Open to opportunities

Curtis Ruel

@curtisruel

Message

Customer-focused product demonstrator and retail professional who helps drive sales with friendly communication.

United States

Message

What I'm looking for

I’m looking for more long-term opportunities with guaranteed fair pay and work hours, where I can give my all, expand my skills, and keep building confidence through guidance and team support.

I’m a hardworking, dependable professional who enjoys problem-solving and connecting with people. I’m comfortable with computer use and point of sale technology, and I bring a friendly, engaging demeanor that helps customers feel confident in what they’re buying.

Most recently, I worked as a Product Demonstrator, where I independently prepared ready-to-go packaged food/drinks and pitched products to customers to persuade them to sample and purchase. I also handled daily stock needs by printing worksheets and getting product from the correct areas in the store, and I learned quickly when roles shifted (like moving from a juicer role into promotion work).

Before that, I built strong retail and customer service experience at Old Navy, including cash register operations, customer service, returns and exchanges, and signing people up for store cards. Earlier, as a Co-Owner of Furbabies 207 Dog Accessories, I combined in-person customer service with manufacturing bowties, inventory stocking, and e-commerce sales through outlets like Etsy—plus I created a mobile website using Python while in high school.

Experience

Work history, roles, and key accomplishments

Product Demonstrator

Crossmark

Feb 2024 - Aug 2024 (6 months)

Independently prepared ready-to-go packaged food and drinks, stocked product from designated areas, and pitched samples to customers to drive purchases through in-store demonstrations.

Food Preparation Product Sampling Sales Pitching Merchandising Product Demonstrations

Brand Associate

Old Navy

Sep 2023 - Feb 2024 (5 months)

Handled POS checkout, returns, and customer service while signing customers up for store cards with a 100% ask rate; earned Employee of the Month (Nov 2023) during the seasonal rush.

Cash Handling Customer Service Returns and Exchanges Store Card Sign Ups Merchandising Stocking And Folding Upselling

Co-Owner

Furbabies 207 Dog Accessories

Apr 2019 - Sep 2023 (4 years 5 months)

Co-owned a pet accessories business, managing in-store POS sales, customer service, and inventory restocking while producing bow ties from sourced materials and managing online sales via Etsy and other marketplaces.

Customer Service Inventory Management Bow Tie Manufacturing E Commerce Sales Marketplace Management order fulfillment Merchandising

Weekend Event Staff

Norton National Staffing

Dec 2022 - Present (3 years 6 months)

Set up and used digital photography equipment for a one-time weekend event, completed POS sales and upsold photo packages, and provided friendly customer service to capture photos for an ice-show audience.

Photo Package Sales Customer Service Upselling Customer Engagement Workplace Safety

Education

Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework

University of Southern Maine

Political Science; Sociology

Began coursework while in high school, then attended full-time for a two-year period pursuing a double major in Political Science and Sociology. Chose not to re-enroll in order to travel and gain real-world work experience.

Baxter Academy of Technology & Science

High school diploma, STEM (Early College/Dual Enrollment)

Grade: 4.0 GPA

Activities and societies: Created a mobile website for Baxter Academy using Python coding; completed 30 credits of early college/dual enrollment coursework.

Completed a STEM-focused education program and graduated in three years with a 4.0 GPA. Built a mobile website for Baxter Academy using Python coding and completed early college/dual enrollment coursework.