Jules Pieri

Current

Founder and CEO at Daily Grommet

Past

President and COO at Ziggs, Inc.
Consultant (Self-employed)
President at Lexington Education Foundation

Vice President of Strategic Planning at Stride Rite/Keds
Vice President at Design Continuum (now called Continuum)

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Education

Harvard Business School
University of Michigan

Connections

500+ connections

Industry

Internet

Websites

Jules Pieri’s Summary

Social media entrepreneur with Product Development, Business Development, and Marketing experience, Web 2.0 fluency, and a strong background in Design. Valued as a “rainmaker” for connecting people and partnerships. Industry experience includes numerous consumer sectors (Internet, social networking, apparel retail / manufacture, toys, telecommunications, banking, and beverage industries) and non-profit management (education). Key strengths include breakthrough strategic thinking, business development expertise, international experience (worked in Ireland and France), and extensive background in managing product development resources. Skilled at leading cross-functional teams. A hands-on, dynamic, thorough, collaborative, natural lateral thinker and networker. Harvard MBA.

Jules Pieri’s Specialties:

Social media, branding and identity, product strategy and development, business development, Web 2.0, social networking, design, natural people connector

Jules Pieri’s Experience

Founder and CEO

Daily Grommet

(Internet industry)

April 2008 — Present (1 year 8 months)

Daily Grommet is a product discovery channel for social media.
President and COO

Ziggs, Inc.

(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Internet industry)

January 2006 — September 2007 (1 year 9 months)

Ziggs.com is a social networking platform for professional people--a competitor to LinkedIn, actually. Joined the start-up company at a time when the business model needed revamping and expansion. Worked closely with the founder to reinvent the business model and led the team through the development and launch of an entirely new product. Through my network, secured key partnerships with Starbucks, Amazon.com, and PayPal. Launched new site in January of 2007 and saw the company through major June 2007 software release. New site dramatically increased user stickiness (page views and average time on site) and revenue generation. Freed up founder to complete $8M fundraising round and to focus on high level vision setting and two other ventures. Managed all day-to-day activities including product development, IT, marketing, customer service, finance, and operations.
Consultant

Self-employed

(Self-Employed; 1-10 employees; Consumer Goods industry)

January 1997 — July 2005 (8 years 7 months)

Medium to long-term assignments in marketing and product/brand strategy. At Hasbro, the second largest toy manufacturer in the world, directed the overhaul of the brand identity and product visual strategy at the Playskool division. Managed a large team of internal and external designers, marketing, and product development personnel to create new packaging, consumer communications, and product line. Resulted in a total revamp of the consumer experience of the brand and its products. At DesignerShoes.com, a Web-based retailer, as a member of the advisory board, provided marketing guidance to increase customer purchase rate, resulting in attaining profitability. At Ulster Bank and Eircom, led cross-functional internal teams to identify opportunities and prepare new strategies for consumer businesses. At Smirnoff, and Irish International BBDO(ad agency) , work as advisor to brand strategy teams.
President

Lexington Education Foundation

(Internet industry)

1998 — 2001 (3 years )
Vice President of Strategic Planning

Stride Rite/Keds

(Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; Apparel & Fashion industry)

January 1992 — August 1995 (3 years 8 months)

Strategic Planning: Conceived and directed overhaul of Stride Rite division’s brand strategy, retail store design, and visual identity. Directed market research, financial analysis, architectural consultants, and graphic designers to execute brand-re-launch. New store designs contributed to an up to 71% sales increase in renovated locations.

Strategic Marketing/Special Projects: Conceived and directed extensive brand strategy research for the Keds division, resulting in a brand re-positioning to respond to changing customer demographics. Managed relationship with largest retail account during troubled implementation of new distribution center. Resulted in retention of sales of $35MM.

Licensing: Opened a market segment previously not addressed and directed licensee and licensor activities of the Keds division. Created licensed footwear revenue stream of $45MM through proposing, selling, and negotiating of licensee contract with Warner Brothers.
Vice President

Design Continuum (now called Continuum)

(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Mechanical or Industrial Engineering industry)

September 1986 — January 1992 (5 years 5 months)

Joined when Design Continuum was a startup and increased sales over 225% to make Design Continuum one of the ten largest product design and engineering consulting firms in the USA. (which it still is) Sold development projects of up to $500K each to clients such as Reebok (Pump shoe), Hewlett Packard (ultrasound equipment), and Samsung (televisions, microwave ovens, computer monitors). Increased average project size over 150%, enabling company to grow from 20 to 50 people.

Jules Pieri’s Education

Harvard Business School

MBA , 1984 — 1986

Activities and Societies:

Ellis/LeBaron Fellowship recipient. Selected by faculty to tutor Marketing and Business Policy. Women's Soccer Team.
University of Michigan

BFA , Industrial Design, Graphic Design, French , September 1977 — May 1982

Activities and Societies:

Awarded Industrial Designer’s Society of America Student Merit Prize, given to top graduating senior. Also selected by faculty to receive a travel/study fellowship from Milton Glaser and represent the University at 1981 International Design Conference. Fritz Heutwell Merit Award (Full Scholarship). Intramural football referee and softball umpire.

Additional Information

Jules Pieri’s Websites:

Jules Pieri’s Interests:

Free-lance feature writer for The Irish Independent and The Dubliner, columnist for the Harvard Business School Bulletin since 1986, avid hiker and theatre enthusiast. Newbie runner trying to get faster.

Jules Pieri’s Groups:

Serve on Advisory Board of Continuum (former employer listed above). Lexington Education Foundation, President from 1998-2001, Board member since 1995, Advisory board member since 2001,