Creative Thinking. Commercial Impact.

FROM CREATIVE IDEAS TO BUSINESS IMPACT

My career at Oriental Trading Company | 2020 – Present

Building Products. Solving Problems. Driving Growth.

My career at Oriental Trading Company has evolved from analyzing consumer purchasing behavior and merchandising performance to developing products, managing diverse assortments, and shaping category strategy.

Along the way, I've combined creative thinking with financial analysis to identify growth opportunities, improve operational processes, and develop products that resonate with customers.

Through expanding responsibilities across merchandising, product development, and international sourcing, I've built a versatile skill set grounded in both creative innovation and commercial execution.

2021–2026 YTD, through week 39, selected SKU cohort.

Merchant | Product Innovation & Commercial Strategy | July 2023–Present

Consumer Products • Toys • Stationery • Jewelry • Seasonal Merchandise

DRIVING INNOVATION & PORTFOLIO STRATEGY | 2026

As my category responsibilities have grown, I've taken a more strategic approach to balancing creative innovation with commercial performance, placing greater emphasis on product quality, differentiation, assortment productivity, and long-term profitability.
In February, I attended the 2026 New York Toy Fair, where licensing opportunities and the growing influence of anime and Asian pop culture on the American toy market were major areas of focus. These emerging trends helped inform my approach to product ideation, licensed entertainment concepts, and future assortment opportunities.
In April, I traveled to China for an extensive sourcing and product development trip spanning **four cities, three wholesale markets, seven factories, and six partner showrooms**. This experience provided valuable exposure to manufacturing capabilities, emerging product concepts, supplier relationships, and opportunities to improve product quality and cost competitiveness.
Throughout the year, I've focused on developing themed product kits and assortments, evaluating seasonal investment strategies, and collaborating with sourcing and product development teams to bring new concepts to market.
A major shift in 2026 has been the transition toward **quality over quantity**. As part of a broader assortment rationalization initiative, I've evaluated existing products based on sales performance, profitability, customer demand, and long-term revenue potential. This work has included analyzing historical sales performance across **831 selected SKUs, representing more than $30.4 million in cumulative sales from 2021 through 2026**, to better understand product longevity, identify high-performing product types, and inform future assortment investment decisions.
These experiences have strengthened my ability to connect global market insights, creative product development, financial analysis, and operational execution—while making more deliberate, data-driven decisions about where to invest for future growth.

BROADER CATEGORY LEADERSHIP | 2025

In 2025, my responsibilities expanded to encompass the full Toy category, including both seasonal and non-seasonal assortments. This broader portfolio introduced new challenges in financial planning, seasonal forecasting, product development, and category optimization.
**New products generated more than $5.6 million in sales across 1,564 SKUs in 2025**, reflecting the scale of the assortment and the importance of balancing product innovation, commercial performance, and financial planning across multiple consumer occasions.
I returned to the New York Toy Fair in March to identify emerging trends, explore new product opportunities, and evaluate alternative sourcing strategies amid changing global trade conditions.
Throughout the year, I strengthened my collaboration with **Fun Express, a partner business within our organization**, working directly with its buying team to identify products and assortments that could serve both business units. By aligning product opportunities across different customer segments and sales channels, we explored opportunities to leverage shared SKUs, expand assortment reach, and support growth across the broader business.
Following a change in our sourcing team, I assumed additional sourcing responsibilities alongside my merchandising role. Managing both functions expanded my involvement in supplier relationships, product costing, negotiations, and the operational decisions required to bring products successfully to market.
These experiences marked an important shift in my career—from managing individual product categories to contributing to broader commercial opportunities through cross-functional collaboration, strategic sourcing, and category leadership.

EXPANDING MY COMMERCIAL IMPACT | 2024

In 2024, my responsibilities became more concentrated in Non-Seasonal Toys, with additional involvement in Home Décor. With an increased emphasis on assortment expansion and off-the-shelf product development, I took a proactive approach to identifying new opportunities, building differentiated assortments, and strengthening vendor relationships.
That year, I was selected to travel to China to meet with key manufacturing partners and attend the Canton Fair. Working directly with international vendors allowed me to identify new sourcing opportunities, streamline aspects of product selection, and bring dozens of new products into development.
My product initiatives contributed to significant growth across Character Toys, plush, and sensory products. **In 2024, I drove more than $2 million in new product sales**, with individual successes including the Micro Vinyl Cat Duck, which generated approximately $20,000 in sales.
I was also selected to participate in a small merchant task force developing an exclusive product assortment for Amazon. The initiative expanded my experience in marketplace strategy, competitive positioning, and product differentiation beyond our traditional sales channels.

STANDING ON MY OWN | 2023

In July 2023, I was promoted to Merchant, taking ownership of multiple consumer product categories, including Non-Seasonal Toys, Stationery, and Jewelry. The transition challenged me to think more broadly about consumer behavior, product innovation, and commercial opportunities across different markets.
One of my first priorities was bringing fresh perspectives to our toy assortments. After attending the New York Toy Fair in 2023, I began exploring unconventional product themes, including unexpected animal characters, hybrid creatures, and miniature collectibles. These concepts helped differentiate our assortment and contributed to successful launches, including the Micro Duck series, which quickly became a top performer.

Associate Merchant | Creative Product Development & Process Innovation | October 2021–July 2023

Consumer Products • Crafts • Craft Supplies • Seasonal Merchandise

WORKING WITH SUPPORT

After building a foundation in the Crafts business, I was promoted to Associate Merchant, taking greater ownership of product development, assortment strategy, and commercial performance.
During this time, I led the development of more than **1,500 product SKUs and assortment kits**, focusing on identifying underserved market opportunities, expanding product offerings, and strengthening category performance.
My approach combined quarterly strategic planning, data-driven analysis, and an emphasis on increasing sales per SKU. I identified assortment gaps, tracked emerging trends, and optimized subcategories based on customer demand and growth potential.
I've always approached business challenges like puzzles. Give me an underperforming category, and I'll look for the patterns, opportunities, and creative solutions that can turn it around.
***Beyond Product Development: Improving How We Work***
One of my most meaningful accomplishments was leading an initiative to modernize our kit management process.
I led the transition of kit development and management from manual spreadsheets into our STIBO Product Information Management (PIM) system, streamlining workflows and eliminating manual work equivalent to two full-time employees' capacity.
I also trained the merchandising team to use Tableau dashboards to monitor kit performance, identify inventory outages, and make more informed assortment decisions.
This experience reinforced a principle that continues to shape my work: **Innovation isn't limited to the products we create. Sometimes the biggest opportunities come from improving how we work.**

Assistant Merchant | Creative Development & Merchandising | March 2021–October 2021

Consumer Products • Crafts • Craft Supplies • Seasonal Merchandise

GETTING MY START WITH PRODUCT

Returning to Oriental Trading's merchandising team in March 2021, I joined the Crafts category—a creative, product-focused environment that aligned naturally with my background in marketing and graphic design.
I supported new product development, collaborating with design teams to provide creative direction and feedback on product concepts, aesthetics, and customer appeal.
I also coordinated the creation of craft samples for product photography, ensuring each project clearly communicated the product's possibilities and inspired customers to create.
Beyond the creative work, I developed hands-on experience in assortment planning, product performance analysis, and merchandising operations, identifying opportunities to strengthen the business and improve execution.
When the lead merchant departed in October 2021, I stepped into greater responsibility and was promoted to Associate Merchant, beginning the next chapter of my career in product strategy and development.

Catalog Planner | Business Analytics & Consumer Insights | 2020

LEARNING PLACEMENT

I joined Oriental Trading Company in February 2020 as a Catalog Planner, overseeing merchandising layouts for the Faith and Adult Party categories. The role introduced me to the relationship between product presentation, consumer purchasing behavior, and commercial performance.
One of the most rewarding aspects of the position was analyzing historical catalog data to understand what made certain products successful. I enjoyed identifying patterns in customer demand, evaluating product performance, and uncovering opportunities to strengthen assortment planning and product visibility.
This experience helped shape my analytical approach to business challenges and sparked a lasting interest in understanding why consumers connect with certain products.
Although my position was eliminated during a company-wide restructuring amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the experience left a lasting impression. I returned to Oriental Trading in 2021, bringing that analytical foundation into a more creative, product-focused role.

GETTING MY START

Building a Foundation in Leadership, Creativity & Customer Experience

Before beginning my career in product development and commercial strategy, I gained experience across marketing, graphic design, customer service, and team leadership. These early opportunities helped shape my ability to connect with people, solve problems, and bring creative ideas to life.

PART-TIME BUILDING SUPERVISOR| YMCA OF GREATER OMAHA|2019-2021

As a Building Supervisor, I balanced daily facility operations, member services, and sales responsibilities in a fast-paced community environment.
One of my favorite aspects of the role was introducing prospective members to the YMCA, understanding their goals, and helping them find the right membership.
I also took on freelance graphic design projects for personal trainers, creating branded merchandise, business cards, and promotional materials to support their businesses.

MARKETING & DESIGN INTERN| WOODHOUSE AUTO FAMILY| 2018

My internship at Woodhouse Auto Family gave me an opportunity to apply my marketing and graphic design education in a professional setting.

I developed social media content, designed promotional materials, and supported company networking events, gaining hands-on experience in brand communication and visual storytelling.

A particularly memorable experience was appearing in a Woodhouse Mazda commercial—an unexpected opportunity to experience the creative production process from another perspective.

MANAGER & COACH | TIBURON SWIMMING POOL | 2013-2020

What began as a summer lifeguarding position evolved into my first leadership experience.
After being promoted to Assistant Manager in 2015, I took on responsibility for daily operations, financial deposits, facility safety, and customer concerns. In 2016, I also became Head Swim Coach, organizing practices, coordinating swim meets, and helping young athletes develop their skills and confidence.
These roles taught me the importance of accountability, communication, adaptability, and leading by example.

SELECTED PRODUCT SUCCESSES

From Creative Concepts to Commercial Results

Throughout my merchandising career, I've helped identify, develop, and expand products that connect emerging consumer trends with commercial opportunities.

These selected examples demonstrate my approach to product innovation, assortment development, and long-term performance—combining creative thinking with data-driven decisions to bring differentiated products to market.