Freelance, Self-Employed

Marketing and Business Development pro with over 12 years of experience in helping small businesses see exponential growth.

Business Development & Marketing Advisor

Ballistipax

Hired as contractor to redirect and redevelop Ballistipax's marketing efforts. Marketing strategies were redirected to a targeted core audience which included efforts such as: refurbishing social media accounts, Alexa URL data analysis, search keyword modification, DMA data collection and analysis, digital advertising campaigns, building an influencer network, paid Facebook and Instagram advertising campaigns. Supervised and helped to create professional content and brand boosting imagery. Restructured the sales program as well as the business development strategies. Assisted in updating and maintaining Ballistipax’s eCommerce site which included updating pricing, copy, and images, creating sales promotions, and increasing SEO efficiency.

Business Development & Marketing Manager

Kiser Construction

Developed and maintained key industry relationships, creating greater lead generation. Created market strategies that strengthened and further developed Kiser’s marketing efforts.  Oversaw the website redevelopment, SEO optimization, and Google paid ads campaigns.  Developed successful marketing and advertising campaigns across platforms such as Facebook and Mailchimp, boosting Kiser’s brand recognition. I addition, I developed strategies to build out and strengthen Kiser’s business model.

Project Manager / Business Development

THE MAKO GROUP

Responsible for growing business to business sales in a multi-state territory. Covering Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio I managed my time to effectively strengthen relationships with current accounts, while developing new accounts. I also worked with the home office to develop product specific marketing programs, yielding an increase in both sales and brand awareness. Utilizing SAP CRM software I tracked customer sales and data, targeting buying trends and creating a more efficient resell process. Furthermore, I drove brand and product awareness while attending trade shows and sales events.

Account Manager

UAS Drone Corp.

Served as public safety market specialist, identifying key sales opportunities and demographics; actively called on potential accounts; built brand awareness via social media, personal, and professional networks; assisted in the development of sales promotions

Freelance Sales Representative

Odle Sales

Performed as a Territory Sales Manager and Manufacturer's Rep in the Twin-Cities Metro Area, North-west Minnesota, and North Dakota regions; represented over a dozen manufacturers, including: Winchester Ammunition, Nikon Sporting Optics, Streamlight, EOTech, ProMag, CMMG, and Bulldog Cases & Vaults; conducted business to business sales, brand management, sales staff training, and sales promotions throughout territories; represented manufacturers in trade shows; attended nation-wide sales meetings.

Territory Sales Manager

Streicher's Police and Public Safety Equipment

Managed Streicher's hard goods product categories overseeing contract negotiations, profit margins, new product development, advertising and marketing campaigns via: ecommerce, print media, and social media; established vendor sponsored customer training programs as well as coordinated sales staff product training.

Product & Marketing Manager

Village of Brown Deer Police Department

Provided public safety by maintaining order, responding to emergencies, protecting people and property, enforcing motor vehicle and criminal laws, and promoting good community relations.

Patrol Officer

US Navy

Operated ELF, VLF, LF, HF, UHF, and SHF systems, as well as Demand Assigned Multiple Access (DAMA) ship-to-shore shore multiplex systems, the Common-User Digital Information Exchange Subsystem (CUDIXS), and the Naval Modular Automated Communications System (NAVMACS); Top Secret clearance.

Radioman (RM)

Business means a lot of things to a lot of different people. After over 15 years of experience and leadership in sales, marketing, and business development I have come to learn that business to me means being a part of something larger than myself. It means having the opportunity to make a positive impact. Whether it is for a client, my team, the company, or even the industry. It means creating positive results that further drive success, development, and opportunity. 

Specialties: leadership, business development, market strategy, budget planning & forecasting, business to business sales, business to business marketing, marketing strategy, brand development, digital advertising, email campaigns, social media campaigns & advertising, SEO optimization, eCommerce development and sales, print media advertising, strategic relationship building, key account management, product management, product development, distribution management, team building, trade show representation, creative writing, event planning and coordination.

Tyler Roden

RAW Work

• Content creation (written, visual, video, branding materials) to educate potential investors on tax lien properties.
• Development of targeted email marketing campaigns with germane content, property updates, and educational resources to engage and inform potential investors and establish leadership in the tax lien property space.
• Project coordination and management, web research, development of policy and procedure guides, and property listing research.
• Business process and procedure development.
• Strategic communications and client communications in preparation for 2025 launch.

Communications Consultant

Aventiv Technologies

• Led cross-functional projects for leadership teams, providing data-driven insights that expanded audience reach for internal communications initiatives. 
• Championed staff engagement by collaborating across teams to promote events, business growth, learning opportunities, and critical updates.
• Owned change communication campaigns, editorial calendar, and internal communications project management synchronize outgoing communications, drive action and participation, and highlight project milestones. 
• Improved employee morale by introducing storytelling campaigns that highlighted individual contributions, accomplishments, and career journeys, connecting employees and teams, and sharing knowledge and understanding the impact of their roles.

Senior Specialist, Internal Communications

Mars Veterinary Health

• Elevated brand awareness by delivering high-profile change communications and social media campaigns that connected leadership, hospitals, and administrators across business units.
• Bridged communication gaps by collaborating with IT to develop and manage 25+ new distribution lists, streamlining communication during a period of rapid growth and restructuring.
• Doubled as communications and large events liaison producing and managing event marketing materials for virtual and in-person events during the COVID-19 crisis. 
• Revolutionized global internal communications during COVID-19 by developing new channels, broadening education across 12 global practices, and event marketing for the first-ever global, virtual medical summit.

Global Communications EA to Chief Medical Officer and VP Communications & Public Affairs

Oregon Convention Center

• Saved the Guest Services Department over $330k annually by establishing new communication processes that recovered $230k in uncollected funds and eliminated $100k in late fees. 
• Enhanced data management for the events team by digitizing 15+ years of files and building a new system in Salesforce CRM to centralize client, vendor, and employee data.
• Partnered with leadership to develop a strategic 5-year communications plan for the Public Safety Department.
• Optimized internal communications and staff management for a team of 30+ by streamlining training materials, managing confidential documents, and scheduling staff effectively.

Communications Strategist - Guest Services & Public Safety

NWEA

Earned leadership role focused on transforming overall staff engagement through storytelling and staff highlights, inclusive internal communications campaigns, educational events, product launches, organizational partnerships, town halls, and cross-training events that positively impacted 800+ staff members. 

• Promoted a culture of engagement for 800+ staff members by leading the development and execution of impactful internal communication campaigns, storytelling initiatives, and staff recognition programs.
• Bridged the gap between leadership and a global workforce by crafting key messaging and leveraging social media (Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook) during a company rebrand. 
• Slashed "email overload" by 30% by spearheading the creation of innovative internal communication programs and introducing a central virtual platform.
• Forged strategic partnerships to expand community outreach and championed enrichment programs that supported under-served youth. Led and managed staff engagement events, educational courses, and community initiatives.

Promoted: Communications & Engagement Specialist - Marketing & Internal Communications

Earned a new role with a special focus on organizational rebranding including corporate communications and brand promotion materials, a new company policy program, and relaunching the weekly internal newsletter. 

• Cultivated a well-informed workforce by improving internal awareness around programs, product updates, policies, strategic planning, and community outreach initiatives.
• Supported compliance efforts by auditing and digitizing 16+ years of files. Led the implementation of CRM and international business processes using various tools (SharePoint, Salesforce, DocuSign) to boost productivity.
• Empowered employees by developing new training materials and clear procedure guides; launched and managed Policy Manager, leading training sessions for executives and staff to streamline policy compliance requirements.

Promoted: Project Administrator, Managing Editor - Organizational Excellence & Risk Management

•	 Successfully re-branded the Operations team through the development of new internal communications programs, channels, and strategies, keeping team members current on product launches, issues, policy, and procedural updates for the first time.
•	 Introduced and managed alternative transportation program to promote sustainability and resolve parking issues. Accelerated NWEA recycling management and Green Team programs to expand educational opportunities resulting in receiving Sustainability Award for three consecutive years. 
•	 Managed busy front office with regular customer and employee-facing tasks, building security and access, facilitation of operations requests, and ticketing systems.

Communications Specialist - Operations & Facilities

"The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." - George Bernard Shaw

Hello! Thanks for visiting my profile. 

ABOUT ME
My friends and colleagues say that I am creative, disarming, and honest. I have to agree. I show up for others and collaborate with respect and gratitude, while always lifting up my peers to show them their excellent qualities. I believe this translates into my work and storytelling.

I embrace change because it is not only inevitable but necessary. If you feel stuck in the loop of doing things the same way they've always been done, let's talk about how to get out!

WHAT I DO BEST
★ Global internal communications professional known for crafting impactful and relevant content for global organizations from entertainment to Ed Tech. 
★ Passionate about connecting people and driving transformative internal communication strategies for innovative organizations. 
★ Proven ability to deliver concise and inclusive messaging that aligns with strategic goals and meets the business needs of diverse audiences from 800 to over 80,000 employees without ever missing an Oxford comma.

FOCUS AREAS
+ fostering a culture of connection by mitigating information silos
+ collecting data and asking for and analyzing feedback
+ partnering with teams to create relevant engagement opportunities to drive two-way dialogue
+ crafting internal communication strategies that support organizational goals
+ building connections within diverse, global environments
+ organizational storytelling - sharing and highlighting the impact of each person in each role to help convey the vision, values, and goals of the company

HOW I THRIVE
Because I'm an ongoing learner, I love to tackle new and complex challenges. Collaboration with my colleagues to navigate those challenges, such as organizational changes or crisis management, ensures the seamless delivery of impactful messaging and shared knowledge across teams. 

HOW I CAN SOLVE
Let's talk about your needs and the ways my experience can help you improve connection, inform and engage your teams, and achieve your goals! I am #opentowork and open to exploring new opportunities. 

Send me a connection request or set up an appointment: https://calendly.com/lesapence

taplio

The Battle

Tyler Roden

Lesa Renee Pence⭐

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