(Late) Co-Founder Opportunity – Chief Sales and Business Development Officer

Switzerland / Italy (Lombardia) / Dubai – hybrid / remote

20-100%

About Us

At Cheetah Stories we make comfortable and wildly elegant vegan luxury high heels.

Our heels are more than just a fashion statement—they're a revolution in comfort and sustainability. We invested 14 months in research to design a footbed that promotes well-balanced weight distribution, allowing women to stand tall without the usual discomfort and pain. Inspired by the soft cushions of the cheetah paw, we fondly call our high heels Cheelettos.

Our Cheelettos, designed in the heart of Ticino, Switzerland, are handcrafted from premium vegan leather in Italy. Yes, we are on a mission to transform the fashion industry, one bold step at a time.

Cheetah Stories was founded in February 2023. We launched our first collection in the summer of 2024 and are now ready to take the world by storm. That’s why we are looking for a co-founder and Chief Sales and Business Development Officer (CSO) who is prepared to define and drive our sales strategy, manage retail operations, and foster growth alongside the founding team: Fiorella Erni (CEO) and Martin Markovic (CFO).

The Role

Are you ready to roll up your sleeves and dive into an electrifying fashion startup environment? As our Chief Sales Officer and Co-Founder, you’ll be the driving force behind our sales and retail operations.

Your mission: cultivate powerful partnerships and lead our sales efforts to new heights in Europe, the Gulf Countries and beyond. You’ll have the unique opportunity to shape our company’s future and become one the heroes of the Cheetah Story.

Who you are

Experience: You’ve got at least 5 years of experience in business development and sales in the luxury fashion world. You’re no stranger to building brands and driving conversion. Your expertise goes beyond the basics, with a solid understanding of digital marketing, media relations, and content strategy.
Strategic Thinker: You’ve got a sharp strategic mind and love developing big-picture business plans that drive real growth. You know how to turn market insights into actionable strategies, especially when it comes to expanding our B2B network. Whether it’s building new retail partnerships or identifying key opportunities for distribution, you’re always focused on the long-term success of the brand.
Creative Visionary: You’re all about fresh, out-of-the-box thinking. With a passion for sustainable luxury, you’ll bring new, exciting ways to market our vegan high heels, all while keeping the brand’s exclusivity and elegance intact. You know how to make luxury feel innovative and exciting.
Relationship Builder: You know how to build and nurture meaningful relationships with key partners, collaborators, and industry insiders. But you’re not just about surface-level connections – you bring a strong B2B network across retailers, distributors, wholesalers, and more. You have the connections to make things happen and take the brand to new heights.
Highly Organised: You love staying organised and keeping things running like clockwork. Juggling multiple projects, timelines, and people is no problem for you – whether it’s big strategic goals or just making sure we don’t miss a beat, you’ve got it all covered.
Passionate Advocate for Sustainability: You’re passionate about ethical and sustainable fashion, and you genuinely care about making a difference. Our vegan luxury high heels aren’t just a product to you – they represent a movement, and you bring that energy to everything you do.
Driven & Flexible: You’re results-driven but also know how to stay adaptable and roll with the punches. In the fast-paced world of startups, you thrive on challenges and bring plenty of enthusiasm, all while keeping things lighthearted and fun.
Entrepreneurial Spirit: You love the startup grind. You’re ready to take risks, learn from mistakes, and build something extraordinary from the ground up. You embrace the journey, knowing it’s all about the hustle – and you can’t wait to dive in headfirst.
Team-oriented leader: You’re all about the team! You know when to step up and take charge, but you also know when to step back and empower others to shine. Collaboration is key, and you thrive when everyone works toward a shared success.
Clear Communicator: You’re honest, open, and transparent in everything you do. You know how to communicate clearly, even when the conversation gets tough, and you always do it with respect, clarity, and a dash of charm.
Multilingual Proficiency: You speak English and (ideally) German, French, Italian, or Arabic fluently – bonus points if you speak all of them! 😉

Key responsibilities and tasks

Strategic Vision: Craft and execute a dynamic B2B sales strategy for Cheetah Stories, driving growth through strategic retail partnerships with stores, boutiques, showrooms, wholesalers, agents, and distributors while expanding our presence in key fashion markets.
Distribution Strategy: Develop and implement a comprehensive distribution strategy for our Cheelettos, focusing exclusively on offline B2B channels, including retailers, wholesalers, showrooms, agents, and distributors in the Swiss, EU, UK, and Gulf markets.
Retail Excellence: Lead the management of retail partnerships, including stores, boutiques, and showrooms, ensuring they embody our brand's spirit and represent our luxury positioning. Build and maintain strong, long-term relationships with these retail partners to enhance brand presence.
Business Development: Develop and execute a B2B business development strategy for expansion into additional markets in 2025 and 2026. Identify and establish new partnerships with wholesalers, distributors, and agents in various regions. Manage and coordinate a team of business development consultants and agents across different markets and segments, ensuring effective implementation of strategies.
Partnership Builder: Forge and nurture relationships with key retailers, distributors, and brand partners within the fashion industry. Actively seek out new distribution partners and collaborate with them to extend our reach. Represent the brand at key trade shows, fashion events, and industry gatherings.
Pop-Up Store Strategy: Identify strategic opportunities for pop-up stores in key locations to drive brand awareness and engage directly with potential retail partners and customers. Lead the planning, implementation, and execution of pop-up store initiatives, ensuring a memorable brand experience aligned with our luxury positioning.
Client Engagement: Cultivate lasting relationships with B2B clients and brand partners, ensuring that each partnership reflects our values of luxury, sustainability, and vegan products. Ensure clients receive exceptional service and value through close collaboration.
Trade Shows & Fashion Events: Develop and implement strategies for attending trade shows, fashion fairs, and other industry events. Actively represent Cheetah Stories' vegan luxury high heels, showcasing the brand’s strengths to potential retail partners, distributors, and fashion professionals.
Distribution & Logistics: Oversee distribution logistics for all B2B channels, including managing contracts, orders, stock levels, and production pipelines in close collaboration with the CEO and CFO. Ensure the smooth execution of distribution strategies across retailers and wholesalers.
Event Planning: Plan and execute impactful events to showcase the brand and foster connections with retail partners, distributors, and other key stakeholders. Coordinate events such as private showings, exclusive fashion events, and retail partnership activations.
Customer Segment Strategy: Collaborate with the CEO and Chief Marketing Officer to develop distribution strategies for specific B2B customer segments, such as bridal, Gen Z, and dancing shoes. Focus on enhancing our presence in each segment through strategic retail and distribution partnerships.

What we offer

Equity Stake: As a co-founder, you’ll receive a significant equity stake in the company and share in our collective success.
Flexible & Fun: Join a flexible, collaborative environment with a team that loves what they do and knows how to have a great time while doing it.
Growth Opportunity: Be part of a groundbreaking brand with the chance to drive its growth and success in the fashion industry.
Creative Freedom: Bring your bold ideas to life and help shape the future of our sales and retail strategies, making your mark on our journey.
Growth & Impact: Play a vital role in a brand poised to make waves and leave a lasting impression on the fashion world.
Compensation Structure: Initially, there will be no salary; however, we offer a significant equity stake and a vibrant, collaborative team environment. We are focused on securing our first funding round to support future growth and compensation.

How to Apply

If this sounds like the perfect fit for you, we can’t wait to hear from you!

Feel free to give us a call if you’d like to chat more about the role (+41 78 832 27 27). To apply, just send us your resume, a cover letter sharing your vision for the position, and any relevant portfolio or case studies to standtall@cheetah-stories.com.