Marina Del Monte

Director of Product, Seasonal Decor  |  Newport Beach, California

I build product portfolios that grow, and the teams and systems that keep them growing.

Get in touch Download resume View LinkedIn
Marina Del Monte

My Story

I've been drawn to products since I was a little girl. The factory tours on Mr. Rogers were always my favorite segment of the show, and I was captivated by how everything was made.

That fascination, along with a love of fashion, shopping and international business, led me to study Retail Management. In my Buying of Merchandise course, I found my career: work that blends creativity with strategic decision-making, and analytics that reveal what consumers truly want and need.

That curiosity about how products are made, what people want, and why, still shapes how I work every day.

Steady Category Growth - from $15M to $118M+

With over eight years of experience at Best Choice Products, I've helped grow the seasonal catalog into one of the company's largest businesses, selling across Amazon, Walmart, Target, TikTok Shop, and the company's own DTC site.

758new SKUs launched, 2019 to 2025
$82.3Min new SKU revenue, 2019 to 2025
New SKUs launched and new SKU revenue by year
YearNew SKUsNew SKU revenue
201940$5.2M
202044$11.3M
202118$5.7M
202237$5.3M
2023126$18.0M
2024306$21.0M
2025187$15.8M

CEO strategy partner

I partner directly with the CEO on investment priorities, category focus and where the next wave of growth will come from.

Built the department

I built and scaled the Product team, creating the dashboards, project tools, career paths, SOPs and KPIs it runs on today.

12+ years in retail

I've been a buyer, product developer and product leader, so I know every step of the path from sourcing to product launch.

What I bring to a team

I bring strategy and execution together, grounded in data and built for seasonal timelines that can't slip.

Product strategy and roadmaps

I build annual roadmaps and department plans from sales data, consumer insight, market trends and profitability, so the business invests in the right things.

Consumer and market insight

I find emerging needs, cultural shifts and whitespace early through research, trade shows, factory visits, and trend analysis - then turn them into products that sell.

Executive communication

I turn complex sales and market data into clear recommendations that leadership can act on.

Product development and launch

I own the full lifecycle, from first idea and sourcing through launch, working with Overseas Vendors, Creative, Marketing, Supply Chain and Operations Teams to hit every deadline.

Marketplace and DTC growth

I grow sales and margin across Amazon, Walmart and DTC through pricing strategy, listing optimization and the right product mix for each channel.

Teams, tools and process

I hire and develop product teams and give them clear KPIs, dashboards, onboarding and SOPs so the team can scale without losing speed.

Experience

My career has gone from sourcing and buying to leading product strategy for a nine-figure category.

2018 to present
Newport Beach & Tustin, CA

Best Choice Products

8+ years, promoted twice

Director of Product, Seasonal Decor

January 2026 to present

  • Lead product strategy, portfolio management and annual roadmaps for the Seasonal business, now $118M+ in annual revenue.
  • Partner directly with the CEO on investment priorities, category focus and future growth opportunities.
  • Drive sales and profitability across Amazon, Walmart and DTC through pricing strategy, consumer insights and new product development.
  • Built the team's operating system, including dashboards, KPI reporting, career paths, onboarding, training and SOPs.
  • Lead the product lifecycle from first idea through launch, guiding development, innovation and commercial strategy with deep consumer research.
  • Identify emerging consumer needs, cultural shifts, category trends and whitespace opportunities to fuel future growth.

Senior Manager, Product Strategy, Seasonal Decor

September 2024 to January 2026

  • Established and built out the Product Strategy department, including its processes, training materials and team structure.
  • Defined yearly roadmap opportunities from market trend analysis to grow revenue and profit margin.
  • Turned complex market data into strategies and presented them to the CEO.
  • Built sales dashboards that turned raw sales and market data into clear analysis for leadership.

Product Development Manager, Seasonal Decor & Musical Instruments

July 2018 to September 2024

  • Reported directly to the CEO and owned roadmap targets and hiring plans for steady year-over-year growth.
  • Established and built out the Product Development department, creating its team structure, career paths, job descriptions, KPIs, SOPs and training materials to support rapid expansion.
  • Grew the seasonal catalog from $15M to $118M through cross-functional product development.
  • Led, trained, and mentored a team of four product developers across Seasonal, Musical Instruments and Pet Supplies product categories.
  • Managed the full development lifecycle for every new SKU and developed top sellers on Amazon, Walmart and other leading e-commerce marketplaces.
  • Built long-standing relationships with vendors and overseas factory partners, shortening development timelines and keeping launches on schedule.
  • Conducted market research and attended trade shows to spot top trends and identify the best products to develop and sell.
  • Partnered with the Creative team on listing images and copy to merchandise products for conversion.
2017 to 2018
Chicago, IL

E-Commerce Merchant

Daily Deal Success

  • Sourced and launched products across Amazon, Groupon, Walmart, eBay and Overstock, managing the Supplements, Fitness Accessories, Christmas and Toys categories.
  • Negotiated costs and payment terms with vendors to improve cash flow and meet margin targets.
  • Ran weekly inventory forecasting, reorders and channel allocation based on sales trends.
  • Optimized product listings and led weekly new-product reviews to get items live on every marketplace quickly.
2015 to 2017
Niles, IL

Assistant Buyer

Hammacher Schlemmer

  • Supported buying across Children's, Christmas, Bed & Bath, Pet, Health & Exercise, Electronics and Auto, plus the catalog's cover, whimsy and image items.
  • Partnered with vendors to develop exclusive and proprietary products.
  • Sourced at showrooms in the U.S. and abroad, and negotiated costs and minimum order quantities against item forecasts to hit margin goals.
  • Worked with QA to uphold product quality, and set up SKUs on time so purchase orders went out on schedule.
2014 to 2015
Northbrook, IL

Merchandise Assistant

One Step Ahead

  • Sourced children's products from vendors and at trade shows, negotiating costs and minimum order quantities to protect margins.
  • Created hundreds of SKUs on tight timelines and supported vendors through product development.
  • Partnered with QA on testing standards and regulations, and with Purchasing to keep shipments arriving on time.
Education

B.S., Business, Retail Management

Certificate in Entrepreneurship

Purdue University

Beyond the roadmap

Life outside of the office

  • Writing my first novelBy day, I build product roadmaps. By night, I'm halfway through a drama about starting over and inspiring hope and courage in others... with a few plot twists along the way!
  • Traveling the worldExploring new places, cultures, food, and history whenever I can.
  • The OutdoorsBeach days with my dog or a good hike are my favorite ways to recharge.
  • Hot yogaWhere I find focus and balance.

Looking for a product leader who can grow your next category?

I'm open to Senior Manager, Director, Senior Director and Head of Product roles in consumer products, home goods and e-commerce.

Download my resume Email me Connect on LinkedIn