Meet Rose Sturdivant, Food & Beverage Specialist in Chicago

Tell us about yourself. Where are you from, and what did you do prior to joining Crafty?

I'm a Southern girl. I was born in the South, near Tennessee. I relocated to Chicago because of my education and career opportunities. I have a variety of experiences, from academia to healthcare to retail. One of the things that I liked the most was merchandising during my time in retail.

I was an assistant manager at Nordstrom Rack, so I gained great experience there. I have always been a people person, so customer service comes naturally to me. 

What initially attracted you to Crafty?

I saw Crafty on Indeed and I decided to dive deeper into it. I realized that it was a startup company. I was a little concerned about that because all the companies I have worked for were well-established.

At the same time, I had an interview with the Federal Reserve Bank. I realized that if I went to the Federal Reserve Bank, it would be like another cycle—it was going to be the same old thing. The money was great, and the benefits were okay, but the stress was not something that I wanted.

So I decided to throw my hat in the ring to Crafty and I have not regretted my decision.

Can you describe your role at Crafty?  

I have a unique situation. I have two accounts. In my first account, I have built a very strong relationship with my client contact there, and she trusts me. They make me feel like I'm a part of the staff.  

When we have a delivery, I unload it and stock it. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays, when we have the most traffic in the office, [time] feels a bit tight. So you want to work smarter, not harder. On slower days, you want to stock as much as possible so that when you come in the following day, you can move on to the next task.  

And at my second account,   I work on a team.  It's just a little different because they have a very set budget. I would say at this account, I'm a little bit more on my toes, meaning that you always want to have a good impression. Because I'm working on a team, I'm more in the background than I am with my first account and I'm okay with that. I tend to manage anywhere between three and four kitchens on a daily basis.

I like that my second account gives me enough time to work on what I need to do, but it also allows me to think and maybe do something a little different for the client. 

What do you like most about your job?

I like that Crafty offers that independence and flexibility.  My first account, I'm solo.  And if I do need support, I always have Slack. And within seconds, they're right there with me. That's also the case on my second account.

Even though I'm on a team, I like the idea that I have a supervisor. So, Crafty offers me both worlds, where I'm not micromanaged, but just in case I need [help], It's available through Slack and my supervisor on-premise.

What is the most unique thing about working at Crafty?

You get to do something that you care about. I never thought in a million years that I would have a job doing something like this.

I am such an organized person. When I go to my first account,  I have the opportunity to like merchandise snacks.

If [a snack or beverage] is not moving, you know what you do? You put it beside something that is moving, or yet again, go get a basket, put it on top of where the snacks are, and make it [the featured] snack of the month. So I love the uniqueness of Crafty and how they have allowed me to bring out my merchandising [skills] more.

What's a perfect day off for you?

A perfect day for me is reading, relaxing, reflecting, and, thinking about money. 

What is your favorite TV show?

I don't know if I have a favorite TV show, but I could tell you anything that comes on PBS  that has British actors,  I'm all for it.

What is your favorite book?

My favorite book is Middlemarch by George Eliot.

What is the last song you listened to?

The last song I listened to, my favorite song, and the song that I cannot get out of my head, is "Sensational Girl" by Chris Brown.

Crafty would like to extend a huge thank you to Rose for generously sharing her time and insights with us and allowing us to interview her. Thank you so much for all you do for Crafty. We are endlessly grateful to have you on our team.