Following are the highlights of my accomplishments in this role:
📈 I owned the annual operating plan budget for the entire Sales department, steering growth with a +12% increase in a declining category in FY22 and an additional +8% growth YTD in FY23 by leveraging market demand, especially during the challenging times of Covid-19.
🔄 I pioneered and successfully implemented an allocation process at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, which remained a cornerstone of the company's operations, contributing to its efficiency and effectiveness to date.
💰 I implemented a proficient allocations process to optimize shipping and sales on a weekly basis, while dynamically reallocating orders to capitalize on demand surges, resulting in achieving $300K in incremental revenue per week.
🛠️ I delivered hands-on leadership to the team in driving the successful implementation of a weekly purchase order planning system for finished goods, resulting in a $15 million boost in annual sales spanning the years 2020 to 2022.
🌐 I navigated the organization through a comprehensive ERP change within the organization by providing visionary and situational leadership to a team of three individuals.

Sales Strategy Lead

B&G Foods

In this role, I oversaw the strategic implementation and approval of all retail and food service trade programs across various brands. I drove initiatives to enhance market presence and drive sales in collaboration with the VP of Trade Marketing. I collaborated closely with the senior leadership in effectively managing a substantial annual trade spending budget of $120 million.
I acted as a Corporate Liaison and Manager for crucial syndicated data sources, playing a primary role in managing and interpreting data from Nielsen Answers Core, Spectra, Home Scan, and advanced analytical studies. I leveraged this data to inform key business decisions and optimize marketing strategies.
Following are the highlights of my accomplishments in this role:
🚀 I successfully enhanced brand visibility and market presence by co-developing high-impact trade programs encompassing over 40+ CPG brands, spanning an extensive array of 50+ categories.
💡 I managed a substantial corporate slotting budget of $12 million to meticulously analyze ROI and effectively disseminate slotting approvals based on predefined objectives.
💰 I implemented comprehensive pricing strategies for numerous brands across diverse trade channels.
🎯 I spearheaded a transformation from Excel-based processes to a customized Trade Promotion Management (TPM) tool to enable real-time data sharing and streamline accountability trails, significantly enhancing efficiency and accuracy.
👥 I directed a team of four individuals in managing and seamlessly executing trade-related activities, syndicated data analysis, and pricing strategies.
📊 I introduced the first-ever business analyst to support departmental growth and development, consistently achieving and surpassing sales objectives.
🔄 I demonstrated a commitment to continuous improvement by embracing technological advancements, ensuring the organization stayed at the forefront of efficient and effective operational processes.

Senior Trade Marketing Manager | Trade Marketing Manager

In this role, I acted as a critical strategic partner for conducting extensive ad-hoc analysis to address high-level business inquiries. I maintained a collaborative approach by engaging with marketing, sales, and supporting trade management functions. 
I directed multifaceted analytical functions encompassing sales analysis, sales forecasting, pricing and promotion analysis, category management analysis, coupon tracking, and new product tracking. I prepared presentations and reports crucial for the sales force and management to ensure informed decision-making.
Following are the highlights of my accomplishments in this role:
🤝I collaborated effectively with the Director of Trade Marketing and Brand Managers to guarantee the seamless execution of all trade programs.
📈 I conducted a comprehensive pre- and post-analysis of major trade marketing programs, involving meticulous evaluation to provide valuable insights for program refinement and enhancement of future trade strategies.
🔄 I drove a significant transformation at B&G by optimizing the analysis and utilization of Nielsen data to showcase the nuanced and deeper capabilities of the data.

Manager, Sales Analysis & Forecasting

Sr. Trade Marketing Analyst

Hayward Industries, Inc.

Account Manager

Tyco Flow Control

Inside Sales Rep

With over two decades of experience in driving revenue and profit growth through strategic sales planning, I am a seasoned leader in the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry. My expertise lies in developing go-to-market strategies, optimizing trade spending, and fostering cross-functional collaboration to achieve sustainable business success.

🌟 Key Strengths 🌟
✔ Revenue & Profit Optimization: I excel at identifying and capitalizing on growth opportunities, even in challenging market conditions, resulting in substantial revenue increases.
✔ Strategic Leadership: I lead with vision and purpose, guiding teams to exceed performance targets while fostering a culture of engagement and success.
✔ Integrated Business Solutions: I have a knack for aligning sales, marketing, and commercial operations to achieve seamless and efficient business outcomes.
✔ Advanced Data Analytics: Leveraging data-driven insights, I make informed decisions that drive market penetration and expansion.
✔ Innovative Problem Solver: I am known for my ability to translate ambiguous findings into actionable strategies and go-to-market plans.

💼 Let's Connect 💼
I'm passionate about creating strategic sales solutions, fostering leadership, and driving results. If you're looking to connect, collaborate, or explore opportunities in the world of CPG sales and strategy, don't hesitate to reach out. Together, we can unlock new horizons and achieve extraordinary success.

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The Battle

Summer Applegate🍏

Jason Pitts

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