Dan Mitchell is an experienced import coordinator and product developer with over five years of experience in purchasing, product development, and brand building. He has expertise sourcing products from Asia for the Canadian retail market, including patio furniture, decor, interior furniture, bathroom products, flooring, and various home improvement items. He is passionate about finding high quality products and developing private label brands that sell successfully for retailers.

1. THE
PORTFOLIODAN MITCHELL

2.  An experienced import coordinator, product developer & marketing
professional, Dan Mitchell is passionate about he products that he has
introduced to the marketplace
 Over five years experience in purchasing, product development and
brand building
 A love for good design, a drive to succeed and a passion for finding
and sourcing the best that the world has to offer
 Attention to detail, a keen eye for style, motivation & hard work have
guided Dan as he’s worked to develop his portfolio
 As import coordinator for one of Manitoba’s premier home
improvement retailers, responsible for retail sales in excess of $3.5 million
annually & the creation of an array of private label brands and their
presentation
OVERVIEW

3.  Researching and sourcing of top factories capable of producing and
developing product suitable for Canadian retail market
 Working closely with off-shore vendors to establish terms, quantities,
expectations of orders
 Private label development (in-store branding); working with purchasing
team, senior management, graphic designers to create brand
identities that tie together product and tell a story; taking a product
from concept to reality
 Out of the box approach to design, product assortments and
advertising
 Strong market trend understanding
SKILLS & SPECIALTIES

4.  Working with retailer’s in-store
merchandising teams to ensure
that products are properly
presented and displayed
 Execution & planning of
advertising & promotion of
import products by means of
retailer’s flyers, websites, social
media
 Creation of seasonal
assortments of merchandise
(including holiday merchandise,
patio furniture, seasonal décor),
selecting pieces that tie in to
each other to tell product story
and create rounded assortment
SKILLS & SPECIALTIES

5.  Quotation & supplier
collaboration
 Project management
 Product & packaging
development
 Reviewing options for cost
savings
 Working with vendor and third-
party inspectors to ensure that
products meet / exceed quality
control
 Work with freight forwarders,
ensuring that vendors have
booking information as
required, that containers leave
as scheduled; handling and
processing of paperwork and
documentation pre & post
container arrival
 Advertising, promotional
material
 After sales support and care of
customers
SKILLS & SPECIALTIES

6. EXPERTISE – PATIO & DECOR

7.  Patio furniture with special interest
in Vietnamese & Chinese mid /
upper-end aluminum framed
wicker pieces
 Knowledge of differences in
wicker weaves – comparison of
European vs. Asian faux wicker /
rattan
 Experience working with top
factories that also produce
product for companies including
Ethan Allan, Dedon, Agio,
Andrew Richard Designs,
Gluckstein Home (HBC)
 Teak & Burmese Shorea
hardwood furniture
EXPERTISE – PATIO & DECOR

8.  Sourcing of Vietnamese and
Chinese garden planters & yard
décor including ceramic, fiber
resin, tin planters along with
Shepard hooks, hanging &
window baskets, garden arbors,
etc.
 Gazebos, pergolas
 Fire pits, patio heaters, outdoor
fireplaces
 Pillows, greenery, décor (import
and domestic)
 Barbeques, grills, BBQ tools
(import and domestic)
EXPERTISE – PATIO & DECOR

9. EXPERTISE – INTERIOR FURNITURE

10.  Development of private label
furniture assortments for mass-
merchant retail consumption
 Selection of upholstery, finishes;
analyzing market conditions to
ensure products were on-trend
with other retailers
 Negotiation of terms,
conditions, minimal order
quantities
 Have worked with
manufacturers that produce
product for Loblaws, Target,
Kohl’s, Home Outfitters
EXPERTISE – INTERIOR FURNITURE

11.  Creation of advertising and
promotional campaigns to
create buzz and draw attention
to retailer
 Working closely with retailer’s
advertising department
created brand specific
advertising format for retail
flyers, web content
 Increased attention to category
has created new stream of
revenue for retailer with margins
in excess of 15% higher than
originally expected
EXPERTISE – INTERIOR FURNITURE

12. EXPERTISE – BATHROOM PRODUCTS

13.  Strong relationship with a
number of top Asian vanity
producers.
 Experience custom developing
piece for retailer as well as
sourcing pieces from
manufacturer’s existing designs
– tailoring all to Canadian
marketplace
 Developing private label
packaging, hang-tags, promo
information
 Ensuring that all pieces meet
Canadian certifications
EXPERTISE – BATHROOM PRODUCTS

14.  Revitalized retailer’s mix of
import vanities, introducing an
up to date and fashion forward
assortment of both
contemporary and classic styles
 Experience negotiating
quantities – working with
factories to build mixed
container assortments vs. full
containers for each style
 Have sourced and imported
multiple containers of free-
standing bathtubs, both
modern & classic in design
EXPERTISE – BATHROOM PRODUCTS

15.  Working with top Asian sourcing
specialists & leading factories,
developed family of cultured
marble vanity tops in four colors
and multiple sizes for retailer
 Developed an assortment of
CUPC approved granite vanity
tops under retailer’s private
label brand
 Assortment saw retailer grow their
granite business by 84% in less than a
year
 Put retailer on the map for being able
to offer top quality granite at unheard
of retails whilst achieving high margins
EXPERTISE – BATHROOM PRODUCTS

16. EXPERTISE – FLOORING

17.  Over the course of one year,
worked with leading Asian
sourcing specialists to develop
private label assortment of
laminate flooring for retailer
 Reviewing market conditions,
trends developed 14 SKU
assortment of colors in a variety
of thicknesses & widths
 Creation of retailer’s brand –
working with graphic designer
to come up with image for
program
EXPERTISE - FLOORING

18.  Reviewed market pricing to
determine where retails should
be set and to see where there
was potential for greater margin
that typically taken by retailer
 Expanded private label brand
to include engineered
hardwood flooring, EPE / EVA
foam underlayment, birch-ply
underlayment, cork, granite tile
EXPERTISE - FLOORING

19. EXPERTISE – HOME IMPROVEMENT

20.  Over the course of the past five
years have developed
assortments and worked with
factories to source many items
& categories for home
improvement retailers including
–
 Stair stringers
 Hand trucks / trolleys
 PE tarpaulins
 Electric fireplaces
 Rubber pavers
 Hand tools
 Work benches & garage storage
 Car shelters
 Builder’s hardware
 Roofing felt
EXPERTISE – HOME IMPROVEMENT

21.  Experienced import coordinator and product developer
 Outstanding depth of knowledge and understanding of import from
Asian markets to Canada
 Fresh perspective on product assortments, packaging, promotion
 Proven results
 Established contacts throughout Asia and North America
 Driven to succeed
 Organized & professional
SUMMARY

22. Dan Mitchell
6-390 River Avenue
Winnipeg, MB R3L 0C5
Canada
(204) 250-7656
danmitchell@live.ca
CONTACT