Hello, my name is

MICHAEL COLLINS.

I am a strategic leader and problem solver looking for new opportunities.

I’m passionate about building great brands and growing businesses. I was employee #21 at ThinkGeek and helped grow the company from $37 million in revenue a year to over $140 million (and an acquisition by GameStop). 

In my work I combine creativity, analytical rigor, and a marketer’s instinct to drive business results.

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PRODUCTS LAUNCHED
$ 0 million
REVENUE GENERATED
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NEW INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS
$ 0 million
RAISED ON KICKSTARTER

Key Attributes

Dependable

I am a hard worker and a quick learner with diverse experience in small and large organizations. I'll make sure the job gets done and done well.

Flexible

I'm wired for a growing, fast-changing environment. I work efficiently, manage details, and anticipate problems. I love solving problems.

Strategic

I am results-oriented, always thinking about the big picture. I look for opportunities, generate ideas, and react to changing circumstances.

Culture-builder

We spend most of our time at work, let’s make it a place where everyone can thrive. Let’s share knowledge, integrate newcomers, celebrate victories, and above all, look out for each other.

Startup Experience

■ Portland Studios (cofounder)
■ ThinkGeek (employee #21)
■ Guerrilla Lights (cofounder)

Skills

■ Written/visual communication
■ Client relations
■ Data analysis
■ Public speaking

Software

Microsoft Office: Excel, Word, PowerPoint
Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere
G-Suite: Google Sheets, Google Docs

Work History

Creative Manager

THINKGEEK

I currently oversee the fast-paced creative studio at ThinkGeek, responsible for launching 1,500+ consumer products a year. I manage a team of six producing copy, video, graphics, and photography.

Senior Photographer

THINKGEEK

I created e-commerce photos that generated buzz and drove sales for ThinkGeek. In total, I photographed over 3,500 products, which produced $326 million in revenue.

Other Experience

■ Multimedia Producer
■ Graphic Design Teacher (high school)
■  Marketing, branding, & web development for non-profits
■ Lived in Africa, Asia, and Europe
■ DC Startup Weekend

Career Interests

Startup Generalist

I’m a veteran of 3 startups with the tactical and strategic skills to drive growth in the short and long term.

Product Manager

I have a decade of experience launching products and projects. I can get engineering, UX, creative, legal, and business leaders all moving in the same direction.

Creative Manager

Track record of building and leading scrappy creative teams. I have experience working with major brands, and a strong background conceptualizing and producing campaigns.

Brand Manager

Passionate brand advocate. If I believe in something, I can convince others to believe in it too. I helped shape and build ThinkGeek into a respected brand.

Projects

Kickstarting a Passion Project

I was a member of the marketing team that helped a friend launch the MiniMuseum Kickstarter project. The project raised $1.2 million (goal: $38k), making it one of the top 50 Kickstarter projects to date. The project attracted press from dozens of news outlets, including the Washington Post, Gizmodo, and Fast Company. With two subsequent releases, we’ve raised a total of $3.6 million on Kickstarter.

Data Analysis & Reporting

While leading the creative team at ThinkGeek, I have built tools to provide real-time insight into my department’s work. Dynamic workload dashboards help us to optimize our workflows and give us an accurate picture of projects currently in the pipeline. During my time on the photo team, I took the initiative to send monthly and annual reports to stakeholders highlighting major projects and quantifying the volume and velocity of my team’s work.

Unifying a Growing Brand

In 2015, ThinkGeek was acquired by GameStop and in a matter of months we began to open physical retail stores. I proposed that we create a brand book to ensure a consistent brand experience online and in stores. We formed a team and created a document that is now used across the organization.

Building a Brand on Instagram

After several years of seeing ThinkGeek’s Instagram account go virtually unused, a coworker and I asked if we could take over the account. In three years we took it from 11,600 followers to 239,000. We increased engagement at an even faster pace, achieving more than 1,000% growth. We were able to take advantage of a fast-growing platform to build community and meaningfully connect with our fans.

I'm ready to relocate for opportunities at great companies.

Currently based in Northern Virginia, outside of Washington, DC.

Icons made by Good Ware & Icograms licensed by CC 3.0 BY.