Aaron Garner

At Mark Anthony Brands, I've been a key driver of White Claw's growth across North and East London. In under a year, I've secured listings in over 100 new on-trade venues and helped existing accounts nearly double their rate of sale through targeted activations and tailored support. With 50 in-person visits per week, my focus has been evenly split between winning new business and nurturing high-potential accounts.

This role has given me end-to-end ownership of the sales cycle—prospecting, nurturing leads, and closing deals—while building long-term relationships with venue owners, GMs, and wholesale partners. My efforts have contributed to over 12% of all new distribution across the team, and I've consistently delivered strong commercial results in a highly competitive, target-driven environment.

A big part of my success has come from leveraging CRM tools like Salesforce to track performance, manage pipelines, and make data-led decisions. I've become a Salesforce champion within the team, regularly identifying opportunities to streamline processes, enhance reporting accuracy, and improve day-to-day usability. I've proactively shared feedback with the wider team to help shape how we use CRM more effectively and align it with commercial goals.

Alongside my sales responsibilities, I manage forecasting, investment planning, and ROI tracking to ensure efficient growth across my region. I collaborate closely with cross-functional teams—including Activation, Quality, and Key Accounts—to execute high-impact campaigns and maintain top-tier service. I also play a key role in managing Route to Market partnerships, ensuring smooth and consistent distribution across my territory.

This experience has strengthened my commercial acumen, deepened my knowledge of the on-trade sector, and refined my ability to execute across the full sales process—while also equipping me with the tools and mindset to drive both individual and team performance.

As a Business Development Executive at REL Marketing, I was responsible for driving business growth for our client, Henkel, within the retail field sales channel. This dynamic, fast-paced role gave me valuable exposure to brand execution, stakeholder management, and data-led decision-making—all of which have played a key role in my ongoing development.

While the standard target was 3–4 in-person store visits per day, I consistently increased this to 6 in order to maximise brand visibility, build stronger in-store relationships, and ensure the success of my territory. During each visit, I worked directly with key decision-makers to optimise Henkel's in-store presence, drive compliance, and deliver standout activations.

A major focus of the role was ensuring that at least 80% of my daily visits resulted in brand activation or improved visibility—whether through securing secondary space, placing POS materials, or troubleshooting execution issues. I consistently exceeded this benchmark and recorded the highest number of additional POS placements in the team. This was a direct result of the trust and strong working relationships I built with store managers and staff across the territory.

This experience sharpened my account management and relationship-building skills, key components of the sales cycle. I learned to tailor my approach depending on the store type, team, and trading conditions, helping me gain buy-in and influence in-store decision-making.

I developed deep product knowledge and a strong understanding of Henkel's market positioning and shopper profile, which allowed me to spot local sales opportunities and adapt execution strategies accordingly. I actively supported product launches and in-store campaigns, learning how to bring brand messaging to life and ensure standout shelf presence.

Alongside my fieldwork, I became confident using CRM tools and sales planning platforms to track performance, log insights, and manage reporting. I proactively contributed feedback to improve how our team used these systems, helping to streamline processes and boost efficiency.

I consistently hit all performance targets and led the team across key metrics, reflecting my ability to go above and beyond expectations in a competitive and target-driven environment. The role also taught me to stay resilient, think on my feet, and remain adaptable in the face of ever-changing store conditions and business needs.

In summary, my time at REL Marketing gave me a strong foundation in retail execution, stakeholder engagement, and data-driven sales strategy. It reinforced my ability to lead from the front, deliver consistent results, and make a measurable impact in a challenging field environment.

I had the privilege of working as a waiter at Crazy Pizza, a premium dining destination in the heart of Knightsbridge. This role gave me the opportunity to deliver five-star service to a high-profile, international clientele in one of London's most exclusive hospitality settings.

Working closely with the General Manager, I gained valuable insight into the day-to-day operations of running a high-end restaurant. This exposure deepened my commercial awareness, from understanding reservation flow and table turnover strategies to supporting front-of-house decision-making during busy shifts. I often stepped up to assist in managing covers, resolving issues in real time, and ensuring smooth service delivery across the team.

In such a dynamic and fast-paced environment, teamwork was essential. I collaborated closely with kitchen staff, runners, hosts, and management to deliver a seamless dining experience. Whether anticipating service bottlenecks or helping redistribute workload on the floor, I consistently supported my team to ensure the restaurant operated at its highest standard.

Problem-solving also became second nature. From managing last-minute VIP requests to smoothing over scheduling clashes and guest concerns, I learned to think on my feet, stay calm under pressure, and find quick, effective solutions that put the guest experience first.

What truly defined my time at Crazy Pizza was the level of responsibility and trust I was given—not only to deliver exceptional service, but to contribute meaningfully to the smooth running of the business. It strengthened my leadership instincts, honed my attention to detail, and deepened my appreciation for the operational side of hospitality.

At Mojis, an exquisite African restaurant located in the upscale neighbourhood of Hadley Wood, North London, I began my career at 16, serving as a waiter in a fast-paced, high-end environment. This role provided me with the opportunity to hone my communication skills and deliver exceptional customer service to a diverse and discerning clientele, while working alongside a fantastic team.

The experience instilled in me a strong work ethic and the ability to excel in a high-pressure, high-standard environment. Working in such a prestigious area required me to consistently meet and maintain the highest levels of service, which taught me how to exceed customer expectations and provide a memorable dining experience. I developed an adaptability that allowed me to work effectively both as part of a team and independently, ensuring smooth service even during peak times.

On Saturday mornings, I was entrusted with independently managing the entire morning operation. This included setting up, taking orders, preparing beverages, serving food, and maintaining excellent customer service—all by myself. This responsibility taught me how to juggle multiple tasks, stay organized, and maintain service excellence, even under pressure.

Overall, my time at Mojis not only sharpened my ability to deliver top-tier service but also reinforced my strong work ethic, adaptability, and money-motivated drive. These qualities have shaped my approach to every professional challenge and continue to inform my work today.

Occasionally, I had the privilege of working with a renowned catering company, which gave me the unique opportunity to participate in several weddings. These events were especially meaningful, as they allowed me to contribute to creating unforgettable moments for clients on one of the most important days of their lives. The high-pressure nature of wedding environments taught me how to maintain focus while ensuring every detail was executed to perfection.

This experience not only reinforced my commitment to delivering exceptional customer service but also sharpened my teamwork and problem-solving abilities. In such a dynamic setting, where everything must align seamlessly, I honed my skills in precision and attention to detail, ensuring that every aspect of the event met the highest standards. My ability to thrive under pressure was consistently demonstrated as I adapted to the fast-paced and high-stakes nature of the work.

As the role was on an occasional basis, I had the chance to work with different teams and individuals at each event. This exposure helped me develop strong adaptability, integrating easily into new teams and collaborating effectively with colleagues from varied backgrounds. These experiences highlighted my flexibility, interpersonal skills, and capacity to contribute to diverse team dynamics.

In 2019, I took a work experience opportunity in the IT department at Tower Hamlets Town Hall, where I had the chance to immerse myself in a professional office environment. From a young age, I've had a strong passion for technology, which naturally led me to seek out opportunities to deepen my knowledge in this field. During my time in the IT department, I gained hands-on experience with a range of tools, including Excel spreadsheets, which helped me develop valuable skills in data analysis and computing.

Despite the two-week duration, this experience allowed me to work both independently and collaboratively, honing my ability to adapt to different work settings. I quickly learned how to navigate office systems and effectively contribute to the team, demonstrating my enthusiasm for technology and my willingness to embrace new challenges. This opportunity laid a solid foundation for my technical skills and reinforced my commitment to pursuing a career that blends my passion for technology with professional growth.