Jim Sanco

About Jim Sanco

Husband, father of two daughters, Snowboarder, fly angler and fifth-generation Oregonian.20+ years of being a wholesale/retail nerd, brand building, content cultivation, packaging, merchandising and cross departmental project management. 15 years at BlackStrap® growing alongside the brand—from first employee, to Executive VP and currently lead the strategy and execution behind the wholesale-to-retail omni-channel ecosystem, focused on driving sell-through, strengthening retail partnerships, and elevating in-store brand performance through innovative merchandising, relationship based sales strategies and a ton of good times in the snow and on the water.// Professional Philosophy //People are the difference. Getting an order is just the start. True success happens through meaningful engagement with retail managers, associates, and end consumers—educating teams, identifying customer profiles, and aligning retail execution with targeted marketing strategies. Once a customer enters the store, every element—from product knowledge to visual merchandising—must communicate a consistent, compelling brand story & value proposition.// What Drives Me //I’m motivated by developing, innovating, and amplifying the wholesale cycle—building strong relationships, implementing tactical merchandising strategies, and maintaining hands-on involvement from product development through the final transaction on the sales floor.// Layers of Wholesale //A holistic wholesale experience requires alignment across every stage: product ideation, feature storytelling, packaging form and function, account relationships, trade shows, display and POP strategy, dealer education, and brand voice through retail marketing. My cross-functional involvement provides a bird’s-eye view of each seasonal collection, ensuring seamless execution from sell-in to sell-through while creating lasting brand champions on the retail floor.

Experience

1. Founder

   The Layers Of Wholesale

   Jan 2026 — Present · Bend, OR, US

   Layers of Wholesale (LOW) is a Bend, Oregon–based wholesale and retail strategy agency helping brands, retailers and sales agencies build stronger connections from sell-in to sell-through. Specializing, first, in aligning complex wholesale, product, sales, marketing & operations Go-To-Market calendars into cohesive systems that inform cross-departmental action and provide actionable growth plans. LOW also excels in brand development and deep diving into any retailer or brand\'s mission, vision, positioning, branding and strategy to create full brand guideline systems that create clarity and seamlessly translates leadership strategy into core foundations for internal staff and external messaging.For Brands : LOW works door-to-door and display-to-display, helping brands show up stronger in the field, on the sales floor, and across digital touch points. By gaining visibility on a brands wholesale ecosystem we identify the WHO is WHOlesale and provide targeted, informed action in merchandising innovation, retail marketing, wholesale relations and growth strategies.We believe the strongest brands are built through relationships — between brands, reps, retailers, and the customers they serve — and we focus on creating brand champions at every layer of the wholesale journey.Rooted in outdoor industry and decades of retail and wholesale experience, LOW exists to help our partners move smarter, scale intentionally, build lasting partnerships and develop strategy systems across their entire org.

Education

• Colorado Mountain College

  Associate of Arts - AA, General Studies and Occupational Proficiency

• Oregon State University

  BS, Tourism and Commercial Recreation

  2007 — 2011