Bernie Dufrene

Background

About Bernie Dufrene

I’m passionate about building relationships and helping others achieve their goals, whether in business or in life. I’ve spent my career focusing on people, not just numbers, and nothing excites me more than seeing those around me succeed. From mentoring employees to helping my son grow his own business, I believe in the power of hard work, creativity, and community.Entrepreneurship runs in my blood. When everything shut down during the Covid quarantine, I launched a custom furniture business from scratch. What started as a way to keep busy grew into a thriving company that provided seven full-time jobs and generated in its first calendar year. That experience reminded me of the endless possibilities when you follow your passion and commit to your vision.One of my proudest moments as a father was helping my son build his business, which led to him pitching it live on stage at the age of 13 in front of Daymond John from Shark Tank and five celebrity judges in Las Vegas. Watching him take that stage and share his vision with the world was a moment I’ll never forget.I’m driven by connection, creativity, and the joy of seeing others succeed. Whether it’s through growing a business, mentoring a team, or helping my family, I’m all about pushing boundaries and creating opportunities for the people around me.Specialties- Business Development- Doctor of Optometry Recruiting / Development- Transformational Change- Talent Acquisition - Team Building- Coaching and Mentoring - Training Program Design and Facilitation- Behavior Based Management- High Impact Marketing- Visual Merchandising- IT- Software Design/Developer- P&L Analysis- Competitive Analysis / Strategic PlanningSpecialties: multi-unit, retail operations, New store openings, Controllable expenses, Retail locations, Districts, Sales Floor, Store Associates, Shrink Control, Profit Goals, advertising, brand management, closing, concept development, corporate identity, credit, customer service, finance, graphics software, inventory management, marketing, materials management, microsoft office, microsoft windows, networking, payroll processing, performance analysis, plan development, print advertising, profit, quality, radio, sales, staffing, strategic planning, training programs,