Clear as mud?Try my LinkedIn.CV
Being a company of one means wearing many hats. Primariliy I consult.
When a project calls I might manage, direct and collaborate with others.
Good pal, design inspiration and occaional collaborator, in that order, Kirsten Murray calls me an
“expert facilitator” which is nice!
I establish Don’t Walk with former colleague and part-time partner Mark McAulay. We do some good work for some good people but are still in ‘startup mode’ when a global pandemic hits.
Mark is seeing success making hot sauce. I’m contemplating working in house for a client. We part ways. I still buy his hot sauce.
Mark left a LinkedIn recommendation for me after we worked together at EQ. I’ve occasionally wondered if this still stands after having partnered in an LLP…
Brand consultant
2015-2018*
*I take a wee break to try a parnership as Don’t Walk but come back to [a] afterwards.
On May 4th 2015 I write a wee list of tongue-in-cheek creative agency names. ‘A Design Agency’ tops the list.
By June 2015 I own the a-design.agency (web) domain name. I move to Edinburgh with a fierce determination that I’ll find my own clients and won’t work as a freelancer for agencies.
a] design agency officially starts trading in August and I trim my beard. This is the last time that a close trim actually makes me look younger.
“I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Stew. I am very impressed with his commitment, flexibility, willingness to over-deliver and straight forward communication.”
—Andy Rockall, 2018
Unemployment!
2015
July-August
In June 2015 I resign from my agency job and set up solo with no firm plan and no idea how to start crafting one!
I loose my first ‘pitch’. Applying for a job at Whitespace with Chris Davey. It doesn’t take Chris long to realise that I like his work, want to work at the agency but don’t want the job I’ve applied for.
Between leaving Aberdeen and setting up in Edinburgh I spend a bit of time with Buisness Gateway and stop trimming my beard.
My mum is both proud and worried—rightly so.
Move to Aberdeen and immediately score a job at EQ Design Ltd. This involves turning up at their studio univited because in 2010 an important part of having an agency website was to encourage people to ‘just pop in’ and I’m the type of person who holds companies to their word.
Thankfully Mark and his team were willing victims. By 2015 I leave the agency as a senior designer having worked on brand, web, marketing and graphic design projects.
I work for Mark Kemp for five years. Along the way I pick up brand, web, digital and strategy skills. I leave EQ with only one disciplinary under my belt, but some excellent quotes from Mark like,
“Maverick” “Lose cannon” and “Rogue”.
Note: To this day, Mark hasn’t written me a LinkedIn recommendation. Perhaps this is a good thing?
My first role relating to design is at MailBoxes Etc in Stirling (Scotland).
The business punches far above our weight in terms of clients, partly as a result of the financial crash. As big buisness cuts budget we fit a niche and find outselves providing graphic design and print to some pretty heavy hitters.
Mailboxes Stirling is part of the MBE franchise. This store rises to the top ten for print within that franchise. I’m part of a team of three and the learning curve is a steep one.
Graham Angus (owner) says it better than me,
”Working with Stewart was a pleasure, he approached everything with great enthusiasm and vigour. He could take a brief and produce quality work within the deadlines set and customers appreciated that Stewart would go that extra mile to deliver. I would recommend Stewart to anyone who wanted quality graphic design.”