"The only thing of which we should expect more is ourselves."
+1 805.300.2504 -+- curtis@clevercurtis.com
THE UNIQUE WORK HISTORY OF CLEVER CURTIS
EXPERIENCE
ACT I : VIRGINIA IS FOR 'LEARNERS'
CHARACTER-BUILDING EXERCISES IN THE OLD DOMINION BLUE-COLLAR WORKFORCE
McDonald's | Chesterfield, VA
MAY 1988 - OCT 1988
COOK | My first work experience, at age 15. I was on the grill, turnin' & burnin' hot steamin' cheeseburgers. When hired, I was given two pairs of pants, both with a size 32 waist. One was a pair of Women's pants, & the waist would have wrapped around me twice. I learned the feeling of getting hired, earning my own money, & the pride in hard work. DIFFICULTY: MEDIUM JOB
Master Clean Car Wash | Richmond, VA
JUN 1989 - JUN 1989
DETAILER | My first stint in customer service (I had some work to do). The only job I worked for only one 8-hour day. I never even went back for the paycheck. I was responsible for wiping down cars with rags, cleaning dashboards, rims, & trim. After my only shift, I jumped into a pool with my clothes on. I learned how hard car washers work, & how nice (& mean) people (carwash customers) can be.
DIFFICULTY: TOUGH JOB
The Grocery Store | Richmond, VA
JUN 1989 - NOV 1989
CASHIER | More customer service. This was "The Grocery Store" on Jefferson Davis Turnpike (torn down in the early 1990's), right on the line between the City of Richmond & Chesterfield County. I worked a register, when cash & checks were the regular forms of payment (no debit, or "auto-changers" on checkout counters). My regular shift was from early afternoon until close, so I always drove home after dark. I learned responsibility & accountability.
DIFFICULTY: MEDIUM JOB
Bowl America Southwest | Chesterfield, VA
SEP 1990 - NOV 1991
COOK/PORTER | A very cool place to work, but the work is not easy. My Dad bowled, so I spent some time in bowling alleys as a child. In fact, I was hired by a lifelong Family Friend, Frank Aloi (I learned to bowl with Frank, among others, and miss them all dearly). I was on the snack bar, cooking, cleaning & serving. I also dressed the lanes, sometimes at 2am. I learned that if you work somewhere people go to have fun, you will have fun, too.
DIFFICULTY: TOUGH JOB
Brown & Root | Chesterfield, VA
NOV 1991 - OCT 1992
INSULATOR/SCAFFOLDER | My first job exposed to the elements of Nature...& my fear of heights. I was hired as an insulator, but also had to build scaffolds. I drove man-lifts, forklifts & scissor-lifts, built & scaled 60' scaffolds (100% tied-off), insulated a tank containing a substance that freezes at 240° F, hydro-washed the TYVEK rollers, & I learned to whistle very loudly. Not to mention, working on the grounds of DuPont (KEVLAR, MYLAR, NYLON, TYVEK) was pretty cool.
DIFFICULTY: TOUGH JOB
Bowl America Southwest | Chesterfield, VA
OCT 1992 - MAY 1993
FRONT DESK/MECHANIC | My second stint at BASW. This time I was a moveable cog, wearing many hats (front desk, lane-dresser, pin-chaser, porter). Witnessed the wood lanes get their bi-annual sanding & stripping--wow! I learned that traditional education was going to be tougher now that I was well out of high school, but I was gaining knowledge in real-world situations, learning to solve problems.
DIFFICULTY: TOUGH JOB
Sports Supplements South | Chesterfield, VA
MAY 1993 - OCT 2001
DELIVERY DRIVER | A distributor for American Bodybuilding Products, the first of the small business experience. Genuinely nice people, very business-savvy, & dedicated. I delivered sports nutrition beverages & supplements to gyms & health food stores in a four-state territory (VA, MD, Washington D.C., DE, & WV). I learned to drive very well in adverse conditions, amassing over 700k miles of safe driving. The cases averaged 30 pounds, & some days were 18 hours long.
DIFFICULTY: TOUGH JOB
L & E Distributors | Fredericksburg, VA
OCT 2001 - APR 2004
DELIVERY DRIVER | Another distributor of sports nutrition supplements, Met-RX & Worldwide Sports Nutrition. I ran the whole show here, as my Boss was in South Amboy, NJ. I lived 70 miles from the warehouse, but I made it work. I managed inventory, rotated stock, unloaded semi trucks, loaded vans, & processed orders. I safely drove another 300k+ miles while learning how to own a job, & that no news is good news (I spoke to my Boss once a week; he called me, "Hillbilly.").
DIFFICULTY: TOUGH JOB
HTML Corporation | Richmond, VA
APR 2004 - JUN 2004
OWNER/WEB/GRAPHIC DESIGNER | Hypothesis Technologies & Media Labs. A small business I started with three others. This was a technology company, with a focus on LAN/computer security. I was on the graphic design/web development side of the business, creating web graphics (mostly flash, from animated image sequences). I learned that it's tough to start a business, it's even tougher to start a business with Friends, & tou keep those Friends through the adversity of business..
DIFFICULTY: MEDIUM JOB
L & E Distributors | Fredericksburg, VA
JUN 2004 - AUG 2004
DELIVERY DRIVER | A second stint at L & E Distributors. My replacement driver was not working out. My old Boss requested that I return, to train a new driver. I put my business on hold to return for a few months, to help him out. As I had helped grow the business by $200k annually, I felt obligated to help him, & I did. Alas, I believe it was in vein, as the business eventually folded (my presence was impactful).
DIFFICULTY: TOUGH JOB
HTML Corporation | Richmond, VA
AUG 2004 - JUL 2005
OWNER/WEB/GRAPHIC DESIGNER | My second stint with my small business. In this time, I really studied the practice of Photoshop, honing the style I prefer most: Humble Elegance. As I returned to the business, things began to slow down, eventually running out of capital. The investors changed strategies, & our business was a casualty. I learned that going into business with Friends can be fun & challenging, & demands more of yourself than you could ever give an employer.
DIFFICULTY: MEDIUM JOB
ACT II : CALIFORNIA DREAMIN'
A VOYAGE INTO THE GOLDEN STATE CORPORATE WHITE-COLLAR WORKFORCE
In-Three, Inc. | Westlake Village, CA
OCT 2005 - APR 2006
DIMENSIONALIST | My first California job was very cool. In-Three, Inc. featured some red hot technology that had the hottest directors in Hollywood chomping at the bit. In fact, Steven Spielberg & Tom Cruise were rumored to have visited the offices together, to try to get War Of The Worlds made into 3D. Super fun, but very challenging work as a "Dimensionalist." I learned that entertainment is married to technology.
DIFFICULTY: MEDIUM JOB
Worthwhile Referral Sources | Van Nuys, CA
MAY 2006 - JUN 2006
GRAPHIC DESIGNER | Another small business job. Special thanks to Nancy Sardella, as she is a wonderful person with which to work. I did some graphic design work for the WRS yellow pages, laying out ads for customers. The office was always jumping with great personalities. I learned that making a change in life is very difficult, but that new change is coming that will alleviate that pain (with more pain).
DIFFICULTY: EASY JOB
The Walt Disney Company | Burbank, CA
JUN 2006 - DEC 2006
MARKETING COORDINATOR | "Top of the world, Ma!" That's exactly how I felt walking onto the main lot at The Walt Disney Studios in Burbank. It was a contract position through AppleOne into DisneyToon Studios. I was in The Frank G. Wells Building, adjacent to the Alameda entrance. I worked for Renato, a very cool Canadian, & my skills & personality seemed well-suited for the position. Though a short-term position, I learned to make a lasting impact.
DIFFICULTY: EASY JOB
BCBG | Downtown Los Angeles, CA
DEC 2006 - DEC 2006
COORDINATOR | A two-week contract job through AppleOne. I had to drive to the textiles district downtown, a challenge in itself (all properties surrounded by chain linked barbed wire). I performed my (menial) tasks with great attitude. I moved old computers to the basement, bringing new ones upstairs, & set IP addresses for a room full of printers (50+) in a massive, empty manufacturing facility. Creepy. I learned that I had no flair for working DTLA.
DIFFICULTY: TOUGH JOB
Yahoo! Search Marketing Int'l | Burbank, CA
JAN 2007 - APR 2007
LOCALIZATION COORDINATOR | I was 'Yahoo' for Yahoo! A contract position. I was responsible for localizing the help section of the PANAMA pay-per-search platform, which required 320+ screenshots in 13 languages for 17 different countries. I crushed it. The offices are located by Burbank Airport, & when standing on the 5th story balcony, the planes look like they're coming right at you. I learned that Joe Montagna owned a restaurant in Burbank, "Taste Chicago."
DIFFICULTY: TOUGH JOB
The Walt Disney Company | Glendale, CA
JUN 2007 - APR 2012
MARKETING COORDINATOR | ♬ "Standing on top of the world!" ♬ Someone pinch me! The new MC for DisneyToon Studios had arrived. My presence was prominent & immediately impactful. I was in charge of organizing, protecting & distributing assets for two billion-dollar franchises, & six animated productions simultaneously (Disney Fairies, Disney Planes). When I left this position, Disney hired two people to replace me, solid reinforcement for the outstanding job I was doing.
DIFFICULTY: MEDIUM JOB
The Walt Disney Company | Glendale, CA
MAY 2012 - DEC 2012
SHIPPING COORDINATOR, PLANES. | "From above the world of Cars." My first venture into animated production. I was responsible for sending/receiving digital files to/from our render studio in India (PRANA). As they were 12.5 hours ahead of our time (India sits between time zones), any mistake in shipping would have led to a lost day of production (I made zero errors in 2.5+ years of shipping). I learned the workflow of animated production from the seat of an active insider.
DIFFICULTY: MEDIUM JOB
The Walt Disney Company | Glendale, CA
JAN 2013 - JUL 2014
TECHNICAL ASSISTANT, PLANES: FIRE & RESCUE. | Seven months into my first production gig, along came my second. As I had worked with Julie Garcia, she convinced me to step out of my comfort zone & apply. In addition to my new duties, I did the shipping job so well, the P:F&R crew had me do it for their production, too. The last 2 years I worked at Disney, I was in the studio three Sundays each month. I learned that I am a fast learner with a wide knowledge kaleidoscope.
DIFFICULTY: HARD JOB
ASA Trucking | Glendale, CA
MAR 2015 - APR 2015
DISPATCHER | Sort of. After my Disney layoff, I was out of work for almost a year. I don't count this job, as I was never compensated for the work I did. I only worked for this 'gentleman' because I was unable to find work elsewhere. The owner was nice enough, a former high-level diplomat in an eastern European country. Things simply didn't pan out, & I stopped showing up. I learned that if you are not paid after two weeks, you are not employed—don't go back.
DIFFICULTY: MEDIUM JOB
Sotheby's International Realty, | Brentwood, CA
JUN 2015 - FEB 2019
MARKETING COORDINATOR | Welcome to the Westside. What a change of pace, commuting from Glendale, then Culver City, and finally Thousand Oaks. I was immediately impactful here, completely invigorating the office culture. One agent called me "The Wolf," in reference to Harvey Keitel in Pulp Fiction, as I "took care of unique problems, quickly & effectively." Not one MC lasted more than six months; I was here 3.5 years. I left this job because of the commute.
DIFFICULTY: TOUGH JOB
Amazon | Newbury Park, CA
MAY 2019 - SEP 2019
DELIVERY ASSOCIATE | "On the road again." As I was not finding an opportunity in marketing in Thousand Oaks, I took a driving position. I worked out of DPS3 in Newbury Park. The routes were short, very easy, & I was exploring so many beautiful parts of California. The first company for which I worked where I was hired & administratively terminated on the same day, a clerical error they claimed was not possible. I learned that my driving & customer service skills rule.
DIFFICULTY: MEDIUM JOB
Winged Foot Express | Simi Valley, CA
NOV 2019 - NOV 2021
DISPATCHER | Amazon laid off all of their drivers, sending us to work for Amazon contractors. WFE is a 'fantastic+' carrier, as the owner set out to create the best outfit possible, After a short time driving routes & rescuing other DA's, I was placed in leadership. I was entrusted with closing the business four days a week, the last one to leave. (WFE changed stations to DPS2). I learned new leadership skills, helping many people of all ages solve difficult problems.
DIFFICULTY: MEDIUM JOB
Athens Services | Thousand Oaks, CA
NOV 2021 - DEC 2022
CUSTOME SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE | I love talkin' trash! I have a new appreciation for refuse & recycling, & the many people who make it happen. I am now one of those people. Using my customer service & computer skills, I assist clients, old & new with whatever issue they may be experiencing. I get to help many people solve many types of problems each day. BONUS: The Company is Family O&O since it started (1957), & environmentally & responsibly active & aware.
DIFFICULTY: MEDIUM JOB
Revolution Financial | Canyon Lake, CA
JUN 2021 - MAR 2022
FINANCIAL PROFESSIONAL | Though I worked with Revolution Financial Management, I was not able to sell insurance. I now have a clear understanding of how best to save and invest money. I show Clients tax-saving investment techniques that protect assets, build wealth, and help Families save for the future. My services are complimentary to those I assist. I alleviate the stress encountered during the difficult discussions of financial planning. (LIC: 4132810)
DIFFICULTY: EXCITING JOB
SBS | Malibu, CA
JUN 2023 - NOV 2023
CONTRACTOR ASSISTANT | Working for a boss like this drives me to work for myself. Waking up at 5:30am six days a week made this opportunity very unappealing. Despite management, I really enjoyed helping my coworkers in small ways to rebuild people's homes. I mostly ran construction materials and trash while cleaning up job sites. The challenges, treachery, and browbeating galvanized me. I learned that employers, too can be bipolar.
DIFFICULTY: EXHAUSTING JOB
ACT III : GET IT GOIN'!
CLEVER CURTIS FORGES THE ELEMENT OF PROBLEM SOLVING
L.A. Real Estate Agency | Beverly Hills, CA
JOINED NOV 2021
REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL | I have been working in real estate for almost a decade, performing a variety of tasks & services while assisting in the marketing & sale of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of real estate. In doing so, I have laid a foundation of unique understanding on which to build my own real estate career. I am a sound fiduciary, a smart/hard worker with a bevy of real estate knowledge & resources.
DIFFICULTY: FULFILLING JOB
CleverCurtis.com | Thousand Oaks, CA
LAUNCHED JAN 2022
OWNER/FOUNDER | There are many Curtis' in this world, but only one Clever Curtis. I can assist you with real estate transactions as well as any marketing or graphic design needs you may have. I am a great brainstorm partner, an honest, trustworthy fiduciary ready to put my many years of life & professional experience to work for you. I am standing by to help you. Let's get started.
DIFFICULTY: FUN JOB
My work experience is as diversified as those people with which I have been fortunate enough to work through these many years. The journey continues...
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