About Me

Hi! I’m Sam, an operations executive and innovator who enjoys removing bottlenecks to progress and is passionate about driving the social good.

My 22 years of operations experience began at age 14. During my brief stint in the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., I attended a dinner where I met a couple in the process of adopting a child. They mentioned the term “Dear Birthmother Brochure”, which I’d never heard before. They couldn’t find anyone to make one, and this brought their search to a grinding halt.

I mentioned that I’d been fiddling around with Microsoft Publisher to make small things, and I asked if I could try making a brochure for them. They agreed – and this became my very first project! I started my first business, doing almost everything alone with Web 2.0 and my mom’s access to college textbooks (she was a student at the time) to guide me. She did her best to help me find an accountant and attorney a year later because I was underage, and I continue to mostly outsource those duties to this day.

By this point, I was 15 in 2002 with over 100 completed projects and a profitable business. I built exclusive partnerships with adoption agencies, and solid relationships with local print shops. A year later, I cobbled together the first project management system I used in Microsoft Access because it came pre-installed on my mom’s Compaq.

During this time, I also became the assistant children’s director in my former church, maintained a 3.5 GPA in high school, and later worked a part-time W2 job my senior year so future employers would have evidence of a “real job” 🙂

I later attended college, but did not finish; the curriculum was not conducive to my project-based learning style.

I look forward to using my ambition and drive to help your company succeed!

Career Highlights

Oversaw and managed over 120 workers in one of the first distributed creative operations firms
Launched Argeron and accelerated company growth from $70k to $24M prior to the 2014 acquisition
Designed proprietary creative workflow management software
Supported 83 local small business owners and nonprofit organizations to succeed through The Misfit Advisor

Preferences

Currently resides in Murrieta, CA
No interest in relocating at this time
Prefers flexible hours, part- or full-time ok
Accustomed to US, UK, Australian, and Chinese time zones
Open to travel starting March 2024
Remote work only, no hybrid or onsite days

Selected Skills

Innovation & Leadership
Operations Management
Process Improvement
Strategic Planning
Goal Setting
Technology Integration
Google Analytics
Decision Making
Product Management
Product Development
Information Architecture
Industrial Design
Communication
Organizational Efficiency
HTML/CSS
Jira
Budgeting
Vendor Relations
Cross-Functional Leadership
Conceptual & System Thinking
User Research
Knowledge Base Management
Acquisitions
Autodesk Sketchbook

Professional Experience

HEAD OF PRODUCT & OPERATIONS

craftfinch
August 2021 - Present

Devise and lead strategies to innovate and improve 180+ retail products through investigation and analyses of the product and the product market.
● Reduced total cycle time by 37% over 6 months by establishing KPIs aligned with outcome-based goals.
● Expanded manufacturer partnerships from 9 to 32, increasing product quality by 33% and decreasing time to market by 24%.
● Spearheaded recruitment strategies targeted at developing and training for 5 new key positions.
● Improved overall customer satisfaction 42% by identifying and resolving critical strategic issues.
● Enhanced the efficiency of resource allocation by aligning product strategies across 12 product lines.
● Navigated and mitigated the impact of risks, ensuring minimal disruption to operations and protecting the company's reputation.
● Minimized development iterations by implementing a bi-monthly process review cycle, saving an average of 15 days per project and accelerating time-to-market.
● Cultivated a data-driven 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, maintaining the accuracy and relevance of information 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 64% on average by implementing 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 DESIGN OFFICER, CHIEF OPERATIONS 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 across the organization. Oversaw budgets of up to $24.5M.
● Accelerated company growth from $70K to $24M gross sales over 5 years by revamping the user experience for businesses and creative professionals.
● Facilitated cross-organizational alignment by establishing a shared organizational language, core values, and best practices through training initiatives and implementing an employee recognition program.
● Pioneered innovative business models across retail and creative department outsourcing to diversify and expand the organization's revenue streams.
● 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 design and operations functions within the organization by actively participating in quarterly board meetings.
● Launched strategic subsidiaries, including a stationery store and a creative department outsourcing unit, as part of the organization's growth and diversification strategy.
● Fostered a productive partnership with external software developers to conceive a customized SaaS platform.

Portfolio

Due to non-disclosure agreements, my portfolio does not exist. My resume contains everything that I can disclose. Feel free to ask me more about my skills directly.