Hey, I'm Chris Cownden

AppSumo • Full-Time

Remote

• Increased event attendance by 59% (from 39% to 62%) in Q3 by organizing 27 diverse events, including workshops and webinars, tailored to community interests.
• Boosted new member engagement within the first 90 days by implementing automated onboarding processes, including tagging, personalized messages, and profile fields.
• Generated $8,340.79 in additional revenue on non-event days through targeted community engagement strategies.
• Improved monthly active users (MAU) by 5% by designing and launching a strategic upsell paywall, targeting churned subscription members with a focused retention strategy.

July 2024 - Jan 2025

Castmagic • Part-Time 

Remote

• Stepped in as a consultant to establish and optimize affiliate support systems, empowering affiliates to host their own virtual events and drive revenue growth.
• Successfully reactivated dormant affiliates and established foundational resources and processes to support long-term affiliate growth.
• Negotiated agreements to equip affiliates for affiliate-driven events.
• Collaborated with high-performing affiliates to craft a best practices guide for engaging and onboarding new affiliates.
• Recruited and coordinated with video creators for the Castmagic Creator Network, enhancing YouTube channel content and driving user-generated content (UGC) initiatives.

Mar 2024 - June 2024

INSIDEA • Part-Time

Remote

• Spearheaded the development and growth of INSIDEA’s presence in the UK by managing strategic partnerships and fostering relationships with key stakeholders.
• Secured eight strategic partnerships, including collaborations with Fathom.video, Thoropass, and Syllaby, to enhance service offerings and expand business opportunities.
• Utilized personal expertise to launch and manage the SaaS Unlocked podcast, driving new sales and marketing opportunities while fostering partnerships and expanding the customer base. This included the creation of inbound marketing content to support sales enablement and increase lead generation.
• Conducted market research to identify opportunities, build brand awareness, and align services with client needs in the UK market.

Dec 2022- Present

AppSumo • Contract

Remote

• Partnered with AppSumo as a recognized thought leader in the podcasting space to attract and engage a highly targeted audience.
• Hosted five multi-speaker virtual events over multiple days, fostering community engagement and driving brand awareness. 
• Generated £120,000 in revenue and earned over £18,000 in commissions by successfully leveraging affiliate marketing strategies. 
• Built and nurtured an engaged community, leading to increased visibility and growth for both my personal brand and AppSumo.

Aug 2021 - Dec 2024

Podcast Launch Agency • Full-Time

Remote

• Designed and delivered a comprehensive 13-week program to mentor professionals in launching, growing, and monetising their podcasts.
• Integrated insights from industry experts, providing students with a well-rounded understanding of podcast production, marketing, and monetisation strategies.
• Achieved a 100% success rate for 35 participants, with each successfully launching and growing their podcast by the end of the accelerator.
• Planned and executed 5 successful multi-day virtual events in collaboration with AppSumo, driving engagement and strengthening community connections.
• Secured a strategic partnership with a leading outsourcing company, offering affordable, high-quality professional designs and social media marketing services to students. 

Aug 2022 - May 2024

Capsho • Full-Time

Remote

• Created and delivered engaging content for social media, community channels, and the ambassador program, increasing brand visibility and engagement.
• Launched and managed a successful affiliate program, building strong, long-term relationships with ambassadors to drive growth and expand reach.
• Proactively supported users in optimizing product usage, leading to improved customer satisfaction and enhanced product knowledge.

June 2023 - Nov 2023

AppSumo • Full-Time 

Remote

• Led the successful introduction of 5,000 non-software products to the AppSumo marketplace, contributing to a diverse and expansive product offering.
• Implemented strategic measures to reduce churn by optimizing partner success and enhancing product quality within the marketplace.
• Provided dedicated technical support to partners throughout the launch process, ensuring long-term, positive relationships and smooth product introductions.
• Played a key role in partner onboarding, launch activities, and deal optimization, ensuring alignment with business goals and maximizing product success.

Feb 2022 - Aug 2022

Talking With Experts

• Launched a podcast into the top 5% of all podcasts in its category to build my professional network and enhance career opportunities.
• Developed partnerships with over half of the podcast guests, securing 3 paid CPM sponsorships.
• Conducted interviews with 60 professionals from entrepreneurs in digital marketing. Covered topics like predictable revenue strategies, inbound marketing, SEO, and more, providing valuable insights for listeners..

Nov 2021 - Feb 2022

AppSumo - Full Time 

Remote

• Ensured smooth onboarding and launch of digital products in AppSumo's marketplace.
• Managed onboarding queries and maintained marketplace quality through thorough due diligence checks.
• Identified bottlenecks in product launch process, implementing solutions to improve efficiency and reduce costs related to external failures (e.g., resolved issues in course redemption flow for seamless customer experience).
• Proposed internal notes feature for enhanced team collaboration and efficient deal status tracking (e.g., rejected, approved, awaiting partner response).
• Addressed privacy issue with partner email addresses visible on Google search results by collaborating with product team to enhance data security and meta descriptions, resulting in increased click-through rates on product pages.
• Performed administrative tasks including maintaining internal databases, processing requests, and supporting daily operations.

Nov 2021 - Feb 2022

City Year - Full Time

Hybrid

• Volunteered as a mentor during the COVID-19 pandemic to support children in schools with their core subject knowledge, behaviour, and pastoral needs to foster academic and personal growth.
• Founded Project Creativity, a nationwide volunteer-led initiative aimed at enhancing leadership and creativity skills in schools, empowering volunteers to make a meaningful impact.

Feb 2020 - Oct 2021

Around the world 

• Maha Restaurant , AU
• Sault Restaurant, AU 
• Restaurant 23, UK   
• White Barn Inn, USA 
• Lough Erne Golf Resort, UK
• Simpsons Restaurant, UK 

2011- 2019