Valerie Burroughs Resume
Valerie Burroughs is an experienced Creative Director with a successful history in the footwear and fashion industry. Skilled in brand & product development, project management, line planning, trend analysis, marketing, sales management, web design, social media, and art direction.
March 2019- Present
Founder of VB Creative which is a consulting business specializing in footwear and accessories with an additional focus in marketing and branding for businesses and individuals.
Services and skills include:
Product: Design, product line planning, development, capacity planning, vendor relations, supply chain management, quality control, and commercialization.
Marketing: Project management, planning, product launch plans, email campaigns, social media management, influencer seeding, and content creation.
Website: Design and manage websites, writing meta descriptions and SEO.
Systems: Develop best practices, timelines, and organizational tools to help businesses meet their goals.
Branding: Logo design, brand guidelines, kits, and brand development for companies and individuals. Stylizing businesses to look and feel the way they’re intended.
Stylizing businesses to look and feel the way they're intended.
Chinook Asia LLC
Lake Oswego, OR
Roles from June 2006 to March 2019
Creative Director
Dates Employed Aug 2015 – Mar 2019
Managed the ULU Boot Brand and TSUBO, both owned by Chinook Asia.
Developed all product, branding, marketing, and sales channels.
Responsible for all the products, including sourcing designers, development, line planning, materials, factory sourcing, and commercialization. Traveled to Asia to monitor sampling and production.
Built and maintained www.uluboot.com and www.tsubo.com
Created ULU Boot’s and TSUBO’s social media platforms from zero to thousands of followers.
I helped find brand partners and influencers who helped increase the customer base and sales for both brands.
Managed the sales representatives.
Created and ran the P&L.
Doubled ULU Boot sales from year to year: 2015 to 2019.
Product Line Manager – Footwear
Dates Employed Jan 2012 – 2015
This position was a part of the Chinook Asia Sourcing division for private label brands and owned branded products. Brands included: Mozo, TSUBO, and ULU Boot.
Product Line Manager for Mozo and Marks Casual Women’s Shoes.
Managed the development cycle from conceptualization to product launch.
The footwear Valerie developed were the best-selling styles for both brands for over two years.
Analyzed customer’s marketplaces zeroing in on gaps in the industry to develop appropriate products.
Sourced footwear materials.
Developed new anti-slip and comfort technologies.
Sourced, selected, and managed designers.
Monitored and analyzed market trends and competitors to stay competitive.
Worked with management to develop long-term product development and sales strategies for all brands.
Carried out research to determine customer needs and expectations to develop new products.
Implemented, managed, and styled photoshoots for Mozo.
Ran Mozo’s social media and website growing the overall business.
Designed Mozo’s trade show booths and line sheets.
Mozo was sold to Shoes For Crews one year after working on the brand for five times the sale price. Mozo’s best-selling styles remain the styles developed at Chinook.
Senior Footwear Developer
Dates Employed Jun 2006 – Jun 2018
This position was within Chinook Asia’s sourcing division for private label brands, including American Eagle Outfitters, Marks, and Jack & Jones.
Worked with Chinook's winter boot and fashion customers to develop their designs into samples and take the styles through the commercialization process.
Worked closely with each brand to develop their product. Growing their business and Chinook’s business year after year.
Interpreted and understood consumer dynamics; predicted shifts and reacted to lifestyle trends bringing that information into customers’ products.
Procured designers and created briefs.
Sourced materials and factories for customers' products.
Managed the sample and production timelines.
Negotiated prices with factories on behalf of customers.
Traveled to Asia to manage sampling and production.
Education
Northern Arizona University
Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion Merchandising with a Minor in Communication
Skills
Brand development
Product development
Timeline management
Production lifecycle knowledge
Digital Marketing
Project Management
Marketing strategy
Social media management
Sales management
Trend forecasting
Styling
Merchandising
Art Direction
Creative Problem solver
Quality Control
Supply Chain Management
Materials sourcing
Designer Sourcing