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Nicholas Kratochvil is director of digital at Sloomoo Institute, a children’s slime exhibit and shop with locations in New York City, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, and Los Angeles.
How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in retail? We have two primary sales touch points at Sloomoo Institute—our web platform where guests buy tickets for our experiences and our gift shops, where we showcase our latest slimes and apparel. I experiment with web checkout design, variable ticket pricing, and experience upgrades to increase our guest count and revenue ahead of their visit. Additionally, I distribute attendance more evenly throughout open hours so they have a better time, and identify product performance trends to help ensure our best selection is available when they arrive at our shops.
One thing we can’t guess about your job from your LinkedIn profile? I’m not very savvy on LinkedIn, so there are likely plenty! I’m just thankful that the founders have given me the opportunity to ideate, innovate, and iterate tests and concepts. It’s thrilling to try new things and collaborate with our experience teams to exchange ideas, learn what is working, and inform the next best actions.
What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on? We recently opened a new location in Los Angeles. It’s a real standout on Fairfax—a big, magenta building with its own eyeballs, where our guests can enjoy memorable experiences and take some slime home with them, all thanks to the collective effort of a great team.
Which emerging retail trend are you most excited about right now, and why? Personalization. When a brand lets me play designer, it adds to my ownership of whatever I’m purchasing from them.
What’s your go-to coffee order? Drip coffee with a little bit of room for milk.
Worst piece of advice you’ve received? “You should try that pickle-flavored jelly bean.”
What was your favorite retail product when you were 15, and what’s your favorite retail product now? Iconic Polo gear, then and now, if I’m honest. The mesh polos when I was a kid. These days, the oxfords.