Vice President of Global Sales (Chicago)

Summary of Position:

Thirty-Five Capital’s mission is to help start-up, early stage, and family businesses grow through the strategic infusion of capital and hands-on leadership. The firm’s focus is on sports and technology, with brands such as Paddletek Pickleball, Chicago Slice Pickleball, Homewood Bat, JAW Bats, and ProXR being part of the ever-growing portfolio. 35 Services, LLC provides Sales, Marketing, Product Development, Distribution, and back-office support to Thirty-Five Capital’s operating companies.

This executive will be a highly motivated, global sales leader with a passion for sports and a track record of success responsible for developing and executing the company's global sales strategy across domestic, international, retail, ecommerce. The leader will excel at direct online sales, corporate account management, Amazon/EBAY, and selling through social media platforms, marketplaces, key accounts, distributors, and emerging channels. The ideal candidate is an experienced sales executive with a proven history of scaling consumer brands globally with in-depth knowledge of the sales process, excelling at lead generation, sales strategy, account management, negotiation, independent sales team, ambassador, and influencer management, relationship building, mentorship, and closing deals. The leader shall also be a dedicated and customer-focused service leader with a passion for delivering exceptional experiences and a proven track record in managing customer-facing teams. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in omnichannel communication, excelling in driving customer satisfaction. Travel up to 40%.

The position is located in our headquarters in Chicago, IL and will report to the President.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

As the firm continues to grow quickly, the ideal candidate will possess a tremendous amount of flexibility and resourcefulness regarding traditional duties and responsibilities. The work will continue to change; however, the following functions will form the foundation of the position. 

Sales Leadership & Revenue Growth

• Develop and execute an integrated global sales strategy (B2B, B2C, retail, wholesale, and digital) focused on expanding market share and driving revenue and profit growth.
• Represent the company's brands with a comprehensive understanding of our products, services, and value proposition across all sales channels.
• Achieve and exceed revenue and profit targets through effective planning, execution, and management of all sales channels.
• Develop new global expansion strategies, identify and conduct due diligence on prospective global partners, build and manage distributor, dealer, and wholesale partner relationships, and lead global business reviews and regional planning.
• Identify emerging markets within pickleball and racquet sports, remaining fully aware of industry trends, competitive dynamics, and new product opportunities.
• Build and strengthen long-term customer relationships by understanding needs and aligning the company’s solutions to drive customer success.
• Manage and develop key relationships with major corporate accounts, online wholesale partners, distributors, ecommerce marketplaces, and retail partners by establishing account strategies, growth targets, and joint business plans .
• Foster a high-performance sales culture by directing and motivating independent sales reps, ambassadors, influencers, and inside sales professionals, and establishing incentive programs, sales targets, and performance reporting.
• Participate in the development and execution of customer and influencer loyalty programs.
• Represent the company at trade shows and industry events.

Customer Service Leadership

• Lead customer service to ensure a high-quality, consistent customer experience.
• Oversee development of customer service standards, workflows, KPIs, and policies that elevate service quality, response times, and overall customer satisfaction.
• Utilize service data and customer feedback to identify opportunities for improvement and implement solutions that enhance retention and brand loyalty.
• Continuously refine AI models using customer feedback, ensuring accuracy, brand alignment, and improved self-service success rates.
• Coach and develop the inside sales and customer service team.

Digital Sales, Marketplace, & CRM Oversight

• Create and execute a digital sales strategy focused on increasing awareness, revenue, and profit growth.
• Lead strategy and oversee performance for online platforms including company websites, Amazon/Walmart Marketplace/eBay, Instagram/Meta/TikTok, and other digital channels.
• Collaborate with marketing on integrated campaigns, digital ad strategies, promotions, and customer engagement initiatives.
• Work alongside marketing team to implement and optimize CRM and sales systems.
• Conduct data-driven analysis using website analytics, SEO, keyword insights, and digital performance metrics to drive additional traffic and conversion.
• Oversee marketplace listings, optimization, pricing strategies, and customer feedback management to support sustained growth.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Collaborate with marketing, product development, and operations to ensure alignment across sales, service, and brand initiatives.
• Manage resources, budgets, and operational plans to support growth initiatives and profitability.
• Analyze sales performance, develop forecasts, monitor KPIs, identify trends, and provide actionable recommendations that drive revenue growth and strategic decision-making.
• Recommend and support website enhancements, A/B testing, and digital improvements to maximize revenue.
• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• 12–15+ years of progressive sales leadership experience.
• Strong business sense.
• Solely focused on representing the company’s products and services.
• Experience leading domestic and international sales organizations.
• Strong ecommerce and marketplace experience (Amazon, Walmart, Shopify, etc.).
• Proficiency with CRM systems, sales reporting tools, and customer relationship management best practices
• Proven track record of success in planning and implementing winning sales strategies.
• Strong leadership skills and the proven ability to lead, develop, and coach employees,
• Experience developing global distribution networks.
• Proven success leading high-performing sales teams.
• Excellent negotiation, executive presentation, interpersonal, organizational, and written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong analytical and forecasting abilities.
• Experience within sporting goods, consumer products, or related industries preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to influence credibly and effectively at all levels of the organization and to external stakeholders
• Ability to travel up to 40%

What We’ll Provide:

• Competitive compensation of $200,000 and a target bonus of 25%
• Paid time off
• Retirement plan with company match
• Professional development opportunities