The Requirements
To be a good fit for the Commercial Sales/Business Development opportunity you should be driven not only to win, but also to be the best in all you do. In addition, you should have:- At least five years of experience in sales and/or business development, and a demonstrated ability to develop and close new business
- Experience selling B2B, foodservice or manufacturing is preferred Quick question for you - click here
- Working knowledge of MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel) and Internet Explorer
- Bachelors degree preferred
- Determination, persistence, and a drive to master challenges
- An independent spirit, resourcefulness, and willingness to take calculated risks
- An outgoing and persuasive personality
- A sense of urgency
- An analytical approach
- The ability to manage multiple activities and priorities
Pictured: from drinks to appetizers, sandwiches to desserts. These bamboo knot picks are all-natural and eco-friendly. With multiple sizes available they are the perfect pick to add a touch of elegance to any dish and any event.
The Role
You will report to and work closely with the President, and focus on developing new business, identifying and closing high volume skewer users in the food manufacturing industry. Typically these are large corporate accounts that sell prepared dishes (like skewered hors d'oeuvres to higher end clients in the hospitality industry. We have accounts in this space, including many of our largest customers; your mission will be to build out this book of business. Quick question for you - click hereYou will interact with prospects primarily over the phone and via email, and then travel as necessary to close deals. A typical sales cycle can last 60 to 90 days, so you will want to develop a robust pipeline. While we'll provide some leads (such as pursuing new business within existing accounts), we'll look to you to source your own leads, in part by attending trade shows.
More specifically, you will:
- Identify and qualify new leads
- Develop a sales process flow to take a client from prospect to close
- Document all activities using Salesfore.com
- Work with clients and Purchasing to estimate and forecast demand, including planning for demand spikes
Note: this description is intended to give you a general overview of the position and is not an exhaustive listing of duties and responsibilities.
Why Pick On Us
Own and shape a pioneering role: Because this is a new role, you'll have the chance to help design and grow it. For example, we'll look to you to develop, implement, and continually refine a sales process specifically for targeting customers in the food manufacturing space.Smaller company = bigger impact: As long as you are hitting your goals, we'll allow you a good deal of autonomy in our entrepreneurial culture. But make no mistake: your successes will be visible and rewarded.
Best of both worlds: Though Pick On Us has a history of success spanning more than a quarter century, with its tremendous growth and expanded product line, it has the entrepreneurial feeling of a start-up. You'll also enjoy a best of both worlds environment. Pick On Us operates within the high-energy Dos Gringos facility, allowing you to develop friendships and camaraderie across companies.
Career growth: Although we can't know for sure what the future will hold, history shows that growth equals opportunity. This role can provide challenges and rewards for years, but you might also leverage your success here to pursue other paths in our company.
Work/life balance: There's a lot to do, but we understand that the best employees also need balance in their lives. While many companies tout balance while also expecting you to put in long hours, at Pick On Us the balance is real. Most often, you'll work a Monday through Friday standard day shift.
Nice atmosphere: We are the opposite of your standard corporate setting, and enjoy a casual work environment. For example, we have beanbag chairs (along with desks and desk chairs) in the offices, where you'll often see people working on their laptops. We also have a culture club with representatives from departments across both Dos Gringos and Pick On Us, and even an onsite gym with exercise classes! We take the hiring and training of new teammates very seriously, so that you have the tools to fit in and thrive.
Cool and creative "green" products: We have a variety of creative, eco-friendly products (pictured throughout) that are unique and give chefs the opportunity to present their culinary creations in interesting and beautiful ways. Even our dinner wear is bamboo! Bamboo is an incredible renewable and biodegradable resource.
Benefits and compensation: Along with a base plus commission plan, we offer a comprehensive slate of benefits including health and other insurances, paid time off and more.
Keys to Success
To excel in this role, you will be the type of person who enjoys navigating uncharted territory, whatever the mission, and you are resolute about achieving your goals and arriving at your destination. You'll have strong relationship building skills and a customer service mindset, but you also will need to be assertive when necessary, not shying away from confrontation. In addition, you should be:- Adept at winning and influencing people
- Able to adapt and change
- Most comfortable when you are working toward goals in a competitive environment
- Creative about finding new ways to identify prospects
- A consummate team player, and willing to embrace our company core values: Honesty, Respect, Constant improvement, Accountability, Pride
About Pick On Us
Pick On Us is an industry leader of cuisine décor tools for chefs. For over 25 years we have helped creative chefs wow their guests by presenting their food on unique skewers and picks, made from disposable bamboo. Our eco-friendly products can be found in commercial kitchens all over the country. We service luxury hospitality chefs and caterers at resorts, casinos, restaurants, and country clubs. With over 7,000 clients and year over year annual sales growth, we have remained on the cutting edge of cuisine decor, spotting and setting the trends. Chefs love our products. Creative Chefs can't live without them. Our timeline illustrates or strong growth and development:1987: Pick On Us is founded by Francine Ridgway in her Colorado home. Customized Toothpick Packets are her first product.
1993: "Butch," an automated toothpick packing machine is created to keep up with growing demand.
1995: Pick On Us starts sourcing elegant bamboo toothpicks from Taiwan.
2003: The Pick On Us website is launched; we added top clients including The Hyatt, The Ritz Carlton, The Westin, and The Four Seasons. (Note: clicking the link will navigate you away from this webpage. Please be sure to return to submit your application).
2005: Pick On Us moves from Colorado to California and continues to grow its product line.
2009 - 2010: Pick On Us moves into a 3000 square foot warehouse including a showroom, open to the public. 50 new items are added to the product offerings.
2012: After 25 years, Francine Ridgway retires. Pick On Us is acquired by Gringo Ventures, LLC.
2013: Pick On Us moves into new 6000 square foot warehouse in Vista, CA. The first printed catalog is created; new sales record is hit.
2014: Product Line is expanded to 300 items; sales again reach new record.
2015: You join Pick On Us and the food manufacturing business development initiative creates strong growth and new business.
Gringo Ventures, LLC owns two companies housed in a 60,000 square foot warehouse in Vista, CA. Dos Gringos, a flower company specializing in sunflowers opened for business in 1988. Today Dos Gringos has more than 160 employees a state-of-the-art facility including and an underground green waste removal system, temperature controlled storage and production areas and a wet pack automation line. In 2012, Gringo Ventures acquired Pick On Us when it's founder, Francine Ridgway, retired. With its unique and eco-friendly bamboo products, Pick On Us was a strong fit with Dos Gringos philosophy and culture. Both companies continue to thrive and grow.
Pictured: (top) Pick On Us turns a year older each December. We always celebrate with a cheers to our growing success, and to yours; (bottom) the staff of Dos Gringos in red for Valentine's Day.