Taylor Ivison

Experience

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  Southern California Bars

  Aug 2007 - Sept 2011

  Bartender

  - On Broadway - Two story nightclub with five rooms and seven bars.- The Wine Pub - Neighborhood wine bar.- Cosmopolitan - Pre-prohibition craft cocktail bar with an agave spirits and rye whiskey forward program.- The Glass Door - Casual fine dining restaurant in a boutique hotel with a tequila focused bar program.- Mercury Lounge - Neighborhood dive with an exclusively local wine list and global beer selection.

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  VERB Network

  Nov 2008 - Oct 2012

  Founder | Director of Photography | Editor

  Produced and distributed original action sports television programming along with Rip Curl Search, Billabong Surf TV, and Board Stories to over 2 million homes across Southern California on Cox Cable affiliates.

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  McFadden's Restaurant and Saloon

  Sept 2011 - Oct 2012

  Bar Manager | Lead Bartender

  The first west coast location for this national chain of Irish themed “party bars”. At 10,000 square feet with a 680 person maximum capacity, 1,800 covers and $25,000 in sales were commonplace for a Saturday night. - Lead the opening bar team through the build out of the bar, opening training, and through the first year of service. - Designed the back bar layout including working space and liquor displays. - Selected and managed a $34,000 liquor inventory with $20,000 plus weekly orders from seven vendors.- Wrote the specialty cocktail menu and trained the bar staff on it as well as the most commonly called for cocktails. - Maintained the highest profits of all 17 nationwide locations while under my management. Show less

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  Manulele Incorporated

  Oct 2012 - Nov 2014

  Videographer | Editor | Photographer

  An Action Sports media house entrenched in the surf industry that produced and published an edition of FreeSurf Magazine and an episode of either Billabong Surf TV or Board Stories TV every month as well as third party content for a host of action sports brands and publications including: ESPN, Surfer Magazine, GoPro, Billabong, Hurley, Fox Racing, Quicksilver, Roxy, FCS, Volcom, Alpine Stars, and the Tourism Authorities of Panama and Ecuador.- Videographer and Editor of 22 Billabong SurfTV and BoardStories Episodes.- Staff Photographer for 28 Editions of FreeSurf Magazine.- Full photo and video contest coverage of 24 surf contests.- Photograph sold to Surfer Magazine for the cover of Vol. 54 No. 4, April 2013 and nominated to the "Top 25 Photos of 2013" list. Show less

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  United Sports Brands

  Dec 2014 - Sept 2015

  Creative Production Specialist

  United Sports Brands, the parent company of Shock Doctor, Cutters, and RE+, is a global leader in sports performance and protective products that help athletes perform to their personal best. - Worked with the Director of Brand Development to conceptualize, write, and produce all creative digital marketing assets for all three brands.Shot videography and edited 25 marketing, advertising, and promotional videos.- Photographed product marketing imagery. - Worked with the social media team to conceptualize and create memes, promo videos, and quick turn-around projects that were relevant to daily and weekly online trends. Show less

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  La Jolla Group

  Sept 2015 - Jan 2018

  Lead Videographer | Editor | Photographer

  Operating as an internal agency, the photo and video studio was an independent entity employed by La Jolla Group that created a wide variety of marketing, advertising, and promotional content for O'Neill, Metal Mulisha, FMF, Roark Revival, and Spiritual Gangster including seasonal catalogs, marketing imagery, lookbook videos, technical product videos, and ecommerce imagery both still and motion.- Worked directly with the Creative Directors, Brand Directors, Marketing Directors, Art Directors, and merchandisers of each brand as well as the Studio Manager, Producer, and Director of Ecommerce through all stages of production from concept through final delivery on: - 105 lookbook videos - 24 seasons worth of ecommerce videos - 20 technical product marketing/advertising videos - 10 In-store display videos - Five internal brand videos - Product photography for 58 catalogs and their corresponding ecommerce sites - Marketing photography for six catalogs Show less

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  Aloha Oaxaca

  Feb 2018 - Sept 2018

  Bar Consultant

  Oaxaca de Juarez’s first tiki bar. Tucked away behind a street-side restaurant this hidden little tropical oasis was designed as a place for locals and travelers to escape, relax, and enjoy good friends and great drinks- Assisted the ownership team in finding the perfect venue through local real estate agents.- Created a comprehensive business plan outlining the concept, design goals, menu ideas, pricing, cost of goods and construction estimates, as well as financial projections for the first year. - Worked with the legal team to draft necessary contracts and obtain all of the required licenses and permits.- Designed and managed the fabrication and installation of the bar, back bar, wells, shelving, liquor storage and operational spaces to be optimized for bartender efficiency and an elevated guest experience.- Collaborated with the interior designers to source furniture, lighting, and decor to match the concept - Created a soundscape that seamlessly transformed from room to room to align the decor and ambiance of the bar.- Hand selected and sourced all of the glassware, punch bowls, bar tools, garnish caddies, reusable straws, napkins, and other consumable necessities.- Curated the liquor inventory, ensuring a comprehensive selection that resonated with the establishment's vision and catered to a diverse range of customer preferences.- Successfully cultivated and nurtured vendor relationships, forging essential partnerships needed for securing high-quality ingredients and resources.- Established standards of service, procedures for ordering supplies, maintaining par levels, and managing costs to maximize profitability.- Trained the bar staff on menu specifics and standards of service while actively collaborating to refine the second menu which featured at least one original drink from each bartender, enhancing team involvement and diversifying the menu offerings.- Designed and displayed marketing materials including fliers and print advertising assets. Show less

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  Cocktail Kitchen Creative

  Jan 2020 - now

  Founder & Creative Director

  A cocktail focused creative solution that provides a wide range of creative services including bar and beverage consulting, photography and video production, cocktail and spirits education, and creative direction.- Conceptualized and crafted innovative cocktail recipes and comprehensive educational presentations aimed at catalyzing inventive thinking across PepsiCo and Harris Tea Company’s R&D teams.- Invited as one of three guest creatives to join PepsiCo’s Global Beverage Innovation Summit and advise on brand strategies, creative product applications, and “viral” branding opportunities.- Facilitated and composed batch cocktail recipe modifications and instruction manuals for offsite chef teams preparing for PepsiCo sponsored events.- Photographed an extensive collection of cocktail recipes for a PepsiCo recipe book that included products from Pepsi, Mtn Dew, Sierra Mist, Bubly, Pure Leaf Tea, and Starbucks.- Produced, directed, and edited a series of 20 instructional mixology videos for PepsiCo.- Styled and photographed a summer promotional campaign for the Meijer Grocery Store chain to showcase Pepsi, SierraMist, and Dole products. - Instructed virtual cocktail classes ranging from classic cocktails and introductory techniques to complex custom recipes with advanced processes to a wide variety of groups at PepsiCo, Harris Tea Company, Healthy On You, Okta, and Rocky Mountain Venture Capital Association.- Authored and photographed cocktail recipes for Martha Stewart’s Real Simple Magazine, Newman's Own, Southern Breeze, Wonder Drink, Flor de Caña Rum, 10th Mountain Whiskey & Spirit Company, Malfy Gin, and Faire la Fête.- Oversaw end-to-end project management, from initial concept creation to final delivery, ensuring projects were completed on time, within budget, and to the highest standards.- Nurtured strong and lasting client relationships, fostering open communication and collaboration to ensure deliverables met or exceeded their expectations. Show less

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  CH Projects, Inc.

  Apr 2022 - Jun 2023

  - 50 Best Bars in North America 2023 - 50 Best- 25 Best Bars in North America 2022 - Esquire MagazineAn individually unique and immersive three-course cocktail experience tailored to each guest’s personal flavor profile. Over the course of ninety minutes guests indulge in a sequence of cocktails: starting off with something light, bright, and refreshing for the appetizer course, followed by a more spirit-forward round as the entrée, and finishing with an interpretation of their favorite dessert. - Engaged with guests to determine the type of spirits they like, their flavor interests, and level of adventurousness for each round and then crafted an original cocktail for everyone in the group meeting their individual criteria, garnished the drinks lavishly, and explained what was in every drink, why certain spirits or cordials were chosen, and answered any follow up questions while delivering them to the guests.- Built rounds of cocktails in a methodical process designed to maximize efficiency, ensure the highest quality of production, and consistent timing of delivery. - Introduced guests to new spirits and expressions that fit their interests or presented them with their favorite spirit in a different or unconventional format. - Assisted guests with high-end bottle selections providing tasting notes, personal recommendations, prices, and any relevant information that may be available on specific expressions. - Participated in bi-weekly education and training sessions cultivating a comprehensive understanding of spirits and refining technical skills to ensure the highest standards of service.- Hosted spirits education sessions with staff dubbed “Bottle Talks” that included information on the brand and bottle, laws of production for that spirit category, details of production for that specific expression, tasting notes, pricing details, and strategies for upselling accompanied by a tasting. Show less Prohibition style speakeasy that offers a “dealers choice” experience that caters to each guest's personal desires in place of a menu.- Completed sixty hours of technical training to ensure that standards of service were met and that process and presentation were both uniform across the team and optimized for speed and efficiency.- Memorized a compendium of hundreds of cocktail recipes and as much background information on them as possible from the author of the recipe, to the year and bar it’s attributed to, and any historical or colloquial information that may be of interest. - Inquired with guests about their favorite spirits, the style of cocktail that they are interested in, any specifics on flavors they may or may not want, and whether they have any food allergies to be aware of before selecting the appropriate cocktail to fit their desires and level of adventurousness. - Assisted guests with bottle selections by providing tasting notes, personal recommendations, prices, and any relevant information that may be available on specific expressions. - Built rounds of drinks in a methodical process designed to maximize efficiency, produce the best possible quality of cocktails, and have them all ready at the same time. - Provided descriptions of the ingredients in every drink and answered follow up questions while delivering the cocktails. - Educated guests on a wide variety of topics pertaining to alcohol, bartending, and the beverage industry as a whole ranging from the production and classification of spirits, to why a specific technique may or may not be used and what it achieves, to whether or not the monks that make Chartreuse will be ramping up production.- Participated in bi-weekly education and training sessions cultivating a comprehensive understanding of spirits and refining technical skills to ensure the highest standards of service. Show less

  • Young Blood - Bartender

    Nov 2022 - Jun 2023

  • Noble Experiment - Bartender

    Apr 2022 - Jun 2023
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  Lush Life Productions

  Jun 2023 - Jun 2023

  Camp Runamok, Camper

  Camp Runamok is the first summer camp designed for bartenders. With a focus on education, charity, and community building, Camp Runamok is dedicated to bettering the craft bartending world in an engaging and approachable environment. Camp fosters life-changing connections made with like-minded and ambitious industry professionals from around the world and offers a space for professionals to network, collaborate, and learn through daily education programs.- Selected as one of 125 bartenders to attend Spring Session from a global pool of thousands of applicants.- Cabin won the inaugural Cocktail Kingdom hospitality challenge.- Toured distilleries and participated in educational training sessions that gave uniquely intimate insights into their creative processes, internal research projects, and details of production that would never be available to the public.- Participated in sponsored community building and networking events attended by campers, brand ambassadors, and sponsors. - Hosted and executed pop-up events to spotlight and promote our brand sponsor, Gray Whale Gin, amplifying brand presence in the global craft cocktail community. Show less

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  GMR Marketing

  Apr 2024 - now

  Agave Educator/Ambassador

  Agave Ambassador for Proximo SpiritsCuervo, 1800, Maestro Dobel, Gran Centenario, Gran Coramino, Reserva de la Familia, 400 Conejos, Creyente