Career Path of a Category Development Manager at The Wonderful Company
Evan's career progression, beginning with college involvement in "marketing Club" and "Sports Marketing Club," transitioned into a buying role at Walmart, providing foundational retail experience. Furthering this with an MBA, Evan progressed through shopper marketing and data analytics roles, ultimately leading to their current strategic Category Development Manager position driven by a desire to leverage data analysis for "very good recommendations."
Marketing, Data Analysis, Leadership, Career Development, Business Strategy
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Evan Reed
Category Development Manager
The Wonderful Company
University of Arizona 2014
University of Southern California MBA 2019
Marketing
Food, Beverages & Alcohol
Communication and Marketing
None Applicable
Video Highlights
1. Evan's diverse college experiences (marketing club, sports marketing club, student government) provided a strong foundation and valuable skills for his career.
2. His career progression shows a transition from a buying team role at Walmart to shopper marketing and finally, a data analytics role, demonstrating adaptability and a pursuit of more strategic responsibilities.
3. The combination of his business background, MBA, and experience in shopper marketing and data analytics led him to his current role as a Category Development Manager, highlighting the value of combining different skill sets and experience.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path, starting with your experiences in college? Any internships or geology-related roles? And what is your current role?
Absolutely. So back when I went to college at the University of Arizona, I was always very interested in business, specifically marketing. I feel like one of the best things to do while in college is to get involved and build your resume.
I was in the marketing club and participated in various events. I also worked on events for the Sports Marketing Club and was involved in student government. I learned a lot of different skills and leadership through these diverse experiences.
That college experience was a great segue to my first job. I was on the buying team at Walmart, where I received extensive training in stores, pricing, and merchandising. I did that for a few years and then wanted to move into a more marketing-specific role.
So, I went and got my MBA. After that, I worked for a couple of years in shopper marketing, executing retail programs with in-store signage, contests, and displays. More recently, I moved into a data analytics role with sales teams.
I found that within my previous experience, I liked being able to analyze data, provide good recommendations, and guide strategic decisions. That's why I've been leaning into the current job I'm in now.