Cartograph offers total, white-glove Amazon channel management for their clients - including strategy, product design and development, operational logistics, pricing and margin management, content design, SEO and advertising.
Because the strategy at Cartograph is to fully empower the Brand Manager to lead their accounts instead of creating specialized teams for each aspect of the account, my job was to manage and co-manage my accounts on Amazon– soup to nuts. I accomplished this by tending to the pillars of Amazon account management:
After dedicating over 3 years to Skarberg Sales &Marketing (SS&M), where I specialized in data analysis, reporting, and content management on Amazon, transitioning to a Brand Manager role at Amazon felt like a natural progression. Previously, a colleague had approached me about joining their new full-service eCommerce agency, Cartograph, which focused on managing better-for-you CPG brands on Amazon. At the time, the timing wasn't optimal as I was still refining my skills and fulfilling my obligations at SS&M. However, once I felt confident in my abilities and fulfilled my commitments, I enthusiastically embraced the opportunity.
Stepping into the realm of brand management initially seemed daunting, but I quickly realized that I possessed the necessary skills to excel in this role. I was adept at analyzing Amazon's reporting data to identify inefficiencies and opportunities, as well as proficient in creating and testing brand-managed content on the platform. The real growth opportunities for me lay in understanding the operations, pricing, and advertising aspects of the business, which had been somewhat opaque to me in my previous position.
The learning curve was steep, but I was fortunate to have exceptional mentors who guided me through the process. To streamline my learning and organization of information, I created a personal website, which unknowingly laid the groundwork for future projects at Cartograph and served as a prototype for my current endeavors.
My portfolio of accounts ranged from small, independent startups to major brands like Justin's Nut Butter, owned and operated by Hormel. I can't overstate the value of the mentorship I received at Cartograph and the invaluable lessons I learned about confidence and communication - particularly the importance of concise communication.
In February 2020, as our company prepared for the Expo West natural products exposition in California, the COVID-19 pandemic reached its peak. Less than 24 hours before the event, Expo West was canceled. Shortly thereafter, my children's schools closed, transitioning to remote learning. Witnessing the challenges my children faced, along with the broader impacts of ear and isolation, my wife and I made the decision for me to pause my career and focus on caring for our children until a semblance of normalcy returned to the world.
