Bike

Outdoor

Snow

Camping

Mountain biking

Rock climbing

Snowboarding

backpacking

Trail running

Slack lining.

Being an Ambassador in the Outdoor Retail Industry has been the majority of my young professional career. The last four years I have worked with Outdoor Industry giant REI (Recreational Equipment Inc.) and have worked my way up through the company as a Sales Specialist, Sales Lead, and Sales Manager. 

I have worked in multiple size retail locations varying from Sales volumes of 8 million per year to 17 million per year. My experiences working with diverse teams have allowed me to adapt to changing personalities and backgrounds to accomplish store goals. I drove sales, merchandising, customer experience, training and hired team members for each major department in the stores I worked in. My New Store Opening experiences have allowed me to have greater understanding on how a retail business is built from the ground up and is forever valuable. I have been put through difficult challenges and adversities with my own growth as an individual but also with developing employees to become leaders within the store or grooming them as a future manager. 

My personal brand is strong communication, self-starter, energetic, passionate, authentic, approachable and highly organized. 


 


I represented Arc'Teryx, Salomon and Suunto in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Arkansas. Main job tasks included, performing in store clinics, branded merchandising, activating at sponsored events nationally, daily brand ambassador, bringing marketing campaigns to life at the retail level. I constantly drove brand sell-through to help in sure quality sell-in on the seasonal timelines. 

Technical Representative

As a Sales Specialist I contribute to the success of the store by maintaining a working knowledge of products and services and using this knowledge to sell products, services, and memberships to our customers. I help to maintain the store visual standards and assists in keeping the floor stocked with merchandise. I pride myself with exemplifying the company values of balance, authenticity, quality, service, respect, integrity.

Details
- Provides customer service to members and guests.
- Sells products, co-op memberships and services.
- Continually expands knowledge of products and services.
- Helps to maintain visual standards and cleanliness within department.
- Stocks product from truck/warehouse to sales floor.
- Communicates and cooperates with other staff and management team.

Sr. Sales Specialist

As a Retail Sales Manager I was a key member of the retail store management team. I was a critical leader in the store for coaching, developing, and motivating sales teams to directly impact the stores organizational goals. I directly reported to the Store Manager and led a team of retail staff to deliver on business goals of sales, memberships, and service. I spent  seventy percent of my time as an active, visible leader, motivating, directing, and coaching my staff.

My Specific duties:
- I leveraged tools, reports and insights to make appropriate business adaptations that result in increased sales and service.
- I acted as an active visible leader; motivating, directing and coaching non-management staff.
- I directed the execution of our core standards and overall visual direction to maximize sales.
- I developed an agile, service-focused teams to deliver on the evolving expectations of our customers.
- I drove sales through all channels by maximizing selling behaviors. 
- I capitalized on all promotional events through successful event execution and staff excitement.
- I increased inspirational experiences for our members and customers through effective execution of outdoor programs and outreach.
- I assisted with store direction and communicated critical company strategies and changes to teams as needed.
- I recognized and rewarded my team members to strengthen engagement and foster teamwork.
- I provided dynamic and regular customer-focused feedback and engages in two-way dialogue with my direct reports.
- I recruited and develops diverse leaders from inside and outside the organization and local community.
- I ensured the execution of all visual merchandising standards on a daily basis to staff.

Sales Manager

As a Sales Lead I reported directly to my direct Retail Sales Manager and was instrumental part in the achievement of business goals of sales, memberships, and service. I was one of the top performing employees in the store at selling, merchandising and servicing our customers and helping my peers.

My specific duties:
- Selling products and services in a confident and enthusiastic manner with attention to friendly service and maximized outfitting my customers.
- Promoted REI CO-OP memberships (2013 sold over 300 hundred memberships at 180% of required goal).
- I effectively prepared the sales floor, efficiently stocked, managed merchandise, and create compelling visual presentations.
- Drove sales through all channels of the business and capitalized on promotional events.
- Constantly adapted visual presentations based on changing inventory levels, new products, promotions, and market conditions. 
- Trained and mentored new staff, provided direction and clear expectations on department tasks.
- Fostered ongoing performance management by seeking and responding to feedback and provided feedback to my direct reports.
- Responsible for Keyholder and Manger On Duty requirements of opening and closing the store as well as delivering peer to peer coaching.

Sales Lead / Key-holder / MOD

Jesse Gessel is a Technical Representative at Amer Sports Winter & Outdoor in Austin, TX.

Jesse Gessel

Jesse Gessel

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