Barbara Mesham

• Overall responsibility for the day-to-day management and strategic direction of the business.
• Strategic planning
• Secure key partnerships that contributed to the company''s overall growth strategy and market reach.
• Responsible for creating and managing advertising and marketing campaigns to maximise reach and engagement across social media and online platforms
• Elevated company profile in industry by spearheading comprehensive branding initiative.
• Development of new products aligned with market trends ensuring brand remains competitive
• Diversification of product offerings to infiltrate market opportunities
• Boosted client satisfaction rates through exceptional relationship management and prompt resolution of issues.
• Spearheaded successful product launches that resulted in increased brand visibility and customer acquisition.
• Negotiated favorable contracts with vendors for reduced costs and improved service quality.
• Expanded into new markets and establishing key local partnerships.
• Implemented business strategies, increasing revenue, and effectively targeting new markets.
• Manage purchasing, sales, marketing and customer account operations efficiently.
• Identify and qualified customer needs and negotiated and closed profitable projects with high success rate.
• Finance management

• Generated new business
• Reached out to potential customers via telephone, email, and in-person inquiries.
• Negotiated and closed long-term agreements with new clients in assigned territory.
• Increased client base by identifying new business opportunities and cultivating strong relationships with key decisionmakers.

• Took a leap of faith having resigned from my previous job to open a business from a hobbie, having identified a demand for bespoke authentic candles, which had always been a personal passion

• Managed team of 8 regional sales representatives
• Collaborating with senior executives to design and execute a strategic sales plan for the region and company as a whole
• Sales operations
• Sales process including negotiation of monthly promotional activity with key account regional buyers
• Sales management - Managing a sales team to maximise sales revenue and meet or exceed corporate-set goals and targets
• Forecasting annual, quarterly and monthly sales budgets
• Assisting sales personnel in their techniques incorporating training in sales techniques
• Developing specific plans to ensure sustainable growth
• Business development - Identify market opportunities for product development and sell-through within the target market – developed a product in the business that became the top selling SKU within the company nationally.
• Key Account management - Steinbuild Key Account Manager for the company

ACHIEVEMENTS

• Successfully transformed the region from one of the lowest-performing (ranked 7/8) to the 3rd strongest nationally

• Tasked with increasing customer base in the region
• Assisted customers with product selection, provided knowledgeable advice on product mix and drove sales to meet targets, while ensuring excellent customer service and maintaining visual merchandising standards
• Evaluated clients' needs and created plan of action to provide solutions.
• Provided exceptional customer service, addressing concerns promptly and professionally.
• Job functions also extended to training sales personnel at retail level on product knowledge and sales skills, management of stock levels within retailer, merchandising skills, brand confidence.

ACHIEVEMENTS:

• Top sales consultant 3 years consecutively
• Exceeded sales targets

• Developed the business into a franchise model
• Development of franchise platform and execution thereof
• Marketing and advertising manager – design and development of all advertising material
• Sourcing of new business and franchisees
• Mentored and trained new franchise owners in business operations, fostering a culture of success within the organization.
• Budget forecasts for franchisor and franchisees, projection of cash flow and management of capital for small business

Achievements

• Extensive growth in franchise outlets
• Established the brand within certain demographical areas to become dominant service provider within the sector
• Designed and introduced new branding which remains within the business today

• Key accounts sales and marketing
• Sourcing of new business
• Customer relations
• Product Development
• Procurement
• Production Planning
• Packaging development and design

ACHIEVEMENTS

• Secured Pick ‘n Pay, Woolworths and Edcon key accounts for the company
• Grew business that created demand and expansion of factory to meet supply

• National Buyer across various departments during my tenure
• Responsible for sourcing, selecting, and negotiating with suppliers to deliver profitable product ranges aligned with market trends and customer demand, while managing budgets, stock levels, and supplier relationships to drive sales and margin growth across multiple retail outlets.
• Range planning
• Financial planning
• Sourcing and procurement locally and internationally of product

ACHIEVEMENTS

• Record breaking success with regards to turning around a ‘sick’ department to the most successful in the company during Financial Year 1994