Allison Parrish

Category Manager

2023 – Present

Owned managing the P&L and daily operations driving significant growth and operational improvements. Led a team of two direct reports, managed +70 vendor relationships, and implemented strategies that resulted in substantial cost reductions, operational efficiencies, and increased profitability.

- P&L Ownership & Strategic Leadership: Spearheaded the Winter Sports category strategy through a major acquisition, maintaining profitability despite a 70% resource reduction. - Operational Efficiency: Optimized vendor onboarding and shipment tracking, resulting in 50% faster time-to-market and reducing late/canceled shipments by 80%. - Cost Optimization: Negotiated exclusive hybrid dropship agreements, cutting operational costs by 20% and boosting in-stock availability and delivery speed. - Financial Modeling & Profitability: Developed inventory models aligned with seasonal demand, increasing profitability by 15% and improving sell-through rates. - Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partnered with finance, engineering, and merchandising to automate manual processes, reducing operational workload by 20% and accelerating project execution by 25%. - Tech & AI Integration: Worked with engineering to enhance product offerings through Curated’s AI-driven recommendation system, boosting conversion rates.

Formerly reported directly to the CEO, delivering weekly business recaps & driving high-impact initiatives.

Merchandiser/Buyer

2022 – 2023

Oversaw the buying and management of ~$70M in inventory across 30+ softgoods categories, partnering with 50+ vendors, to curate regionally specific assortments for 130+ stores, including 15 new store openings. I also led the creative direction for private-label t-shirt and headwear lines, driving brand consistency and sales growth.

- Inventory & Vendor Management: Managed inventory levels across softgoods categories, cultivating strong vendor relationships to optimize terms, pricing, and delivery schedules, leading to enhanced profitability and streamlined operations. - Demand Forecasting & Lifecycle Management: Led demand forecasting and managed the product lifecycle from selection to clearance, minimizing stockouts and excess inventory, ensuring high inventory turnover. - Revenue Maximization: Collaborated with marketing and visual teams to develop merchandising strategies for in-store and online channels, executing seasonal promotions and clearance events that maximized revenue. - Market & Customer Insights: Leveraged sales data, historical trends, and industry insights to ensure offerings aligned with customer preferences and market trends, driving accurate demand forecasting and performance reporting. - Curated Assortments: Designed and curated diverse softgoods assortments that aligned with brand identity and target demographics, ensuring customer satisfaction and product appeal across all regional stores.

Associate Buyer - Hardgoods

2019 – 2022

Responsible for the buying and management of ~$45M of inventory across 50+ hardgoods categories, overseeing 80K+ SKUs, and managing relationships with 70+ vendors. Led strategic market expansion and driving growth through optimized vendor relationships and data-driven operations. I oversaw two direct reports and contributed to significant improvements in operational efficiency, profitability, and revenue generation.

- Market Expansion: Captured a $370B addressable market opportunity in the Training category, driving strategic expansion through targeted assortment selection and securing key vendor partnerships. Revenue Growth: Led product expansion in key growth areas like Overlanding and Training, generating significant new revenue streams and diversifying the business portfolio. - Operational Efficiency: Managed $45M in inventory across 50+ categories, negotiating vendor terms and streamlining fulfillment processes, reducing order delays and improving margin performance. - Vendor Relationship Management: Managed relationships with 70+ vendors to ensure product availability, negotiate favorable terms, and streamline the supply chain, contributing to improved category performance. - Workflow Optimization: Improved order processing workflows, reducing order-to-ship times, increasing confirmation efficiency, and minimizing fulfillment errors. - Team Leadership: Mentored and developed two direct reports, implementing emergency reordering processes that reduced stockouts without overstocking slow-moving items.

Assistant Buyer - Hardgoods

2018 – 2019

Assisted 4 buyers in sourcing, negotiating, and managing inventory across 100+ hardgoods categories.

- Sourced merchandise aligned with customer needs by staying updated on market trends and competitor offerings across 100+ hardgoods categories. - Built and nurtured vendor relationships by supporting the Buyer in negotiating favorable terms and discounts with 100+ vendors. - Reduced order lead times by 20% by assisting in managing Purchase Orders and ensuring timely vendor communication. - Achieved a 10% sales increase during peak promotion periods by assisting in planning and executing effective promotional strategies and tracking performance metrics. - Reduced excess inventory by 15% by analyzing sales data to identify top-performing products and optimizing inventory levels with timely reorder management.

Sales Floor Team Manager

2016 – 2018

Oversaw sales operations for the ski and bike shop, driving sales strategies, inventory management, and customer service to optimize store performance.

- Led and mentored a high-performing sales team, fostering a culture of excellence and delivering exceptional customer service. - Built strong vendor relationships and negotiated favorable terms, optimizing product selection and improving margins. - Utilized sales data and analytics to track performance, identify improvement opportunities, and stay informed on industry trends, new products, and emerging technologies.

Owned Brands Intern

2017 – 2018

Managed SKUs and POs, updating unit quantities based on forecasts and sending to vendors to ensure product availability.

- Enhanced visual merchandising by providing feedback on site product displays and coordinating photoshoots and product reshoots. - Maintained competitive analysis, supporting brand strategy and improving category performance. - Assisted with tech design and quality control, ensuring product quality and supporting the product development cycle.

Intern

2016 – 2016

Rental Attendant

2013 – 2016

• Customer service, interacts with 50+ customers daily • Computerized rental program, Rentmaster • Handles $2,500 cash, checks, and card reader daily • Maintain and manage equipment for the largest Collegiate Outdoor Rental in the U.S.

Intern

2015 – 2015

• Trained in ski, snowboard, skateboard production • Increased social reach through social media • Managed many different small projects while working on a team • Assisted local consumer demo events and promoted events

Summer Camp Counselor

2012 – 2014

• Taught or assisted a minimum of 10 activity periods. • Supervised canoeing/kayaking/sailing/SUP on Lake Livingston • Facilitated ropes course (rock wall, zip line, giant swing) • Supervised 12+ children in a twenty-four hour, seven days a week, rustic environment • Represented self with a strong character and moral values to show positive examples for campers (at school and through social media sites such as YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter)

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

2012 – 2016

Business Minor