Thomas Waters

Cake Freight | formerly Riolo Transportation, Inc.         Encinitas, CA (Remote) | 2023 – 2024

Strategy & Partner Lead

Drove content strategy and marketing efforts for a fast-growing startup, leading content creation, outreach campaigns, and people development to support early growth efforts and establish a brand presence. Managed cross-functional collaboration with marketing and sales teams to optimize content for new business development, customer engagement, and startup revenue goals.

• Spun out division of Riolo Transportation in partnership with owner and executive leadership team to establish new startup company, Cake Freight, which became fully operational within six months.
• Spearheaded the development of a new outreach and brand growth strategy for Cake Freight, establishing a consistent voice and messaging that supported the company’s year one goals.
• Led the creation of customer-facing B2B SMS policies, collaborating with vendors to resolve service issues and enhance customer communications while ensuring regulatory compliance.
• Designed and implemented content training programs for both new and existing staff, building a robust learning management system that empowered team members with the skills to produce high-quality content.

Riolo Transportation, Inc. | Division spun-out to become Cake Freight              Encinitas, CA (Remote) | 2020 – 2023

Partner Development Lead

Led the development and execution of partner growth strategies for logistics company to create and expand business reach in the US and Canada. Coached a remote team in partner strategies, communication, and brand positioning across multiple channels to achieve company targets and KPIs.

• Supported a $35M revenue increase by expanding partner network for greater service capabilities and uplifting company brand to represent the values of customer service, quality, and commitment.
• Created and optimized sales enablement strategy that engaged new business prospects, increased customer loyalty, and contributed to a 23% increase in profit margins.
• Managed remote team growth and staff development through training on content creation, content marketing best practices, and new platform integrations.

Coyote Logistics                                                                                 Chattanooga, TN | 2016 – 2019

Lead Operations Representative | Partner Communications (2018 – 2019)

Managed partner operations and communications, including email marketing campaigns, to support sales and business development initiatives. Increased service offerings and engagement with major international and domestic clients through tailored content marketing and strategic communication.

• Developed market analysis reports and content for client-facing proposals, improving the quality of communication and contributing to the growth of key accounts.
• Recognized for leadership, analytical expertise, and ability to develop content that resonated with both customers and internal stakeholders.

Customer & Sales Representative (2016 – 2018)

Generated new business and expanded existing accounts through analytics-driven client growth strategies. Grew and maintained pipeline of at 100+ potential clients to drive annual revenue.

• Secured and expanded largest open deck account in Southeast region through proactive business development.
• Accelerated sales and increased company footprint, exceeding company revenue targets by $15K in one month.
• Provided exceptional service to internal/external customers and carriers, meeting all internal KPIs and ensuring competitiveness in evolving market environment.

The Feed Table & Tavern                                                                   Chattanooga, TN | 2015 – 2016

General Manager

Oversaw team of 65 to open of new restaurant, programmed all systems, and implemented operational best practices across business functions. Conducted financial management, accounting, and market analysis to measure profitability against KPIs and promote continued growth. Developed marketing content and communication strategies, establishing brand identity and growing a loyal customer base. Managed social media, internal newsletters, and promotional materials to increase brand awareness and engagement.

• Created P&L document in tandem with owner, enabling company to achieve profitability in first operational month.
• Played a key role in achieving a $4M valuation in the first year through successful guest and team engagement, marketing strategies, and content execution.
• Established, introduced, and directed all HR processes including recruitment, continuous training, team building, scheduling, payroll, and benefits administration.
• Directed development of all marketing assets, including menu design, promotional material, and digital outreach.

Tupelo Honey Café                                                                             Chattanooga, TN | 2013 – 2015

Beverage Manager

Led team of 60 while overseeing all day-to-day operations including scheduling, staff development, operational functions, sourcing and procurement, and service to elevate customer satisfaction. Created and managed marketing campaigns, internal communications, and customer-facing materials. Supported marketing teams in creating promotional content that highlighted the restaurant’s unique value proposition.

• Revitalized corporate bar program for greater profitability across 13 locations by designing and rolling out strategic improvements aligned with customer needs.
• Exceeded all sales, financial, labor, and inventory targets, ranking as the company’s top-performing location.
• Fostered company growth by mentoring high performing staff with retention levels at 80%.
• Increased customer engagement through revamped promotional content, social media, and email marketing.
• Coordinated content creation for company-wide campaigns that raised brand awareness and overall sales growth.

Prior experience as Independent Consultant, Copy/Content Strategist, and General Manager in the Food & Beverage space.

Technical Proficiencies

MS Office Suite | Advanced MS Excel | Tableau | SQL | Google Suite | TMS | CRM (Admin) | Learning Management Systems | HubSpot | SaaS | Statistical Modeling | Content Management Systems (CMS) | SEO Tools | Social Media Platforms

Education

B.S., Business Management | University of Phoenix – Phoenix, AZ