ADDRESS: 1720 North Halsted Street, Chicago, IL 60614 PHONE NUMBER: (804) 300-‐6057 EMAIL: ashima.chauhan@loop.colum.edu WEBSITE: www.ashimachauhan.virb.com
SUMMARY Organized and efficient professional with experience in fashion retail sales, corporate sales, event planning and marketing. Has worked in a fast-paced retail environment, as well as corporate and nonprofit organizations. Utilized excellent interpersonal and written communication skills, creating customer value and strong relationships. Advanced skills in Microsoft Suite and Apple applications, providing strategic data analysis reports. Career goals include, but are not limited to these business divisons – purchasing (buying), merchandising, sales and marketing.
WORK EXPERIENCE Zara, Chicago, IL
(March 2014 – present)
Sales Associate • Demonstrate knowledge of store products and services, and use it to build sales. • Provide outstanding customer service and assist with product selection and queries, with sharp awareness of current fashion trends. • Voted best sales associate by “mystery shopper” commissioned by corporate headquarters. • Successfully trained two (2) new hires. • Assist coordinators with merchandising solutions and set up store displays. • Review merchandise movement and inspect quality and quantity according to the standards.
Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation, Chicago, IL
(January 2014 – present)
Event Planning Volunteer • Planned and promoted 2 annual fundraisers, including a golf outing and ball gala, each generating over $80,000 in pledges with over 100 attendees. • Assist senior staff with development of effective presentations at events, helping raise awareness about pediatric cancer and research options available. • Communicate with different organizations in and around Chicago to help sponsor and promote our events.
Fidelity National Title, Chicago, IL
(December 2013 – February 2014)
Administrative Assistant • Scheduled closings, coordinated meetings and sent out confirmations to appropriate parties. • Maintained regular contact with attorneys to manage escrow accounts for clients, and make necessary changes. • Fielded telephone calls, while receiving and directing clients and visitors. • Performed multifaceted office duties and supported staff.
First Delta Group, Buffalo Grove, IL
(September 2013 – October 2013)
Assistant Account Executive • Built relationships with Account Managers, Sales Managers, and executive level contacts across all CDW verticals. • Managed internal promotional calendar and logs. • Assisted in vendor compliance management. • Coordinated vendor meetings to establish networks of constant supply of products. • Ran monthly reports, monitoring inventory supply needs.
ADDRESS: 1720 North Halsted Street, Chicago, IL 60614 PHONE NUMBER: (804) 300-‐6057 EMAIL: ashima.chauhan@loop.colum.edu WEBSITE: www.ashimachauhan.virb.com
INTERNSHIPS Bottega Veneta, New Delhi, India
(July 2011 – August 2011)
Sales Intern • Organized daily sales goals, utilizing excel spreadsheets. • Developed time management and organization skills through aiding in-store promotional events. • Influenced customer buying decisions, while effectively listening to their needs. • Merchandised items for in-store presentation. • Monitored stock levels, providing strategic opportunities based on interpreting financial data.
Zodiac Clothing Company, Chicago, IL
(May 2010 – August 2010)
Marketing Intern • Utilized Photoshop skills to develop creative marketing solutions. • Developed interactive advertising skills by utilizing social media. • Worked accordingly in a team to complete daily assigned tasks.
EDUCATION Columbia College Chicago, Chicago IL Bachelor of Arts Concentration: Fashion Business/ Merchandising Relevant courses: • Retail Buying • • Retail Store Practicum • • Selling with your Ears •
(Graduated July 2013)
Finance Accounting Merchandise Management
PRACTICUMS Barneys New York – Buying Plan As the acting Buyer for Barneys New York, I created a buying plan for the Women's Outerwear garments division for the season of Fall/Winter 2013. I selected three locations to buy for - Chicago, New York, and Boston. This project enabled me to gain knowledge in navigating Excel Spreadsheets and analyzing key concepts (Turnover rate, Sales% change, etc.) in a business that help project future buying decisions. I created a Six-month Business Plan, Stock Assortment Plan, Classification Plan, Purchase Orders, and Marketing Calendar that would enable successful inventory consumption for the season.
ADDRESS: 1720 North Halsted Street, Chicago, IL 60614 PHONE NUMBER: (804) 300-‐6057 EMAIL: ashima.chauhan@loop.colum.edu WEBSITE: www.ashimachauhan.virb.com
Zegna – Merchandising Plan As the acting Brand Manager of Ermenegildo Zegna, I developed a new brand extension of the company for the season of Fall 2013. I came up with a new product category, by the name of 'Zegna Cuoio', consisting exclusively of Men's leather Outerwear garments. It was created with the intention of reaching an untapped customer. "Cuoio" in Italian translates to leather. Leather is a very generational fabric, and while it appeals to younger customers more, the design and silhouette of each piece in this collection incorporates a classic look. Not many designer labels come out with an exclusive leather-oriented collection as extensively, so with this new line of garments, we hope to attract men of all ages to adopt this style. The Merchandising plan helped me develop a customer profile, and use it along with mood boards and trend reports, using thorough research tools. Using the initial research data, I was able to develop assortment plans, cost sheets and a whole purchase order for the entire collection, so that it could be marketed and promoted in big department stores. This project also entailed a specific timeline for the launch of this new product category, along with sales and marketing strategies, floor plans and sales projections that would facilitate the success of the plan. Crepe Bar – Business Plan This project helped me develop a business plan as an entrepreneur, forcing me to creatively, yet economically, influence a niche market. I came up with the idea of having a creperie (mobile crepe station), as they aren’t as common in the Midwest, but have the potential of being very successful due to reasons such as, flexibility, innovation, and general appeal of the food kind. Considering financials, restrictions, and market research were the pivotal concepts that went into developing this project. Sephora – Marketing Plan For this project I had to choose a certain company in our industry and determine how to position it in the marketplace. Through this project, I learned the key concepts in developing a Marketing Plan and gained further understanding of the consumer needs and market. We were given instruction on how to choose proper research techniques to solve problems, determine appropriate promotional techniques to develop relationships with customers, and develop a complete and integrated marketing plan for an organization.
ADDRESS: 1720 North Halsted Street, Chicago, IL 60614 PHONE NUMBER: (804) 300-‐6057 EMAIL: ashima.chauhan@loop.colum.edu WEBSITE: www.ashimachauhan.virb.com
Shop Columbia – Retail Store Practicum This practicum allowed us as a group to be submerged into a retail environment through our university’s store, dedicated to artwork created by students. We learned about product pricing strateies, product displays and strategies on latest designs to push sales, analysis of location of shop, study of foot traffic, importance of cash wrap design, and marketing on social media, among many other important aspects of retail sales. We concluded this practicum after four months of retail study by proposing certain potential changes that could be made to the store to enhance its appeal and be more successful in the future, and also give back as much as they can to our students. Sears Holdings Corporation – Mentorship For this practicum we were required to reach out to an industry professional that we considered to be a role model or mentor. We were required to shadow this particular individual for a total of a hundred (100) hours and learn the industry and job position through first-hand experience. Through this, I was able to learn leadership skills, as a result of shadowing the Buyer for Consumer Electronics at Sears Holdings Corporation. I was able to understand the basics and importance of negotiating through attending several buyer-vendor meetings. I also had the opportunity to observe the circular advertising process and necessary decision-making steps taken by the buyer, along with many other responsibilites carried out by the buying team, as a whole.
OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES • Thorough knowledge of information systems, including both Windows and Apple applications. • Proficient in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word; Adobe Photoshop and Illustration. • Multicultural skills: Fluent in English and Hindi.