Out & Back is a multi-brand retail hub for all things outdoor-active in Aberdeen, Scotland.Proudly independent and founded by the dedicated and passionate partnership of David Taylor and Thomas Lindie, Out & Back is not just a store; it's a physical space where customers can interact with products, engage with like-minded individuals, partake in regular group activities, and participate in workshops and events. Our curated range of performance footwear and technical apparel bridges the gap between an outdoor-active lifestyle and fashion-conscious outdoor lovers. These people seek functional and stylish activewear that can seamlessly transition from their workouts to their daily lives.Coming soon.

I co-own New Balance Gallery – Instagram’s largest and original NB reference point and community - with my friend Rob Stewart, who started the Instagram account (@newbalance_gallery) in January 2013 Since then, we have amassed over 312,000 followers, and as an extension to the Instagram account, I launched a website - www.newbalancegallery.co.uk - where we created New Balance related content, posted recaps about any events we have attended, as well as any interviews, short films, or videos that we were part of. However, due to my current position at HANON, the website is no longer active but remains online to exist archive for NB collectors worldwide.We still continue to post content on Instagram regularly, and over the years, we have been lucky enough to travel throughout Europe and to the USA representing New Balance Gallery and various brand events. More recently, in Summer 2019, we were presented with an opportunity by New Balance UK to create and deliver assets for the launch of their third footwear collaboration with Celtic FC. Furthermore, to celebrate the launch of the collaboration, we planned, co-ordinated, and activated a launch event inside Celtic Park.

Following two years at HANON, I was promoted to Marketing Manager, and I have been successfully managing a highly functioning and growing team for over three years now. During my time in this role, I have been at the forefront of HANON’s visual identity and lead the successful roll out of over 40 HANON SMUs (special make ups/collaborations), spearheaded several external brand activations with global sportswear companies (including one in London) and ensured that company targets were hit or overachieved, all while keeping on top of day-to-day activities.• Managing the Marketing Team and recognising the strengths of the team members and delegating tasks accordingly. Continually demonstrating my ability to offer clear expectations so that the team members understand their responsibilities and deliverables.• Management of the HANON SMU roll out calendar and successful implementation of the marketing roll out to maximise sell-thru.• Highlighting key franchises for HANON within external brands and then planning, co-ordinating, and executing marketing activations.• Managing all HANON Brand and editorial shoots - design or visual concept, direction, asset creation, digital production, etc.• Building and maintaining strong relationships with external brand contacts through regular communication and attending brand sell-ins/meetings.• Combining analytics with creative ideas to design briefs for digital assets & marketing activations to ensure high impact and ROI.• Working closely with the Merchandise Manager to ensure that we are hitting forecasted sales figures.• Working with the Directors and Accounts team to agree budgets and manage the spend.• Compiling reports/data and presenting it to Department Heads and Directors at weekly and monthly meetings and then implementing action plans.• Calculating KPIs & comparing performance of different marketing campaigns over time to make data-based decisions to improve performance.

My passion for photography, footwear, and streetwear led me to make the jump into this sector and pursue it as a career, and in 2015, I began working for HANON as their in-house photographer, as well as managing all social media channels, creating content, and working on internal and external marketing campaigns. This role required excellent organisational skills, along with being able to multitask, work under pressure, and to strict deadlines, as well as having an in-depth knowledge of the product that we stock. Furthermore, it required a high level of understanding with regards to social media and marketing.• Lifestyle photography of footwear, apparel, and accessories, which were being shot for HANON’s blog and social media channels.• Creating, co-ordinating, and executing shoot briefs for HANON collaborations.• A knowledge of all social media platforms but with a particular focus on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, as well as planning and scheduling content for these platforms.• Utilising Adobe Creative Suite and in particular, Photoshop, Lightroom, and Illustrator, for post production of imagery.• Utilising Microsoft Office and Google Programmes to create strategies, briefs, decks, and similar, for marketing and/or reporting/analytical purposes.• Knowledge of how to create email campaigns and manage large volume subscriber lists using email marketing software such as Campaign Monitor.• A working knowledge of HTML and CSS for updating the HANON website.• Being able to work under pressure and to multiple strict deadlines with a large workload.• Communicating with brand representatives and media outlets via email and other forms of communication to discuss product launch details and/or potential activation opportunities.

Test and calibrate the gyroscopic survey tools, such as CAAT (Continuous All-Attitude Tool), GWD (gyro while drilling), and normal gyros, which are manufactured by Gyrodata for a number of clients. The tools are extensively tested and monitored in the same configuration the tool will be deployed to the rig site. They are tested over a series of known positions with relation to True North and vertical, over a range of operating temperatures, with the computers calculating the inclination, azimuth and toolface.This job requires a great deal of responsibility, as it is out-of-office hours, with myself mainly being the only person in the building to complete the tasks without any help or guidance in preparation for the tools being sent out offshore. Any issues or problems that may occur need to be dealt with wisely and correctly to ensure that the tools are completed on time. Gained an increased knowledge of the tools purpose and an insight to the very expensive, cutting-edge technology that provides the highest accuracy for wellbore navigation.

Duties included providing day-to-day support to my supervisor and managers in managing a team of approximately 20 members of staff in one of the busiest footwear departments in Scotland, as well as offering a high level of customer service and dealing tactfully with customer complaints.Worked in 7 different stores across the country excelling in my leadership skills, team working, organisation, footwear and retail based knowledge, and the ability to work in a fast paced and tough environment.