Michele D.

Need help getting your consumer brand into major retailers or growing the business you already have? I bring 28 years of hands-on wholesale and retail sales experience to help consumer brands identify opportunities, build retail strategies, win new accounts, strengthen buyer relationships, and grow profitably. I’m a National Director of Sales with extensive experience in hosiery, legwear, leggings, and sleepwear, and a proven track record working with major national retailers including Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s, Belk, HSN, Marshalls/TJ Maxx, Ross, Burlington, and Big Lots. I’ve sat across the table from buyers and DMMs, negotiated pricing and margins, presented product lines, developed account strategies, launched new retail concepts, and managed the day-to-day realities of growing a national wholesale business. What I’ve Accomplished: **Managed approximately $17M in wholesale business as Director of Sales and led a team of 8 senior account managers for 11 years. **Helped establish the company as the #1 legwear vendor by volume with major department store accounts including Macy’s, Belk, and Bloomingdale’s. **Developed and launched successful Shop-in-Shop programs in 6 Macy’s stores and 3 Belk stores, including visual merchandising, fixturing, and complete legwear/leggings assortments. **Opened 5 new retail accounts through relationship building and proactive business development. **Increased sales in personally managed accounts by approximately 20% over 10 years while maintaining healthy gross margins. **Reduced retailer markdown givebacks by approximately 3 percentage points, improving Initial Net **Profit while maintaining strong account relationships. **Managed, coached, and developed an experienced team of senior account managers. Whether you're an established brand looking to grow or a company trying to build a stronger wholesale business, I can help with: **Retail account strategy and growth **Identifying and researching target retailers **Building qualified retail prospect lists **Wholesale sales strategy **New account development **Buyer and DMM meeting preparation **Virtual buyer meetings **Sales presentations and line reviews **Pricing, margins, and negotiation strategy **Sales analysis and forecasting **Product assortment and retailer-specific strategy **Evaluating existing accounts for growth opportunities **Sales team coaching and leadership **Fractional Director of Sales support Why Work With Me? I don't just bring sales theory, I bring 28 years of real-world retail experience. I understand how buyers think, what retailers look for, how assortments need to be tailored to different accounts, how to prepare for a line review, how to negotiate without damaging the relationship, and how to turn an initial order into a long-term account. Most importantly, I understand that sales growth isn't enough if it isn't profitable. My experience includes not only growing revenue, but also protecting margins and improving Initial Net Profit. If you're looking for an experienced sales executive who can look at your business, identify opportunities, and help create a practical path to retail growth, I'd be happy to discuss what you're working on and where I can help. I’m available for both project-based consulting and ongoing engagements, with approximately 25 hours per week available.