Welcome to First Street Solutions
First Street Solutions is a consulting firm founded by Dave Harris and three decades of corporate business experience. First Street Solutions offers a wide range of services including:
- innovation strategies
- bringing outside innovation inhouse
- new product development
- new business creation
- marketing
general business solutions
First Street Solutions
Dave Harris
Phone:
716.207.2179
Email:
Address:
4 Curley Drive
Orchard Park, NY 14127
EXPERIENCE
2015 - 2024
Sr Director of Inventor Relations
MATTEL
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Directed and managed Mattel’s global community of 300+ toy and game inventors, with our goal being for the inventors to ‘bring us your best ideas first.’
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Responsible for connecting outside inventors and concepts with brand team product needs (Barbie, Hot Wheels, Action Figures, Games, Fisher-Price, etc)
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Heavy focus on personal relationships and business management. Excellent balance between business and personal skills
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Planned and attended full annual schedule of events to provide constant contact with brand teams and inventors, including Mattel sponsored events at headquarters and visits to where key inventors live and innovate
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Strong partnership with legal, specifically with legal advice on business situations, contract language and negotiations
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Detailed business acumen with data, reports and keeping all stakeholders updated on business and trend details
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Inventor items in the Mattel line each year account for approximately $500MM in A price sales
Director of Strategic Partnerships
2013 - 2015
MATTEL
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Project-based assignments focused on expanding global growth
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M&A - researched and recommended acquisition candidates to grow the corporate portfolio
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Brand activation – created new ways for our customers to interact with our brand in a meaningful and emotional way
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New business models – built frameworks to transition from B2B to on-line / DTC without alienating current accounts
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New categories – worked with the Global Brand Teams and Senior Management to expand into new categories
2011 - 2013
Director of Marketing - Power Wheels
FISHER-PRICE
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Managed and directed the entire portfolio of Ride-Ons for global Fisher-Price ($200MM WW)
- Includes the Toddler, Preschool and Advanced segments of Power Wheels and the Trike business for Fisher-Price -
Worked closely with licensors including vehicle partners (Ford, GM, Jeep, Kawasaki) and entertainment partners (Disney, Nickelodeon, Barbie, Hot Wheels, Thomas The Tank)
2006 - 2011
Director of Strategic Business Development
FISHER-PRICE
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Provided retailers with custom products, value packs and special offers to give them unique and differentiated offerings
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Doubled the size of the custom business in 4 years ($48MM to $105MM) while improving overall margins
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Identified brand new opportunities for the company outside of the categories we currently compete in
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Identified and recommended several M&A candidates for purchase
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Incubated two new opportunities – one in building and one in creative activities
2000 - 2006
Sr. Marketing Manager - View Master,
Doodle Pro, New Opps
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Marketing Manager - Baby Gear & Newborn Toys
FISHER-PRICE
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Management of $100MM Creative Activities Brand, $100MM Baby Gear Line and launched $35MM Newborn Toy Line
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Partnered with licensors to secure hottest properties with market leaders like Nickelodeon (SpongeBob, Dora), Warner Brothers (Batman, Superman) and Universal (King Kong, Curious George) and then implement them across the toy lines
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Worked with advertising agency to develop, test and shoot TV commercials, including both kid and adult directed
EDUCATION
MBA
Simon School of Business
Marketing, Finance, Entrepreneurship
Bachelor of Science
SUNY Brockport
Business and Accounting