Will Sears

• Oversee all operational aspects of company I founded at age 31, which earned revenues in excess of $1 million during first year of business and profitability month-over-month to date
• Attract and retain robust roster of national and international clients — totaling 50+ in less than three years — for retainer and project initiatives
• Develop and optimize sophisticated operational processes and strategies to maximize quality, efficiency and profitability
• Manage team of remote and in-person marketing professionals to execute cross-functional marketing deliverables
• Serve as lead client strategist, business development director and creative director
• Partner with external marketing and operations-focused vendors to ensure adherence to best practices, attract top talent, remain profitable and scale the business based on short- and long-term business objectives

• Served as Brand Experience practice lead to develop brand and product stories, messaging and larger marketing campaign concepts
• Worked across all practices to develop sophisticated marketing strategies and plans for U.S. and international consumer brands/products
• Served on leadership team to help guide agency business, expand service capabilities and optimize business structure and processes for the agency
• Led initiatives within Brand Experience practice to grow production capabilities and team skill sets, particularly within video production, website design and development and influencer engagement
• Partnered closely with Business Development to develop and present strategies, campaigns and marketing programs for national and international prospects

Max Borges Agency Clients Served: Big Ass Fans, BEEM UNITED, V-MODA, SteelSeries, CommandScape, Novaerus, Raumfeld, A Complete, Turcom, MO Tech, Haiku Home, RocketHealth, Awair, Phiaton, Beycome, Lifeprint, Zylux Acoustic Corporation and SORAA

• Developed sophisticated marketing strategies and plans for U.S. and international consumer brands/products
• Served as lead strategist on all assigned accounts, overseeing respective account service team performance per account
• Consulted with executive team to expand service capabilities, business development strategies and overall business structure and positioning for the agency
• Assessed services to increase efficiency, quality and profitability

Max Borges Agency Clients Served: BEEM UNITED, V-MODA, Phiaton, Elgato, Neonode, Savant, SteelSeries, Turcom, Zylux Acoustic Corporation

• Led the company’s account team dedicated to Harrison College, for which TrendyMinds is the agency of record. Activities overseen included overarching account strategy, brand strategy and the 2015 website redesigns for both Harrison College and The Chef's Academy, Harrison's culinary division.
• Led strategy, account service and the overall project team for website redesign for D.L. Couch.
• Consulted and advised on all agency projects that required PR services.
• Served as frontline new business development representative for the company. Responsibilities included assessing prospect needs and developing appropriate strategy and deliverables, as well as pitch development and delivery.
• Led the evolution and growth of the agency's PR service line, including a service line productization model and team training initiatives.
• Managed account team members, including goal-setting and monthly evaluation meetings.
• Led the company's account team dedicated to Horizon Hobby, a company specializing in radio-control vehicle and drone products for consumers. Architected campaign strategy for consumer drone product launch within newly defined market segments. Additional projects overseen included market research, a PR campaign to bring new products to market and various other integrated tactics to raise the visibility of the brand within the mainstream consumer drone space. PR placements included two live segments on NBC's TODAY Show and a feature article in WIRED.

TrendyMinds Clients Served: Harrison College, Horizon Hobby, D.L. Couch, Vegas.com, City of Indianapolis Air Quality Initiative, Indiana University Health, International Medical Group

Tactic, which merged with TrendyMinds in 2018, provided clients with business-focused, results-driven branding and marketing solutions through a variety of award-winning in-house services including brand development, marketing, PR/social, video and web. As an account executive, I helped drive Tactic's business-first approach to branding and marketing through close partnerships with our clients. Beyond investing in our client relationships, I worked closely with the talented Tactic team to ensure clients' business goals and marketing strategies were represented throughout every project, with the following highlights:

• Assumed sole responsibility for account management upon the company's acquisition. Projects overseen included evolving all brand messaging and positioning, developing new processes and championing client retention
• Led the company’s key accounts including CloudOne, Gilchrist & Soames and Indiana Hospital Association
• Led new business initiatives and team pitches

Tactic Clients Served: Gilchrist & Soames, Connor Insurance, Indianapolis Cognitive Institute, Ruben-Levin Attorneys at Law (Bankruptcy & Finance), George & Farinas Attorneys at Law (Mesothelioma & Wrongful Death), Pizza King, Bluebridge Apps, Morales Group, CloudOne, USIC (United States Infrastructure Corporation), Indiana Hospital Association, Hays + Sons, Shiel Sexton, Christ Church Cathedral Indianapolis, Healthiest Employers and Ally Accounting, Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority

• Led the company’s account team dedicated to Harrison College, for which TrendyMinds is the agency of record. Projects overseen included brand strategy, website redesigns, social media strategy and overall team leadership and account strategy.
• Led all aspects of the Indianapolis Housing Agency account to include oversight of the organization's 2014 Section 8 Waiting List public education and online sign-up process.

TrendyMinds Client Served: Harrison College, Indianapolis Housing Agency, Eli Lilly & Co.

• Led the company’s Harrison College account, for which TrendyMinds is the agency of record. Projects overseen included comprehensive on-boarding, strategy, internal communications campaign, brand evolution and print/web stakeholders report
• Led all aspects of the Indianapolis Housing Agency account to include oversight of rebranding, website redesign and development and public relations projects
• Oversaw cross-functional teams to deliver A-level print, video and web projects for the Indiana University Health account
• Led development and implementation of tactical strategy for promoting TrendyMinds externally within the Indianapolis market, through public relations, video, social media, client on-boarding materials and new team member experience

TrendyMinds Clients Served: Indiana University Health, Indianapolis Housing Agency, Harrison College, Century 21

• Served as project manager, content developer and creative director for development of a new $90,000 website for the organization
• Acted as managing editor and copywriter for quarterly scientific journal and bimonthly newsletter
• Rebranded and redesigned the IDA business system and all internal/external collateral to reflect a consistent identity
• Developed and implemented new print and online advertising plan to garner a 25% increase in annual advertising revenues
• Led 15-dentist Council on Communications by setting market-driven strategies for the reinvention and overall management of the organization's communications activities
• Developed and implemented the organization's first strategic social media plan
• Created and implemented promotional plans for all association events
• Developed content all publications and collateral
• Coordinated media relations for public education and member programs
• Created new for-profit print and online continuing education programs, generating $30,000 in the first three months of distribution

• Coordinated Blessed Earth film series launch and international simulcast. The event drew 70,000 participants in 48 countries and all 50 U.S. states. The marketing teams I coordinated included HarperCollins, Dot&Cross, Different Drummer, Northland: A Church Distributed, Tyndale Publishing and Zondervan.
• Served as ghostwriter for multiple film scripts and book chapters
• Led coordination of the publicity of two nationally published books (Go Green, Save Green by Nancy Sleeth, and Serve God, Save the Planet by Matthew Sleeth, MD)
• Developed all website content, increasing search-engine referral traffic 100%
• Pitched and coordinated nationwide, regional and local media coverage for book and film launches; coverage included placement in USA Today, The Alan Colmes Radio Show, The Atlantic, The Lexington Herald-Leader, Christian Broadcasting Network, Christianity Today, Relevant Magazine and BreakPoint
• Developed internal/external identity pieces and brand strategies
• Oversaw development of two large-scale websites for the quickly growing organization
• Led efforts to develop internal communications infrastructure and protocols
• Developed strategy, content and design for e-blast newsletter, online and print collateral and promotional posters still in use by the organization

Summa Cum Laude