Cortlandt Minnich
Product Leader | Business Development | Sales Operations | Innovator | Corporate Lean Startup | Consumer Durables | CPO
Atlanta Metropolitan Area | US
Interests
Running
Cycling
Outdoor
In my own words
— CortlandtProduct innovator. I Identify a spark of an idea, evaluate product/market fit, assess profitability, find appropriate channels, and maneuver around the obstacles to launch.
My personal profile style is "Figure it out- Get it done". I learned from a FOURSIGHT(R) profile exercise that I "enjoy finding problems and opportunities to tackle – quick to think up ideas and possible solutions. has a sixth sense of which problems to focus on and effortlessly comes up with clever ideas and original solutions."
Career Achievements:
» I firmly established Motorola in an adjacent product category after two predecessors had failed. » I used competitive intelligence to build a working economic tool garnering millions in incremental revenue through strategic price setting. » I successfully repositioned a B2B brand, increasing its relevance and standing, leading to an acquisition by a strategic buyer. » I pioneered the innovation practice at a traditional manufacturing company by demonstrating that experimentation could reduce risk. » I developed integrated marketing plans and managed agencies to optimize ROI while driving share growth and consumer engagement in consumer electronics. » I translated the problem space of US consumers to the engineering capabilities of Japanese and Chinese development teams, resulting in numerous successful products. » I rescued a product category through diligent research that resulted in a new business approach.
CUSTOMERS: Wal-Mart, TARGET, Office Depot, Home Depot, Lowes, Grainger, ACE, Small chains, Mom-and-Pop retailers, Radio Dealers, and Automotive franchisees.
INDUSTRIES: Automotive, Consulting, PPE, Medical devices, Garments, Industrial textiles, Tools, Home Goods, Consumer Electronics, Marine, Building Materials, Lawn and Garden, B2B, B2C, and D2C.
CORE COMPETENCIES: Strategy, P&L, Business Modeling, Analysis and Forecasting, Budgeting, Planning, New product launch, NPD, VOC, Product Lifecycle Management, Lean Startup, Team Leadership, Sales Operations, Training, Pricing, Tradeshow, Channel Management.
OUTSIDE OF WORK: I have a voracious curiosity and love solving problems. I am also an avid tinkerer. Bicycles, boats, heirloom tools, and vehicles are all fascinations. There is no DIY project too big for my appetite. I became interested in the challenges of entrepreneurship. Instead of taking a certification course, I developed and launched the go-to pizza oven accessory for the Big Green Egg grills.
Contact Info: Phone: 404-578-5861 Email: Cortlandtm@gmail.com Website: www.cortlandtminnich.com
Trajectory
May 2023 — Now
Product Manager - Marine Engine Group · Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA
Feb 2016 — May 2023
Consulting · CAMANDER inc
Business Strategy/Startup Consultant (2016-Present)
• Led the launch operations of an innovative IOT device within an Atlanta based major automotive supplier of technology and intelligence.
• Restaurant Consortium: Launched Itscooldelivery.com, a software platform solution (RDS) to provide delivery services for a co-op of local independent restaurants on Hilton Head Island. The product went from concept to revenue generation in 4 months.
• Specialty Chemical Leader: Global trade balance evaluation. Pricing modeling identified lost margin opportunities with high spec customers. Identified new product development spaces.
• Invented and patented the go-to pizza baking accessory for the Big Green Egg and other kamado-style backyard grills. Launched this business using Lean Entrepreneurship and Lean Startup principles. MVP to commercial sales in 6 months.
Feb 2016 — Dec 2019
Consultant / Head of Growth · Moves The Needle
This boutique consulting practice based on Brant Cooper's work, intersects Lean Startup, Design Thinking, and Agile principles. Sustainable new value streams are the result of deep customer empathy, live experimentation, and evidence-based decisions.
- Led workshops and provided coaching at clients including SC Johnson, John Deere, Habitat for Humanity, YWCA, CUNA. Cleared the logjam in product development and inspired new, bold product ideas.
- Presented firm capabilities to senior leaders at Fortune 500 prospect accounts
- Supported top of funnel lead generating activity
- Managed Pipedrive and Hubspot CRM systems
- Provided training and resources for the firm's business development activity.
Aug 2012 — Oct 2015
New Business Development / Product Marketing Director · INVISTA
- Conducted extensive due-diligence on the global industrial safety garment business toward the acquisition of a technology startup in the category.
- Created the successful business case as part of the M&A team.
- Established concepts for measuring the economic value proposition in rental and retail go-to-market channels.
- Integrated the sales and marketing teams of this startup garment manufacturer post M&A into the INVISTA Performance and Protection division.
- Directed the product management, marketing, and sales operations teams through this matrix structure. Initiated sales enablement practices for US, EU, and SA sales teams.
- Built the TECGEN® brand industry relevance through technical thought leadership, PR campaigns, industry involvement, and social media campaigns
- Expanded product line with innovative products.
- Worked with engineering, design, 3rd party certification companies to improve the product performance through changes in weave, fiber blend, and coloration.
- Grew top-line revenue and share through Salesforce and Pardot implementation.
- Advanced the digital marketing capability through alignment of CRM, Social marketing, and marketing automation.
Feb 2010 — Aug 2012
Business Development leader- Medical Textile Product · INVISTA
Business venture leader for this medical category experiment: Understand the medical textile opportunity for KOCH industries using a Lean Startup methodology.
- Initiated a large-scale experiment using a new, innovative, class-1, medical device started in the UK.
- Established a series of hurdles and KPI’s to evaluate the progress and success of the venture toward full investment.
- Led all internal business operations, supply-chain, logistics, and recruiting necessary for a market launch.
- Lean startup approach required creative problem-solving to enable minimum viable product (MVP) and minimum viable business capability.
- Category insights gathered from primary research and secondary research and extensive communication with nurses, doctors, administrators, and hospitalists.
- Developed the financial business model and P&L
- Created innovative demonstration of the product MVP.
- Developed numerous experiments for the go-to-market (GTM) strategy
- Reached economic trail phase with two of the largest hospitals in Miami
- The product garnered enough attention for inclusion in a woundcare textbook
Feb 2008 — Feb 2010
Strategy and Innovation - Automotive / Sports and Outdoors · INVISTA
Led the commercial development, BI, and innovation function for the $800M automotive airbag, automotive carpet, Military uniform, and CORDURA division.
- Oversaw economic analysis of the auto industry, industrial textile business, and military uniform categories. Supply chain analysis led to a better understanding of the value proposition for the mill, weaving mills, cut and sew contractors.
- Significantly improved our price setting and negotiation position through an extensive understanding of the relative pricing power of the global competitive supply chain.
- Internal business consultant on qualitative research and quantitative research methodologies
- Led an industry alliance subgroup that piloted carbon footprint analysis in outdoor gear (now the Higg Index) while serving on the Environmental Working Group of the Outdoor Industry Assn. (OIA).
- Investigated new venture opportunities in automotive seating, headliners, backpacks, tactical gear, military uniforms, Jeep accessories, and tactical gear.
- Co-founded the company-wide innovation roundtable. Business leaders presented challenges and employee/inventors presented their innovation concepts. Unlocked substantial value through new partnerships developed during this annual event.
May 2006 — Feb 2008
Licensing Director · INVISTA
Recruited to lead the Stainmaster® licensing initiative in the architectural coatings business. This was a business experiment to understand the potential value of licensing extensions in the home decor and building materials market. Developed distribution plan, branding strategy, training materials, color stories, and retail sales support materials with the paint licensee.
- Directed the creation and roll-out of sales training
- Extensive work with a formulator and licensee to create market-leading product performance
- Go-To-Market included Direct sales approach used to land 100+ retail locations
- Expedited the launch process to increase the learning cycle
- Developed a center of excellence for additional licensing opportunities
- Set up customer service operations
- Established and adjusted the partnership working relationship
- Pricing analysis and rollout to meet profit requirements
Oct 2003 — Apr 2006
Vice President Sales and Marketing · Giant International
Part of the leadership team of a spinoff from Motorola Consumer Products division. Licensed Motorola brand for the FRS/GMRS consumer radios and expanded into other consumer electronics categories.
- Led new product development (NPD) (China and US teams), hardware/software integration, marketing communications, PR, engineering, and new business development.
- Owned P&L, pricing, roadmap, partnerships, market intelligence, marketing budget, new venture development. Delivered on profit and margin requirements.
- Selected vendors for product partners, postponement warehouse services, and call center support.
- Repositioned radio product into two consumer-based segments: Sports and Outdoors, and Family adventure radios. Focused the design team on these critical customer segments.
- Product was the leader in the Sporting Goods channel, Walmart, Amazon, Costco, Office stores, Best Buy, as well as domestic and international distributors.
- Conceived and launched the TAO consumer electronics brand. Established strategic relationships with XM radio, Soniqcast and a South Korean MP3 manufacturer for product partnerships. Launched the XM2Go, TAO Wireless Media player and the TAO mp3 at CES show.
- Developed brand architecture for numerous product offerings under the TAO and Motorola brands
Jan 2002 — Oct 2003
Business Operations Manager - Telephones · Motorola Consumer Products div.
Originated $50M cordless telephone venture. Led cross-functional team including mechanical engineering, R&D, software interface design, industrial design, and marketing from product concept through product sell-in and launch. Convinced Motorola executive team of the value of the venture through numerous business presentations.
- Led exhaustive consumer research on telephone product needs, channel, and brand positioning.
- Pioneered an OEM partnership structure with a Hong Kong-based manufacturer cutting 18 months of development time and significantly improving commodity cost management.
- Secured prelaunch buy-in and unprecedented adoption for the cordless telephone launch. Initial retail partners included: Wal-Mart, Target, Circuit City, Best Buy, and Office Depot
- Extensive one-on-one, consumer shadowing, and focus groups work to determine feature sets, physical characteristics, design, and marketing messages.
- 3d printed models and prototypes used for consumer feedback and sales and sell-in.
- Coordinated brand management activity with cellular division.
- Sales and Marketing representative in the S&OP process
- Managed the cordless telephone P&L
- Defined the product specifications and improved the communication with engineering based on consumer input.
Jan 2000 — Dec 2002
Senior Product Marketing Manager · Motorola Solutions
Conducted strategy, marketing, product launch, PR, and new product development (NPD) in the Sports and Outdoor radio businesses. Radios were very popular for hiking, skiing, fishing, camping, paintball, backpacking, and other adventure sports. Newer models appealed to mass-market consumers who used radios as kid-trackers at amusement and theme parks. Product manager for the stage-gate driven development of new models. Acted as the problem solver for the industrial radio business.
Jan 1999 — Dec 2001
Product Manager · Motorola Solutions
Managed Motorola Spirit industrial radio line. Launched the evolutionary heavy-duty radio product line for the warehouse and light-industrial segment with the XTN product introduction. Guided the development of an entirely new light-weight, retail and office radio adopted by The Limited, Target, Victoria Secret, Office Depot and other retailers. Representative on the extensive Stage-gate new product launch team. The radios were tools of the trade for this consumer.
Jan 1997 — Dec 1999
Marketing Strategy Manager · TOTO USA
Joined the US division of this building materials company in its early stages. Brand strategy role included product development, brand development, new product launch, pricing, strategy, product lifecycle management, import strategy, consumer segmentation, market analysis, and channel development.
- Developed a convincing business model and new product strategy for the washlet. Presented to the board of directors in Japan. This work re-committed the support for marketing the washlet category in the US.
- Engaged with engineering teams in the US and Japan on additional product categories for import and local development for improved product vision.
- Other products that I supported include; Commercial flush valves, hands-free faucets, urinals, toilets, commercial seats, Designer one-piece toilets, sinks, seats, tubs, washlets.
- Investigated the market potential for elderly and ADA product concepts through extensive market testing on sensors and infrared activated accessories. This front-end innovation was instrumental in subsequent product launches.
- Used tradeshow and ethnographic research for innovation around product marketing.
Jan 1993 — Dec 1997
Senior Marketing Research Manager · American Honda Motor Company, Inc.
Conducted marketing research on new products, pricing, consumer behavior, market potential and provided geo-demographic analysis on customer databases. Employed quantitative and qualitative tools focused on Engines, Generators, Outboard marine engines, lawn and garden equipment, as well as conceptual products.
Research team supported the Lawn and Garden, Engine and Honda Marine business segments.
-Developed market views of the small marine engine and 2hp outboard markets.
- Served on the team that analyzed and then implemented the launch of lawn equipment into The Home Depot
- Developed business plan for 4-stroke trimmer product launch.
- Conducted market analysis on commercial lawn and garden industry toward the large scale mower product launch.
Jan 1987 — Dec 1989
District Sales Manager · Hyundai Motor America
Recruited from Emory Business School as part of a pilot university training program. Eight graduates were recruited from across the US to learn overall sales and service automotive operations.
- First trainee to be awarded a sales territory.
- Assigned to TX, AR, MS, LA district
- Promoted to GA, AL district with wholesale activity of $72M.
- Awarded top growth territory for YE 1988 sales
Activity
Education history
Georgia Institute of Technology
MBA
Emory University
Bachelor of Business Administration - BBA
Oxford College of Emory University
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