Vanessa Heegaard

Business manager and economist, bilingual, with more than 20 years of work experience in managerial and executive positions in various multinational companies, mass consumption, real estate, marketing and advertising and food industry in the United States and Colombia.

EXPERIENCE

August 2017 – March 2023

Colombian Coordinator and Director/Legal Representative

Bogotá, Colombia

Duties and Responsibilities 

• Initiate and execute a strategic to expand operations in Colombia since 2017.
• Negotiate commercial leases and establish contractual clauses for each branch.
• Manage the company’s purchasing and vendor negotiations.
• Manage infrastructure contracts.
• Ensure the company In Colombia complies with all legal aspects at a commercial and contractual level.
• Responsible for developing the marketing strategy and positioning of the brand.
• Represent the company before every competent entity in the country and act as the Colombian legal representative.
• Provide the parent company and directors with the country’s monthly report.
• Assist HR department with managing all Colombian employees.
• Manage the social media channels in Colombia.
• Support the construction department through the development of new locations.

Achievements 

• Opened 16 commercial branches in Bogotá, Colombia.
• National expansion plans were projected to include cities like Medellin, Cali, and Barranquilla.
• Since suppliers were contracted locally, customs and tax were saved, resulting in 40% savings in operational and construction costs.
• During the pandemic, all biosafety and safety protocols were implemented, and post-COVID, successfully spearheaded governmental relations to reopen all locations safely and effectively.
• Implemented comprehensive strategies to meet all immediate customer needs through an effective Customer Service Department.
• Various platforms were utilized to implement a successful media plan and establish exponential growth on social media.

Dr. Sharp, LLC

2009-2017

Vice-president of Operations and Partner

Miami, Florida USA

Duties and Responsibilities 

• Develop products for the dental line.
• Manage the manufacturing channels for the dental product line.
• Prepare a business plan and pitch it to investors to secure funds for the brand’s growth.
• Coordinating and executing all orders.
• Design, create and manage the company's website.
• Plan, execute, and supervise all marketing, advertising, and social media efforts.
• Establish and negotiate distribution channel contracts.

Achievements 

• The brand achieved positioning in small, medium, and large distribution channels, including Walmart, Target, Kmart, and Wholefoods in the United States.
• A global distribution channel for the brand was created in South America, Europe, Asia, United Arab Emirates, and several Duty-Free companies.
• The brand image and manufacturing changes were made to create products that meet market needs.
• Constant growth of 20% was achieved in sales and distribution each year.

Fast Frame

2006-2009 

Franchise Owner

Fort Lauderdale, FL USA The Branding Group Luxury Group

2004-2006

Director of Operations and Account Manager

Miami, FL USA

Charlie’s Roastbeef

2000-2004

Owner and General Manager

Miami Beach, FL USA

Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale, FL USA – Associates Degree Multimedia and Web Design 

2000-2001

Bentley University, Waltham, MA USA 

BBA Business Administration and Management

Bentley University, Waltham, MA USA 

Minor International Culture and Economy