About Me

Hi! I’m Sam, a product management and creative operations executive who enjoys removing bottlenecks to progress. I’m also passionate about operations research, innovation, ethical AI development, and inclusive physical product design.

My 25 years of product management and creative operations experience started due to a chance meeting at a national event as a teenager. In just a year, I designed over 100 adoption (“Dear Birthmother”) brochures and secured my niche in the industry. I built exclusive partnerships with adoption agencies and established solid relationships with local print shops.

A dedicated self-learner, maker, and problem solver, I noticed that software solutions for my needs were simultaneously inadequate and expensive. I slowly designed what I later discovered to be one of the first dedicated creative operations ERP software solutions. As I gradually began to step away from day-to-day design work and focus solely on operations, the business transformed into a creative operations outsourcing firm. A multibillion-dollar ERP company acquired my software in 2014.

Multiple startups (and over $30m in annual revenue) later, here I am – ready to use my entrepreneurial spirit and skills to help your company succeed!

Career Highlights

Accelerated company growth from $70K to $24M annual revenue in 5 years by revamping the user experience, eventually going on to use cross-functional team project management skills to guide 120+ workers in one of the first distributed creative operations firms
Thrived as the chief representative of the creative operations function within the organization by actively participating in quarterly board meetings, earning a reputation as a visionary and strategic leader
Leveraged previous skills to develop inclusive physical products at craftfinch, using data insights to improve the efficiency of products throughout each iterative development cycle

Preferences

Currently resides in Murrieta, CA
No interest in relocating at this time
Prefers flexible hours
Accustomed to US, UK, Australian, and Chinese time zones
Remote work only, no hybrid/onsite days

Selected Skills

Innovation & Leadership
Operations Management
Process Improvement
Strategic Planning
Creative Visioning
Technology Integration
Operations Research
Team Building
Product Lifecycle Management
Data-Driven Insights
Information Architecture
Industrial Design
Communication
Metrics & KPIs
HTML/CSS
ChatGPT, Claude
Budgeting
Vendor Management
Cross-Functional Leadership
Conceptual & System Thinking
User Research
Knowledge Base Management
Trend Assessments
Adobe Creative Suite

Professional Experience

HEAD OF PRODUCT & INNOVATION

craftfinch
August 2021 - March 2026

Devise and lead strategies to innovate and improve 180+ retail products through investigation and competitive analysis of the product and the product market.
● Designed innovative consumer products that improved aesthetics, quality, and ease of use over current market offerings - including patented product features developed based on market research, rapid prototyping, and testing.
● Reduced total cycle time by 27% over 6 months by establishing key performance indicators aligned with outcome-based goals.
● Expanded domestic and overseas manufacturer partnerships from 9 to 32, increasing product quality and decreasing time to market.
● Improved overall customer satisfaction by identifying and resolving critical industrial engineering issues.
● Translated product strategy into detailed requirements for prototype/MVP construction and final product development by engineering, design, and UX teams/agencies.
● Minimized development iterations by implementing a bi-monthly process review cycle, saving an average of 15 days per project and accelerating time-to-market.
● Navigated and mitigated the impact of risks, ensuring minimal disruption to operations and business objectives.
● Cultivated a data-driven yet human-centered culture, improving the efficiency of feature deployments after each development cycle.

CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER & ADVISOR

The Misfit Advisor
March 2013 - December 2019

Served as a one-on-one operational counsel to 83 underserved local entrepreneurs and nonprofit organizations to enhance revenue generation and increase donations for each organization.
● Spearheaded the end-to-end creation of the knowledgebase website and a diverse content repository.
● Conducted quarterly content audits to guarantee precision, with information architecture and database administration skills used to maintain the structured terminology, taxonomy and ontology implementation over time.
● Curated and organized 300+ articles, accompanied by numerous videos and infographics, offering insights into small business and nonprofit procedures for convenient stakeholder access.
● Managed content lifecycle, ensuring seamless updates and alignment with current industry standards.
● Increased client revenue by using communication skills and interpersonal skills to implement targeted marketing and sales strategies.
● Guided multiple startups through market entry, leading to a 12% increase in market share within the first 6 months.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Argeron
March 2010 - December 2014

Launched a creative operations firm with a B2B software solution for creative workflow management. Built and led distributed teams of over 120 people. Oversaw annual budgets of up to $24M.
● Accelerated company growth from $70K to $24M gross sales over 5 years by revamping the user experience for businesses and creative professionals.
Designed end-to-end creative operations ERP solution from scratch, including building wireframes, user research, UI & UX development, and external workflow models; innovation resulted in software acquisition.
● Fostered a productive strategic partnership with external software developers to program, secure, store, and maintain the platform, ensuring a better learning curve and reduced bloat for end users.
● Cultivated a vibrant community of designers by orchestrating monthly town hall gatherings, providing a platform for collaboration, idea exchange, and mutual support.
● Acted as the chief representative of the company by actively participating in quarterly board meetings.
● Launched strategic subsidiaries, including a retail stationery store and a creative department outsourcing unit, as part of the organization's growth and diversification strategy.

PRINCIPAL GRAPHIC DESIGNER

The Brand Agency
May 2005 - December 2009

Created cohesive brand identities and marketing strategies for use in digital and print media.

FREELANCE GRAPHIC DESIGNER

May 2001 - May 2005

Spearheaded a creative industry career at age 14 by designing adoption brochures.

Portfolio & Patents

Unfortunately, almost all of my work is bound by non-disclosure agreements. I am excited to answer questions about my process and skills.

Howard, Samantha P. Two-way Cosmetic Brush Cleaning Jar. March 25, 2023. 63454662 (Provisional).

Education

Heriot-Watt University (Edinburgh Business School)

MBA in Strategy
2025 - Present

Louisiana Tech University

Computer Science Coursework
2005 - 2007