My work at GreenLeaf Market and ZOOMSTL
My work-story at Greenleaf Market and ZOOM Convenience Store
This role as marketing director for GreenLeaf Market and ZOOM Convenience Store is, in retrospect, my favorite job ever. I feel like I really came into my own during my time here, and that I was challenged to use the full range of my skills in marketing, team work, leadership, and problem solving. I loved working with different community partners (from Explore St. Louis to grassroots organizations), connecting with our regular customers, being able to make a positive impact on St. Louis’s Northside community while in this position.
After leaving Red Brick because of Pete Rothchild’s impending retirement, “E.T.” had approached me, asking me to take this job at an as yet unbuilt grocery store and a solar powered convenience shop and gas station that had just barely started construction. I thought it was ridiculous, and accepted a job offer with another start up (Radius Realty). When Radius shortly got acquired by another business partner and I found myself out of work again, E.T. asked me again. ZOOM Convenience Store had been built, and the grocery store had walls and a roof.
I asked my closest mentor at the time, the VP of a PR agency, what I should do. It didn’t offer health insurance (for the first year) but was a 15 minute drive from home and my sense of adventure was piqued. In that same week I had received two other marketing job offers, one from a very stable environmental services company a 30 minute drive away and the other from a nearby real estate company. Both offers paid similarly and had standard health insurance and 401k benefits.
My mentor encouraged me to take the position at GreenLeaf/ZOOM, because to get the chance to launch a grocery store without grocery industry experience, would be the experience of a lifetime! I asked my good friend and other mentor, KJ, which job I should take. His rationale was the same, but knowing me for 12+ years, he was even more emphatic that I should say “yes” to this unusual opportunity.
I threw myself into this position and did my best to quickly create efficient processes and structure so that work could be done smarter. One of my biggest highlights was inventing Grocery Market Kits, affordable meal kits for needy families, and working with The St. Louis Science Center and HECTV to execute a video cooking show (this was cut short due to COVID and my subsequent departure). I will probably never get to launch a grocery store again, and true to my mentors’ predictions, taking this opportunity to become the Marketing Director for GreenLeaf Market and ZOOM Convenience Store was the experience of a lifetime.
Unfortunately, I could see factors out of my control and numbers going in the wrong direction despite best efforts. I was fortunate during that uncertain month of the economy and world stopping, I met a recruiter who placed me in my next role at Spirtas Wrecking Company. By the end of 2020 GreenLeaf was under new management.
Accomplishments while marketing director at GreenLeaf Market and ZOOM Convenience Store:
- Managed the launch and continued functioning of the new website which featured ecommerce/online grocery shopping with curbside pickup, digital coupons, and integration with the consumer rewards program.
- Launched and maintained the customer loyalty rewards program at both GreenLeaf and ZOOM.
- Email marketing efforts included integrating with the loyalty program and sending weekly segmented email blasts to different demographics and groups.
- Managed new product and services implementation including catering and invented Grocery Market Kit meal kits.
- Worked with store management to measure the success of marketing, to monitor in-store sales, strategize selling expiring products, analyze the success of coupons, towards improving sales across all departments.
- Strategized, coordinated, and executed profitable partnerships and initiatives including donation of expired food to St. Louis Area Food Bank, educated teenagers in partnership with the St. Louis Science Center, partnered with the St. Louis Public Schools for school presentations and tours, and other community outreach partnerships.
- Created, refined, and executed the marketing strategy as it aligned with the business plan.
- Planned and executed all digital advertising campaigns: Google ads, Facebook ads, Instagram ads, etc.
- Created all social media, blogs, graphics, video, Facebook Live broadcasts and all other forms of digital content for GreenLeaf Market and ZOOM.
- Designed all flyers, coupons, in-store signs, stickers, brochures, sales ads, and all print material including billboards.
- Public Relations point of contact, represented GreenLeaf Market and ZOOM by speaking at events and to news outlets. Created and submitted press releases, fielded press inquiries.
- Discovered a security issue with meat and deli products, which synched with the online grocery shopping and the point of sale system. I implemented a resolution and saved the company from further theft.
- Implemented monthly seasonally themed “Celebration of Local Flavors” tasting and networking events, which invited artists to display their work for customers to vote on. We gave away $3000 to local artists during the 6 months this series ran.
Below is what I consider some of my best work at GreenLeaf Market and ZOOM Convenience Store. There is so much more that I have not organized for this portfolio. However, if you go to the GreenLeaf Market Facebook Page, GreenLeafMarketSTL.com, ZOOMSTL on Facebook and ZOOMSTL.com, you can see my full body of work in everything that was posted between February 2019 and April 2020.
Feast Magazine Quarter Page ad design
I created this quarter page ad using a portrait that I’d taken of Chef Robert Uyemura. It was published in Feast Magazine.
Catering Card Front for GreenLeaf Market
I designed this catering card front as part of the catering service launch.
catering header ad for website
This header for the catering services can be viewed in context: https://www.greenleafmarketstl.com/catering
Catering card advertisement for GreenLeaf Market
I designed this catering card back as part of the catering service launch.
Quarter page ad for GateWay Greening
This was a quarter page advertisement for the 2019 Chefs In The Garden that GreenLeaf Market participated in.
June FaceBook Header Design
FaceBook header for Greenleaf Market in June that incorporated one of the HRD-Pano photos that I’d recently taken
Successful targeted Facebook ad for GreenLeaf Market
This was a successful, targeted, FaceBook ad for GreenLeaf Market advertising Beyond Meat. We sold out!
Chef Matt Galati Headshot
An informal “working chef” photo that I took of executive Chef Matt Galati at GreenLeaf Market
Catering box label design for GreenLeaf Market
This catering label incorporated the refreshed logo for GreenLeaf Market (circular with “yes we’re fresh” under the original logo).
Direct mail design with coupon for GreenLeaf Market
July 2019 Direct mail design with coupon for GreenLeaf Market
Large print poster for catering advertisement for GreenLeaf Market
This was in-store signage for catering, complete with matching trifold menus.
Pictures with Santa sign and event
I organized the Pictures With Santa event, created the signs and advertisements, and ran the photo-experience singlehanded (we were short-staffed so I was without an assistant).
Catering Signage and menus at GreenLeaf Market Grocery Store
This was in-store signage for catering, complete with matching trifold menus.
In store catering signs at GreenLeaf Market
This was in-store signage for catering, complete with matching trifold menus.
Article about GreenLeaf Market on SuperMarketNews
I pitched to the largest grocery store industry publication a few times and finally got an article about GreenLeaf Market in SuperMarketNews Full article (requires subscription) https://www.supermarketnews.com/prepared-foods/greenleaf-market-serves-meals-food-desert
Article about GreenLeaf Market on SuperMarketNews
Page 2- I pitched to the largest grocery store industry publication a few times and finally got an article about GreenLeaf Market in SuperMarketNews Full article (requires subscription) https://www.supermarketnews.com/prepared-foods/greenleaf-market-serves-meals-food-desert
Interview about GreenLeaf Market on MetroSTL
I was interviewed about GreenLeaf Market on MetroSTL.com , and this was published in the print edition of the Northsider neighborhood newspaper.
STLLIVE TV Interview about GreenLeaf Market
I was interviewed on STL Live about GreenLeaf Market around the 6 month anniversary. It was my first time on television. This video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EVSx8yjhuyk
VIDEO STL LIVE – GreenLeaf Market and ZOOM Convenience Store – 2 of 2
I was interviewed on STL Live about GreenLeaf Market around the 6 month anniversary. It was my first time on television. This video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4S-aiN38n0
Branding Kit for introducing GreenLeaf Market
I wrote a letter of introduction to announce our catering business at GreenLeaf Market and another one to announce 10% off for 1st responders and seniors. This “kit” was taken to different businesses and community centers by an assistant.
Valentine’s Day store flyer
In January 2020, GreenLeaf Market started producing store sale flyers in-house. I designed all the flyers on a semi-monthly schedule, organizing in-store sales and making sure that the sale file uploaded price changes on the website.
In house grocery store sale flyer p2
In January 2020, GreenLeaf Market started producing store sale flyers in-house. I designed all the flyers on a semi-monthly schedule, organizing in-store sales and making sure that the sale file uploaded price changes on the website.