Steve Lang
Passionate and Creative CPG Product Leader · Freelance
San Diego, CA
In My Own Words
The right product can help pass idle time, bring new friends together, rekindle memories between old friends, and broaden the imagination of people around the world. If you ever want to see excitement, give a child a new toy (or a triathlete a new piece of gear!). If you want to see passion, take away their favorite one.
With direct hands-on experience overseeing new product development and brand extension across a wide range of categories (toys, apparel, electronics, food and beverage, lifestyle, furniture, homegoods, and automotive OEM parts), I’ve been fortunate to work with and help advance many great brands (Disney, Chevrolet, Hefty, Goodyear, Torani, Nissan, Frank’s RedHot, La-Z-Boy, and Maytag).
My value add is maximizing the opportunity between retail/consumer needs, product manufacturing capabilities, and company financial and planning targets. A “label slap” can do more damage than good for your brand. Proper integration of brand and product has a multiplying ROI: reinforcing brand equities, increasing brand awareness, and ultimately growing your loyal consumer base.
Fluid and dynamic, my favorite days shift between topline planning/business development with the executive team, external customer and client management, and working through detailed technical issues with teams of engineers and overseas factories. Every day is different, but the goal remains the same: know the customer, never compromise the brand, and help bring to market fun products that fulfill customer needs and surpass expectations.
Work Experience
Brand and Product Consultant
Freelance2024 – Present
• Identified core customer demographics and developed branding and marketing strategies for CPG brands and founders. • Managed product line white space analysis, sourcing, engineering, lifecycle management, and packaging development. • Achieved a 20% increase in brand awareness and a 15% growth in product sales through targeted marketing campaigns and product enhancements.
Senior Merchant
Event Network, LLC2023 – 2024
BRINGING NEWNESS AND EXCITEMENT TO RETAIL Current oversight includes performance, merchandise strategy, development, and buying team management for Toys/Games, Plush, and Geology categories at all zoo, aquarium, science, nat history, art, botanical, historical, military, and iconic partner retail locations.
STAY AND PLAY Elevating the customer retail experience by identifying fun, engaging, sustainable product suitable for in-store demonstration, customization, and play.
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE Representation and inclusion matters in product assortment and enjoyment in order to connect on an emotional level with each guest and customer. #theEXPERIENCEmatters
Toys Special Project Consultant
Event Network, LLC2023 – 2023
Event Network operates retail services within zoos, aquariums, art and military museums, botanical gardens, and other cultural centers.
My consultant work focuses on business analysis within the toy vertical, identification of line plan gaps, strategy to augment growth of key drivers, private label brand development, new product sourcing, ideation of new products/categories disruptive to the current assortment offering that will wow guest & customers, and establishing external raw material and technology partner relationships that can help achieve company conservation and product sustainability goals.
Vice President Of New Product Development
Doing Things Media2022 – 2022
Doing Things Media owns and operates more than 25 of the most culturally relevant brands across social media. Everyday, millions of consumers interact with our content. We understand modern internet culture and have a proven methodology for creating, navigating, and incubating cultural digital trends. Our process is unique, and our purpose is to connect consumers across the world with humor and happiness.
Created and executed data-driven strategies to scale DTM’s consumer product programs through planning, conceptualizing, development, and delivery of fun, on-trend, and shareable products. Primary focus on transforming online digital content into physical real world products.
Director of Product Development & Engineering
Nixon2021 – 2021
Nixon is a 20+ year veteran of the surf/skate industry and pioneered watches marketed directly to the action sport athletes and enthusiasts.
My responsibilities included managing a team of PDMs through full cycle product development for hardgood and softgood categories, identifying 3rd party development partners, new technology adaption, and product and cost engineering.
Vice President of Product Development
Equity Management Inc.2015 – 2021
Equity Management is a licensing agency focusing on corporate brand management and represents primarily Fortune 500 companies in a domestic and global capacity.
In this role I led the team responsible for all new product development in brand advancement and brand extension categories (over $100million annual in retail dollars), as well as serve functions in client and licensee management, potential licensee review, and new client development.
Director of Product Development
Cartwheel Kids2013 – 2015
Cartwheel Kids LLC was a kitchen table startup that designs and manufactures unique and innovative playthings for children ages infant to tween including preschool toys, figures, play sets, plush, dress-up, role-play, seasonal and novelty items, and more.
Directly responsible for oversight of hardline and plush product development including sourcing, negotiations, engineering, quality management, testing, vendor management, and global process controls in a dynamic startup environment.
Product Manager
KidKraft, Inc2010 – 2013
KidKraft is a specialty toy manufacturer specializing in wooden toys, playsets, and outdoor play.
Hired to integrate a new development engineer/project manager role into the existing organization. Oversaw development of company’s largest 2 categories (60% overall revenue): kitchens and dollhouses. Custom product specialist for Costco, Target, and other mass retailers providing unique skus and differentiation between competing retailers.
Senior Project Management Associate
Mattel, Inc.2004 – 2010
Cost/Value engineering, product development, tool planning, cost estimation, project management, milestone planning, stage gate development
Business unit development lead on tween brands including High School Musical, Hannah Montana, and the introduction of Mattel’s first new IP in 30 years, Monster High.
President
South Bay United Water Polo Club2005 – 2010
While fully employed at Mattel, I was the organizational director and a team coach for this 501(c) community youth sports club. Reporting included 7 coaches and 3 parent board members. Reversed negative spending and a 2 quarter runway into self sustainability through renegotiating contract terms with the city, brand image and website updates, hiring players of the US women's Olympic team as coaches, and growing membership by 200%+. So proud to see those I coached at 10 and 12 years old go on to compete in college and US National Team level.
Also served as California Coastal Zone Assistant Coach for the USA Water Polo Olympic Development Program for 3 years.
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