Kyle McNicholas

Impact through Clean, Natural, Traceable, Responsible Ingredients.
Los Angeles, US.

About

MBA candidate and seasoned business leader with over a decade of experience driving growth, market expansion, and strategic partnerships across diverse industries, including specialty materials, luxury goods, and sustainable food. Proven ability to identify investment opportunities, manage global operations, and launch new products, consistently exceeding revenue targets and optimizing efficiency. Leverages entrepreneurial success in sustainable food ventures to bring a unique blend of innovation, strategic vision, and bottom-line focus to complex corporate challenges.

Work

Red Shell Sushi LLC
|

President

Los Angeles, CA, US

Summary

Currently leading a sustainable sushi venture, overseeing strategic direction, product development, and market entry to establish a brand focused on clean, traceable ingredients.

Highlights

Spearheading the launch and growth strategy for a new sustainable sushi brand, emphasizing traceability and clean ingredients to disrupt the market.

Directing all aspects of business operations, including supply chain development, brand positioning, and financial planning.

Cultivating partnerships with suppliers to ensure a transparent and responsible ingredient sourcing process.

Culinary Collaborations LLC
|

Vice President

New York, NY, US

Summary

As Vice President, led strategic initiatives for an innovative food company, driving positive change through sustainable, natural, and traceable ingredients while pursuing B-Corp certification.

Highlights

Championed the company's triple bottom line philosophy, integrating sustainability and ethical sourcing into core business operations and product development.

Directed cross-functional teams to advance the company towards B-Corp certification, enhancing brand reputation and market differentiation.

Oversaw the development and sourcing of a product portfolio focused on clean, traceable ingredients, aligning with consumer demand for sustainable food.

Culinary Collaborations LLC
|

Director of Business Development

Rochester, NY, US

Summary

Drove strategic growth initiatives and partnership development for a conscious food company focused on sustainable and traceable ingredients.

Highlights

Cultivated key strategic partnerships and identified new market opportunities to expand the company's reach in the sustainable food sector.

Developed and executed business development strategies that aligned with the company's mission of positive change through responsible sourcing.

Analyzed market trends and competitive landscapes to identify growth avenues and secure collaborations for product expansion.

Mitsui Plastics, Inc.
|

Manager, New Business Development and Investment

New York, NY, US

Summary

Led strategic investment and collaboration opportunity identification for Mitsui Plastics, Inc., a global supplier of specialty polymer materials.

Highlights

Identified and evaluated sustainable/bio-based additives and polymers for investment, supporting new technology commercialization.

Created multiple investment opportunity projects across diverse industries, ensuring sustainable growth and expanded capabilities.

Analyzed market needs, emerging technologies, and competitive landscapes to guide corporate strategy and decision-making.

Collaborated with C-Level and Upper Management to identify and secure strategic investment and collaboration opportunities.

Negotiated and reviewed contracts, NDAs, and JDAs with legal teams, ensuring favorable terms for partnerships.

Mitsui Plastics, Inc.
|

Manager, Sales & Marketing

New York, NY, US

Summary

Managed Americas region sales and global product strategy for Functional Materials, driving market expansion and achieving budget targets.

Highlights

Managed Americas region for Functional Materials, achieving overall budget targets within 5% for product lines generating tens of millions in sales.

Launched a new export product as Global Product Manager, implementing worldwide sales plans and strategy.

Converted a product from concept to commercial within 1 year, creating a new product line and customer base for the Functional Materials Group.

Spearheaded the onboarding and sales of bio-based additives and sustainable polymers, aligning with market demand for eco-friendly solutions.

Led a team of Associates, optimizing resource allocation and identifying opportunities to maximize ROI across various product lines.

Mitsui Plastics, Inc.
|

Sales and Marketing Assistant Manager

New York, NY, US

Summary

Oversaw multi-million dollar warehouse operations and developed market strategies, contributing to significant revenue growth and customer acquisition.

Highlights

Managed a multi-million dollar warehouse operation with a 3-person team, ensuring JIT delivery to over 40 customers across multiple product lines.

Launched new products, generating over $500K in new revenue in CY 2016 and driving total revenue to $4MM across 24 product lines and 70+ customers.

Increased revenue to over $4.5MM across 31 product lines and 70+ customers in 2017, demonstrating consistent growth.

Developed and executed market/region-specific strategies, leading to new market segments, industries, customers, and technologies.

Converted new accounts in the Americas region, generating over $100K in new sales of highly technical products.

Mitsui Plastics, Inc.
|

Sales and Marketing Associate

New York, NY, US

Summary

Supported sales and marketing operations, optimizing product profitability and driving significant year-over-year growth for key product lines.

Highlights

Achieved 44% YOY product profitability growth (2014-2015) and 71% YOY growth (2015-2016) for a key product line by identifying operational shortfalls.

Managed over $500K in revenue across 8 product lines for 30+ customers in 2014, increasing to over $2MM in revenue across 21 product lines for 60+ customers in 2015.

Collaborated with a 3-person team to ensure smooth operation of a multi-million dollar warehousing operation, managing FCL/LCL orders for multiple customer accounts.

Launched 1 brand new product and converted 1 new customer in 2015, demonstrating effective market entry.

Prepared pitch decks and presentations for customer and supplier meetings, effectively communicating product value and improving success rates.

Nittoku America
|

Sales Engineer

Baltimore, MD, US

Summary

Served as a Sales Engineer for a market leader in industrial automation, significantly expanding active sales pipelines and client relationships.

Highlights

Increased active sales pipeline by 18% within the first 3 months of employment through targeted business development.

Managed relationships with hundreds of clients across multiple stages of the procurement process, providing timely and cost-effective solutions.

Developed new business by identifying and qualifying customers in a ready-to-buy stage, expanding clientele beyond existing relationships.

Contributed to the development of new marketing channels and media, enhancing brand visibility and lead generation.

Origal LLP
|

Export Assistant

Bogota, NJ, US

Summary

Managed export operations and administrative tasks for a streetwear exporter, enhancing efficiency and increasing market presence in Japan.

Highlights

Increased workflow and order processing efficiency by 12% by developing new procedures and optimizing document management.

Boosted export brand awareness and increased exclusive suppliers by 8% through strategic marketing development.

Enhanced overall productivity by optimizing documents, streamlining processes, and reorganizing office workspace.

Provided critical English to Japanese translation and proofreading for partners, facilitating international business communications.

Brown Global Enterprises
|

Assistant Project Manager

Chatham, NJ, US

Summary

Managed logistics and productivity for an international art and textile import company, optimizing operations and team performance.

Highlights

Increased overall productivity by 10% through strategic workspace optimization and time management initiatives.

Managed a team to ensure on-time pick, pack, and shipping, making critical logistics decisions to support operations.

Developed and implemented objectives-based scheduling, enhancing employee efficiency and accountability.

Herz Co
|

Sales & Marketing Assistant

Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

Summary

Supported sales and marketing for a luxury goods manufacturer, contributing to significant sales growth and new product introductions.

Highlights

Contributed to a 9% sales increase within 3 months by originating daily profit, sales, and production analysis meetings.

Designed 7 new products, along with accompanying marketing materials and POS signs, enhancing product launch effectiveness.

Generated new clients, suppliers, and business partners in both English and Japanese markets, expanding market reach.

Participated in digital marketing strategy and social media planning, supporting brand visibility and engagement.

Education

Columbia Business School

Master of Business Administration - MBA

Finance, General

Cornell University

Certificate

Accounting

HarvardX

Certificate

Contract Law

Fairleigh Dickinson University

Bachelor of Science - BS

Marketing

Academies at Englewood

Diploma

Pre-Engineering

Languages

English
Japanese

Certificates

Foreign Supplier Verification Programs
BRCGS Professional
Professional Cook Certification (v.1)
Open Water Diver

Skills

Operations & Logistics

Import/Export Operations, Incoterms, Supply Chain Management, Warehouse Operations, JIT Delivery, Process Optimization, Inventory Management.

Project Management

Cross-functional Leadership, Project Tracking, Strategic Planning, Resource Allocation, Feasibility Studies.

Financial Management

Budget Management, Financial Modeling, Profitability Analysis, Credit Risk Management.

Sustainability & ESG

B-Corp Certification, Sustainable Sourcing, Traceability, Bio-based Materials, Ethical Business Practices.

Contract Negotiation

MOUs, NDAs, JDAs, Legal Agreement Review.

Team Leadership

Mentoring, Performance Management, Resource Management.

Data Analysis & Reporting

KPI Tracking, Market Research, Business Intelligence.

Engineering Principles

Product Design, Technical Solutions.

Business Development

Strategic Partnerships, Market Expansion, Investment Opportunities, New Business Acquisition, Client Relationship Management, Lead Generation.

Sales & Marketing

Global Sales Strategy, Product Launch, Market Analysis, Forecasting, Budgeting, ROI Analysis, Digital Marketing, Social Media Marketing, Customer Acquisition.