Doug George

Invited

• Leading adult tennis programming for Hasentree Country Club.

Head Professional, Racquet Sports Operations

Assistant to the Director of Racquet Sports - overseeing facilities operations, budgeting, programming and revenue operations for Hasentree Country Club; part of Invited Clubs.

Racquet Sports Professional

Athletic Move LLC

Athletic Move LLC provides private tennis instruction, coaching and hosts private events to high & ultra high net worth individuals across the Hamptons & LA markets. 

Supporting fewer clients with higher-quality training, and more robust client experience — focused on individual training, and group coaching using tech, & AI-enabled solutions, as well as organizing private estate parties, corporate meetings, events, mixers, and home-based charity events. 

Scaled, and expand into LA market, while simultaneously building AI / SaaS startup, Klothed. 

Clients from: Apollo Global Management • Conti Group • Goldman Sachs • J.P. Morgan • Morgan Stanley • Henry Schein • Tao Group Hospitality • MSG Entertainment Group • KLM Equities • Yale, Super Models and others of Celebrity-status.

Notable Achievements: 

• $0 -> 6-figures within first 12 months
• 100% organic, referral-based growth
• Zero customer acquisition costs  
• CNBC “Make It” Interviewee  
• Interviewed by Wharton Professor of Management, Matthew Bidwell for new book (release 2025) around startups and entrepreneurial pathways

Owner

Bold Metrics Inc.

Advisory Board Member

Life365

Life365 is a leading B2B SaaS remote patient care management solutions provider. Patients with various conditions, can access remote-care monitoring & self-care management, that results in more efficient outcomes. 

Responsibilities included supporting Life365’s business development, marketing and fundraising initiatives; supporting Life365’s Series A round and strategic partnerships. 
• Reported to Ryan Changcoco, VP of Government, Investor Relations & Stakeholder Engagement.

Strategic Advisor

Klothed

Developed by a UC Berkeley Professor of Computer Science, Klothed is a patent-pending SaaS platform enabling virtual clothing try-ons for consumers, using generative AI and machine learning. Shoppers could make informed decisions prior to purchasing, helping eliminate friction, improving conversion, while reducing emissions and textile waste. 

Following a $1,800,000 pre-seed raise, my responsibility was overseeing all business operations, GTM (go-to-market) strategy and strategic initiatives. 

Highlights: Developed our brand strategy, content, launched our closed beta, managed six-figure budgets, landed two strategic partnerships, and crafted investor decks that secured $1,200,000 in LOIs before our co-founders decided to exit.

Director, Business Development & Strategic Initiatives

HamptonsFit

HamptonsFit began as a B2C SaaS platform for on-demand sports & fitness training. Think: Uber for sports training in the Hamptons market. 

I wore several hats as a partner in a high-growth startup, including, supporting existing clients, sales development initiatives, driving account upsells, and operations initiatives.
• Increased revenue through business development initiatives, strategically entering the B2B market to support private clubs with amenity-based offerings
• Became one of the most recognizable mobile sports training startups after expanding across NYC, The Hamptons, and Greenwich markets; achieving a low 7-figure valuation. I exited April 2022 to launch my startup, Athletic Move.

Partner | Head of Business Development

HamptonsFit is a SaaS-enabled platform for in-person, private sports & fitness training. We help clients across the Hamptons, NY, save time through contactless, on-demand bookings, back-office management and physical sports training. 

• Reporting to the Founder & CEO, first full-time hire overseeing sales, BD & customer experience.

Business Development Manager

Estero Country Club

• Oversaw 40+ player Junior tennis program, with 2 part-time assistants. 
• Directed sales & revenue-generating activities through mixers, social programming, events and player sourcing. 
• Managed adult tennis programming & operations, league schedules for 16 teams across 6 leagues. 
• Oversaw clay court operations & facilities maintenance.

Head Tennis Professional

• Developed & operated 2nd largest junior program in SWFL. I revitalized the program from 4 kids to 42+ year-round kids across red, orange and yellow ball. 
• Developed 4 players who went on to compete in NCAA D-I, D-II and NAIA. 
• Facilitated weekly clinics for ladies, men’s and mixed doubles competitive teams 
• Conducted 52+ hrs of private instruction per week

Assistant Tennis Professional

Victoria's Secret

• Directed asset protection, operations & compliance across NYC, Brooklyn, Queens and Long Island stores - managing 15+ 
• Instituted directives that coincided with district sales leadership, mitigating $200,000+ in operational losses.

Regional Manager, Asset Protection & Operations

Head of Asset Protection operations for Victoria’s Secret Global Flagship in Herald Square, NYC.

• 8 direct reports protecting company assets of the Global Flagship, comprised of 600+ employees, 30k daily visitors and $100M+ in annual revenue. 
• Mitigated external theft by 18% year over year during my tenure, increased internal theft investigations & successful closures by 26%

District Manager, Asset Protection & Investigations

Nordstrom

• Initiated complex investigations for 16 Nordstrom Full Line & Rack stores across the Northeast, stemming from internal theft, fraud, dishonesty, organized retail crime and supply chain losses. 
• Conducted 200+ investigations, closed 130 successful cases worth $260,000+, recovering $192,000 in losses & merchandise through restitution, and recognized as a top 5 investigator nationwide (of 84).

Corporate Investigator 

We Help Brands Attract the Right Customers | Partner & Head of Growth @ Verbatim | Marketing & Branding | Follow me as I talk about my real life journey across sales, development and business |

Thanks for stopping by! 



I’m Doug 👋

💥 A ‘traditional’ path ended after college. With many interests, I traveled different roads; realized the likes, dislikes, challenged myself to accomplish anything, and gained lifelong skills along the way, knowing I was never handed anything. 

💥 Building genuine relationships, learning new things, being challenged, connecting around business, real estate, investing, SaaS / tech, and  cool startups — all things that get me going professionally. 

💥 Tennis, book shops, local coffee shops, walking trails, perusing quaint towns & enjoying time with my partner and cat is sacred - watching movies and trying to emulate “Chopped” in the kitchen are a close second. 

👉🏼 Previous 5 years ⤵️ 


⭕️ 1000s of clients, multi-six figures in revenue for my own businesses 

⭕️ Partner, Head of Ops/BD in a Sports-tech startup (Think: Booxi or MindBody) in the Hamptons, reaching 7-figures (Exit) 

⭕️ Owner, Consultant & Director of Client Services for Athletic Move LLC - Built entirely through word-of-mouth and referrals, to six-figures 

⭕️ President / Director of Business Development & Operations for a SaaS startup focused on Generative AI, raised $1.8M, raised another ~$1M in LOIs before exiting. 

Currently ⤵️ 

✅ Head Professional, Racquet Sports Operations at Invited Clubs - The Hasentree Club 

What’s next ⤵️ 

👉🏼 I’m open to an AE, Account Manager, Customer Success role in a Pre-seed to Series B org, where I can lean into strengths of building successful relationships early and be part of the growth story. 

“When you put yourself out there, do the right thing, and work hard, good things happen.” 
    
New York-born ❤️ 
Florida-raised 🏄🏻‍♂️

Manager, Sales & Business Development

Oversee all aspects of B2B Wellness and Account Management services, B2C sales and expansion revenue. 

• 
• Lead generation, closing and nurturing new & existing accounts (generalist)

After 8 years of being out of the hospitality industry, I walked into a travel agency to the exclamation, "Hey! You're the Bingo Guy!" An email marketing campaign to drive sales from 8 years prior confirmed three things: 

•	The Power of Storytelling
•	The Power of Personal Branding
•	I Needed a Cooler Nickname

If you're looking to:

•	Develop creative paths to success
•	Find opportunities hiding in plain sight
•	Communicate strategic alternatives

Then let's chat!

In a world spinning with possibilities, I believe it's the genuine relationships we forge that make it go round.  And when you apply a bespoke touch to business – tailoring your sales, marketing, and personal brand to resonate with each individual – that's where the magic happens. 

Things I love talking shop about:

•	Customer service that's relationship-focused
•	Critical thinking & problem solving that gets to the root of the problem
•	Storytelling - Ask me about that bingo contest
•	Digital marketing & social media - CHDM certified!
•	Creative ideas & content development

Away from work I love spending time with my family, creating art, playing golf, and rooting for the Cubs and Bears. Additionally, I support the Michael J. Fox Foundation and Muscular Dystrophy Association. Please message me if you’d like to share your story or need help in reaching your goals.

Don Barnett

Every hotel Salesperson when a potential group can't shift their dates 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘺.

Creative Solutions for Hospitality Success | Director of Sales & Marketing at LondonHouse Chicago | Certified Hospitality Digital Marketer

Ever had a meeting planner check your availability 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦 blasting the RFP out to everyone else?

That’s not a sick fantasy.
That’s 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝘂𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻.

Somewhere along the way you became known as the team that:
• responds quickly • sends clear proposals • 
• actually follows up • doesn’t vanish after the site •

And once that reputation kicks in, something heavenly happens:
𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺.

Instead of fighting through the RFP Hunger Games, you see more:
• direct leads • referrals • first dibs •

Be responsive. Be easy to work with. Follow up.

Do that long enough and your reputation starts doing some of the selling for you.

Some people seem to have all the luck.

They're offered dream jobs. 
They meet the right people. 
They find a $20 bill in an old coat pocket.

Meanwhile, you find an old cough drop and a CVS receipt from 2022.

But here’s the secret, luck isn’t always random. In fact, I believe there are four types of luck. And one of them is wildly underrated.

☘ Dumb Luck - The “oops, I just won the lottery” luck. Completely random. No skill involved. Like finding a parking spot right in front of the store when it’s raining.

☘ Diligent Luck - The kind you hustle for. You put in the work, take the swings, and eventually get a hit. 

☘ Observant Luck - The ability to see things others miss. Like spotting an investment opportunity before it explodes. Or realizing before anyone else that cargo shorts were a terrible idea.

But the best kind of luck?

☘ Signature Luck - The luck you create by building a brand (corporate or personal). 

The reputation that makes people think of you first when opportunity knocks. 

It's putting in the work.
Staying visible.
Building trust.

Over time, this stops feeling like "luck" and starts feeling like momentum.

The vast majority of people in hospitality aren't sharing they're valuable knowledge or personality on LinkedIn. 
And I know why...
 
It's because of the "Eyeroll Threshold". 
 
It's these circles of hell one must traverse, fraught with judgement and eyerolls. 
 
⭕ The 1st Circle is usually your Inner Circle; family. And kids are the worst. No one rolls their eyes harder at you than a daughter, believe me, I have two. 
⭕ The 2nd Circle are Friends and Co-Workers. They'll mostly roll their eyes behind your back or make a snide comment. 
⭕ But the 3rd Circle, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩'𝙨 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙧𝙤𝙨𝙨 𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙡𝙙. This circle is filled with people that know you but don't see you often. They might find some joy in hearing what you have to say or what you're up to these days. 
⭕ The 4th Circle are people you've never met, but you've said something that resonates with them. Maybe even helped or inspired them in some way. 
 
I heard something great the other day: Hate doesn't come from people ahead of you. It comes from people jealous or threatened by you. 

It's the price you pay for going against the status quo. 
▶️ But to the bold go the spoils.

Want to stand out in business?
 
Bring energy.
 
The type that makes people think, "Wow, this person must like being here."

Real enthusiasm.
 Because energy is contagious.
 
If you show up engaged, responsive, and genuinely excited to help, people feel it.  
And when people feel it, they want to work with you.
 
In hospitality especially, enthusiasm is a cheat code.
 
The quick reply.  
The proactive follow-up.  
The “I’ve got this” attitude.
 
No one remembers the most polished person in the room.
They remember the one who made them feel excited about working together.
 
You don’t have to be the loudest.
Just the most alive. ⚡

Is your hotel's social media like that gym membership you technically have?
Going twice a week, effort varies.

Technically active.
Visibly present.
Emotionally... buffering.

Next time you look at your Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc., ask yourself:

🤔 Does your content show your hotel's personality?
🤔 Does it speak to your ideal audience?
🤔 Does it have a pulse?

If your feed feels like a treadmill set to 1 mph, don't be surprised when no one's breaking a sweat over your brand.

Have your LinkedIn posts been put in witness protection?
Seen by no one? 
Don Hoteleone has 2 pieces of advice...

1. Stop Reposting 

Reposting? Congrats, you just became LinkedIn’s version of a chain email.

Original content is king. Reposts get buried in the desert.

If you’re going to repost something, add your own thoughts and commentary to it. Otherwise, fuhgeddaboudit...

2. Stop putting a link in your post. 

LinkedIn doesn't condone you going against the family. In other words, they don't want you following another link off of their site.

However, to get around this algorithmic nightmare, post a link in the comments.

The algorithm isn’t out to get you. But it 𝘪𝘴 out to ignore you if you keep doing these two things.

Have you had the "𝙉𝙖𝙥𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙤𝙣 𝘿𝙮𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙇𝙞𝙣𝙠𝙚𝙙𝙄𝙣 𝘽𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙠𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝"? It goes like this (queue music)...

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁, you finally say **** it and post something thoughtful and genuine on LinkedIn.

𝗦𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗱, most of your inner circle of immediate colleagues, friends and/or family roll their eyes at you.

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗱, you discover that those outside of that circle in the LinkedIn community support and applaud your efforts. 

Maybe even hear your message loud and clear. In the movie (spoiler alert), he gets his buddy elected as Class President.

In real life, you gain new friends, allies, referrals, bookings, job offers, speaking engagements, and on and on...

Am I saying your wildest dreams will come true? 
You'll never know if you don't try.
Be willing to stand out in a sea of sameness my friends.

You've heard of goat yoga,
but have you tried Yorkie meditation?

It's where you meditate for 5 seconds before the most impatient dog on Earth jumps on your face.

1 star, do not recommend.

Speed wins. 
In sales. In sports.
When kicking a muffin into the air before it hits the floor...

If you're in group sales, let’s talk about response time.

According to Cvent, the 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗴𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝟴 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 to respond to RFPs.

Eight hours.

Are we submitting RFPs... or walking to Mordor?

Amadeus’ MeetingBroker data shows that 72% of first responders win the business.

That's not a small edge.
That's structural advantage.

But here's the part people miss:

Speed gets you noticed.
Follow-up get you awarded.

Winning teams don't just respond fast.
They:

• Prioritize RFP responses
• Set clear next steps
• Follow a structured cadence
• Stay persistent (without being annoying)
 
Speed gets you in the game.  Follow-up closes it.

What’s your average response time?

And more importantly, what happens after you hit send?

Did you know there's a formula to monetizing your personal brand?

And none of it involves going viral.
(the germaphobe in me just said, "Thank God")

The people seeing opportunities are running this playbook:

✅ Specific Knowledge
→ Be dangerously good at something people actually care about. Generic advice doesn’t pay.

✅ Value First, Always
→ Give before you ask. Do you like ads in your feed? Me neither. Provide something people can use.

✅ Networking (Like It’s Your F***** Job)
→ Build relationships, not just a following. Opportunities come from people, not likes.

✅ Leverage
→ Utilize platforms, systems, and connections that amplify your reach. Smarter, not harder.

✅ Personality and Storytelling
→ Show up as YOU and tell stories. Facts tell, but stories sell.

✅ Consistency and Patience
→ This platform provides you the opportunity to stay top of mind with your network as often as you choose to show up.

✅ Thick Skin
→ First they'll roll their eyes and ask why you're doing it. Then they'll ask how you did it.

If you run this formula long enough, you won’t have to chase opportunities.

They’ll be chasing you.

What’s one part of this formula you’re focusing on right now?

Did the person you just gave your name to say, "Who?"
Unless that person was an owl, your personal brand has some serious red flags.

In sales (hospitality or otherwise), 𝘺𝘰𝘶 are the brand long before anyone sees your property. If people can’t place your name or the reason they 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 remember you, then your follow-up is already playing from behind.

✅ Your brand is why planners reply to 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 email first. 
✅ It’s why they tag you when someone posts “I need a hotel in Chicago!” 
✅ It’s why your name doesn’t just show up, it 𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘴.

You don't have to be loud or as hilarious as I think I am. 
But you do need to 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦 yourself. 

Who you are.
How you help.
Why you resonate.

So if the last five people you introduced yourself to said “Who?”, it’s time to give your brand a little boost. 

Or stop hanging out with owls.
Even if their meetings are a hoot. #𝗱𝗮𝗱𝗷𝗼𝗸𝗲𝘀

If you could travel 20 years into the past to impart some wisdom to yourself, what would you say? 
 
For me: 
 
🔹 Worrying is wasted energy and won't change any outcome whether good or bad. 
🔹 Nothing is more valuable than time. Invest it in quality people, places and things. 
🔹 Tremendous freedom is gained when you stop caring what people think. 
🔹 Create small daily goals that are impossible not to complete. 
🔹 Embrace the concept of leverage. 
🔹 Stop talking and start doing.  

⚠️ Don't shave your entire head to the lowest clipper setting, you will regret it.
 
What would you say to your younger self?

A big influencer can get you seen.
But a micro-influencer can get you booked.

If you've ever worked in Sales at a hotel with only one ballroom, you've likely told a client, "You'll be a big fish in a small pond."

Working with a micro-influencer is like that!

A creator with a massive following can put your hotel, restaurant, or experience in front of a ton of people. But that ocean is diluted.

A strategically aligned micro-influencer puts you in front of the 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 people and makes it feel like an actual recommendation.

Here are some key differences:

Big following influencer:

• big reach
• broad awareness
• polished content
• everyone sees it

Micro-influencer:

• stronger trust
• better engagement
• more niche audience
• content that feels believable
 
When trust and attention are at a premium, that matters. 
That’s where micro-influencers win.
 
Less “paid partnership energy.”  More “I went, I loved it, and you will too."

DM me if you want to talk shop!

taplio

The Battle

Doug George

Don Barnett

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taplio

The Battle

Doug George

Don Barnett

Followers

Posts

Engagements

Likes

Performance Score.css-goub6s{font-size:var(--chakra-fontSizes-md);font-weight:500;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray-600);display:block;margin-top:var(--chakra-space-1);}Don Barnett's LinkedIn Performance

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