Self-employed | Contract work

Empowering hospitality leaders with targeted, actionable strategies that drive immediate results. My focus is on accelerating career growth through practical tools in leadership mastery, team engagement, and strategic thinking.

Key Achievements:

✧ Fast-Tracked Career Development: Designed a career advancement framework that helped 50+ clients secure higher roles within 6 months.

✧ Leadership Mastery: Enabled managers to enhance confidence and effectiveness with a 25% increase in team productivity.

✧ Interview Success: Guided professionals in executive role preparation, achieving a 90% interview success rate.

✧ Team Engagement Strategies: Introduced team-building frameworks that increased employee retention by 20% across client teams.

Career Development Specialist

The Barrett Group

As an Executive Resume Writer at The Barrett Group, I crafted high-impact career documents that led to career advancements for hundreds of clients. 

My approach focused on capturing core strengths, aligning with client goals, and enhancing market relevance.

Key Achievements:

✧ Produced strategic resumes that directly led to increased interview rates for clients.

✧ Recognized for delivering high-quality, tailored career documents that positioned clients for leadership roles.

✧ Collaborated with consultants to integrate personal branding techniques, boosting clients' visibility on LinkedIn.

Executive Resume Writer

Goodwin Recruiting

Leveraged extensive hospitality expertise to navigate the complexities of talent acquisition during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on aligning top-tier talent with leadership roles to support client growth and team cohesion.

Key Achievements: 

✧ Adapted recruiting strategies to overcome pandemic-related challenges, resulting in successful placements that supported critical leadership needs. 

✧ Implemented targeted industry insights to maintain streamlined hiring practices, reducing the average hiring cycle despite widespread disruptions. 

✧ Enhanced client partnerships through transparent communication and creative candidate sourcing methods, fostering trust and long-term collaboration.

Recruiter- Hospitality Division | Remote

SUNY Adirondack

Partnering with a state university’s continuing education department, I helped create an interactive class designed to help staff improve the customer experience for the Lake George region of New York!

Curriculum Development- Contract Training

Without a master’s degree, but years of real-life leadership experience, I found it difficult to teach at the university level.

So, I did the next best thing and condensed what I had learned over the years of coaching, mentoring, and developing teams and managers, and created two courses.  

My love of teaching flourished as I helped other professionals improve their own leadership skills and increase internal and external customer engagement.

Continuing Education Instructor

Richbell Capital

Led the transition from hospitality to multifamily property management, successfully overseeing the growth of a Class A portfolio from one to five communities (800+ apartments) while improving resident experience.

Key Achievements:

✧ Established SOPs and management practices, increasing operational efficiency by 30%.

✧ Enhanced resident retention by 13% through quality service initiatives.

✧ Achieved 90% occupancy consistently, with a strong focus on resident satisfaction.

Director of Property Management | Partial Remote

Led the strategic direction and operations of a high-volume hotel, focusing on revenue growth and guest experience.

Key Achievements:

✧ Increased F&B revenue by 25% through unique menu expansions and event-driven promotions.

✧ Partnered with local businesses for cross-promotional opportunities, boosting occupancy during off-peak times.

✧ Achieved top ratings in guest satisfaction surveys by enhancing service quality and personalized experiences.

Hotel General Manager

✧ Developed and delivered curriculum for a non-credit hospitality field class

Hyatt Hotels Corporation

Oversaw comprehensive F&B operations, implementing strategies that led to measurable improvements in service scores and customer satisfaction.

Key Achievements:

✧ Raised F&B customer service scores by 15% through targeted staff training and SOP enhancements.

✧ Introduced themed F&B events that drove an 18% increase in guest satisfaction during key revenue periods.

✧ Maintained the highest LRA score in the division, establishing a benchmark for quality and consistency.

Food and Beverage Director

Having opened the property as part of the Corporate F & B Opening team training the staff on hotel directives and SOPs, I was thrilled at the opportunity of joining the team as an assistant director.

Working for a director that celebrated new ideas, we found creative ways to drive revenues:

✧A bloody Mary bar on New Year’s Day with Dr. Hangover.

✧Cocktails, chocolate beers, and desserts for Valentine’s Day.

✧Beer Pairings- after all, we were in Denver.

✧Dessert happy hours

✧ Incentive contests for managers to recognize their efforts in driving revenues, reducing costs, and improving the guest experience.

Assistant Food and Beverage Director

o   Assisted in the management of all food and beverage departments including five (5) outlets, retail coffee store, and banquet department - exceeding $18 million in annual revenue
o   Developed strategic hiring strategies to accommodate seasonal business demands
o   Implemented innovative training programs to improve customer satisfaction scores

o   Achieved an annual food revenue of $12 million
o   Maintained payroll and overtime costs based on revenues
o   Achieved a yearly customer satisfaction score of a 4.6 out of 5 for banquet service
o   Coordinated incentive contests designed to increase customer service scores and improve morale
o   Responsible for weekly schedules of 50-100 associates

Banquet Manager

o   Oversaw beverage operations for four (4) hotel restaurants, lobby bar, and all banquet functions
o   Achieved and maintained beverage cost of 19.1% in the hotel’s second year of operation
o   Marketed a unique customer experience while adhering to all division directives
o   Directly responsible for ordering all beverage related items for the resort

Beverage Manager

o   Managed a 47-seat restaurant and two (2) beverage carts at 18-hole golf clubhouse
o   Assisted in other aspects of food and beverage during peak times
o   Developed and marketed incentive contests to increase revenue

Restaurant Manager

o   Assisted in managing banquet functions, corporate meetings, and social events
o   Assisted in the supervision of room setups, coordinated services, and details of all banquet events
o   Demonstrated leadership ability maintaining department scheduling and payroll

Assistant Director of Banquets

o   Coordinated training solutions for union employees
o   Successfully organized and directed catered guest room events to ensure guest satisfaction
o   Developed strategies to maximize potential, new and current client base accounts
o   Exceeded food and beverage forecasts - revenue of $2.5 million

Director of Room Service

o   Successfully illustrated and implemented a children's menu
o   Assisted with planning for holiday brunch events
o   Motivated staff by strengthening the working relationship with the culinary team

Assistant Restaurant Manager

Empowering Professionals to Stand Out, Secure Leadership Roles, and Transform Teams

With over two decades in hospitality leadership, operations consulting, and executive career coaching, I bring practical experience to professionals ready to take the next step in their careers. I combine real-world leadership insights with a proven track record in resume writing and career development to deliver results that matter.

I’ve held roles ranging from Director of Food & Beverage at Hyatt Hotels to Hotel Operations Consultant, overseeing large teams and million-dollar operations. I know what hiring managers look for because I’ve been one—and I help my clients tell their stories to stand out!

What I Offer:

✔ Executive Resume Writing: As a former recruiter and consultant, I write resumes that highlight achievements, leadership impact, and unique strengths to position you as the ideal candidate.

✔ Career Coaching: From interview preparation to navigating career pivots, I help leaders step into their next role with confidence.

✔ Leadership Development: I guide managers and professionals in building high-performing teams through empathy, structure, and clear strategy.

✔ Hospitality Consulting: Practical solutions for leadership challenges, operational efficiency, and guest experience optimization.

Whether you’re a professional looking to rebrand, secure a leadership role, or grow as a leader, I’m here to provide the tools, strategies, and clarity you need.

Ready to elevate your career or leadership impact? Let’s connect and start the conversation.

Luke Duggan

I once worked with a manager whose resume said:
“Oversaw daily operations for a 200-room property.”

Accurate and dull.

We rewrote it to show the impact made:

“Led a cross-functional team through a full renovation while maintaining 94 % guest satisfaction.”

Same role. 
Different story.

Sometimes it’s not that your resume lacks experience; it just lacks emotion. 

The results, decisions, and pressure you carried tell the real story.

📍 What’s one resume line of yours that deserves a story behind it?

Luke Duggan 

Executive Resume Writer | Led Multimillion $ Teams, Now I Help You Land High-Visibility Roles

At some point, you stop learning from your job and start maintaining it.
That’s usually the moment you’re being prepared for what’s next.

The danger? 
Staying too long because it’s comfortable or convincing yourself you’re not ready.

Every promotion, pivot, or reinvention starts with a decision to tell a new story about yourself.
 
Your resume and profile should reflect where you’re going, not where you’ve been.

📍 Are you still describing yourself for the role you already mastered?

“Managed a team of ten.”

“Responsible for client satisfaction.”

“Oversaw daily operations.”

None of these are accomplishments; they’re job descriptions.

Accomplishments show change. Not what’s expected of you in your current role.

What got better because you were there?
What problem did you solve that others missed?

📍 If your resume lists what you did instead of what changed, you’re not showing impact. 

You’re listing only duties, and it makes you no different from every other applicant.

What’s one bullet you could rewrite to highlight the difference you made?

She’d led major projects, mentored teams, and delivered results quarter after quarter.

However, the silence that followed each application was deafening.

When we reviewed her resume, it read like a job description. 
 
No context. No leadership voice. No “why it mattered.”

We rebuilt her story around outcomes and ownership.

Within three weeks, she had multiple interviews, and more importantly, her confidence was back.

A resume isn’t a list of what you did; it’s evidence of how you think.

🧭 If your results aren’t getting noticed, the problem isn’t your work; it’s how it’s being told.
 
📍 Have you ever felt that your resume was accurate but not effective?

The job search doesn’t drain you because of rejection.
It drains you because of ambiguity.

Endless scrolling. 
Silence after applications. 
The feeling that you’re doing everything right but still invisible. 

The fix isn’t more effort. It’s clarity.

Clarity about your story, your strengths, and your target.

When every move aligns with where you’re headed, momentum returns.

📍 What’s one change that helped you make your job search less exhausting?

Too many great leaders stay invisible until it costs them opportunities.
 
I’ve worked with leaders who built strong cultures, solved problems quietly, and led teams with heart, only to get passed over because their impact wasn’t visible.
 
Visibility isn’t bragging. 

It’s about ensuring the right people understand your impact.

Your resume should reflect how you lead, not just what you did.
 
📍 What’s one way you make sure your leadership is seen?

It was one of those weekends every hotel leader remembers-

All outlets packed, the ballroom hosting a high-profile reception, and the kind of pace that makes the hours blur.

By Sunday night, everything had run flawlessly. 

Sure, we had hiccups, but guests were happy, service never broke stride, and the team pulled together beautifully. 

The old me would have assumed everyone saw the impact because results alone don’t speak for themselves. 

But I took no chances and spent additional time crafting an email that showcased the team's successes. That short email, which probably took an hour to write, recapped the weekend’s numbers, the challenges overcome, and the wins worth celebrating, and made sure senior leadership knew. 

Not to boast, but to make the invisible visible.

That lesson never left me. Visibility is leadership.
 
If you don’t tell the story, someone else will, and they might not tell it right.

It’s the same principle I bring to my work today: helping leaders articulate their impact clearly, so their results and their character don’t go unnoticed.

📍 Have you ever had your work overlooked because it wasn’t visible?

Not every leadership moment gets applause, but that doesn’t make it less meaningful.
 
Some of the most important work happens when no one’s watching:
 
✅ Backing up a struggling team member

✅ Fixing the prep line before guests arrive
 
✅ Rewriting a resume bullet at midnight so it lands the right way
 
Visibility doesn’t mean chasing credit. It means understanding which moments quietly define your story.
 
📍 What’s one “quiet win” from your week?

Some turning points arrive with fanfare. Others sneak in quietly.

Mine came in a moment that didn’t look important at all, a small project that forced me to rethink my leadership approach.
 
It wasn’t glamorous, but it exposed a gap I hadn’t noticed: I was leading for efficiency, not clarity.

That project changed how I approached group work, from how I communicated with teams to how I helped clients tell their own career stories.

Turning points rarely announce themselves, and they show up when you least expect them to. Disguised as another day’s work, and looking back, you realize those moments honed your style.

📍 What moment in your career seemed small at the time but ended up changing your direction?

Every success story has a moment where it almost fell apart.
The missed deadline.
The unexpected setback.
The voice in your head saying, “Maybe this isn’t going to work.”

But something pushes you through, a decision, a person, or plain stubbornness.

The wins that almost didn’t happen are the ones that teach you the most about what you’re made of.

📍 What’s one success you nearly gave up on, and what kept you going?

This year taught me a humbling lesson: 
doing more isn’t progress if it’s in the wrong direction.

I’m letting go of content that fills time but not purpose.
 
Of chasing ideas that look good but don’t move the business.
 
Of assuming consistency alone equals momentum.

Sometimes clarity starts with subtraction.

📍 What’s one thing you’re releasing before the new year to make space for what matters?

We often discuss what we’ve taught others.
However, growth often hides in what surprises us.

Maybe a conversation shifted your perspective.

Maybe a problem you thought was simple had layers.

Maybe someone on your team showed you a new angle.

Surprise has a way of revealing blind spots and sparking growth, if you take a moment to notice it.

📍 Anything surprise you this week?

Every meeting, decision, and shift contributes to your professional story. The only question is: are you shaping it, or letting others write it for you?
 
 
Leaders often think branding starts when they decide to update their resume.
 
Your reputation is built daily, in how you handle conflict, give feedback, show up under pressure, and lead when no one’s watching.
 
The resume merely captures what you’ve already made visible.

📍 What story is your daily leadership writing for you?

Keep it simple, human, and authentic.
 
This week, visibility was on my mind.

The moments that stuck weren’t flashy; they were the times someone showed up, set the tone, or made their impact felt without saying a word.

 📍 What stood out to you this week about how leadership shows up before it speaks?

“What impact did you make that no one asked you to make?”

Because the best leaders don’t wait for permission to improve things.

They notice what’s broken and fix it. 
They raise standards others stopped seeing.
They take initiative.

You can tell a lot about someone’s leadership by how they answer, not the words, but the reflection behind them.

📍 How would you answer that question?

Growth doesn’t always come from new ideas.

Sometimes it comes from small course corrections.

The way you open a conversation.
The pause before you reply.
The moment you decide to handle something better than last time.

Leadership is about awareness, not being perfect.

📍 What’s one thing you’re doing differently next week?

Working with clients, the best resume line isn’t always about the biggest metric.
It’s the one that reveals leadership character.

One client wrote:
“Led 12 direct reports.”

We changed it to:
“Built a team trusted to run operations in my absence.”

Same role. Different weight.

The second line shows ownership, trust, and leadership maturity, the qualities hiring managers value.

When you learn to write results through the lens of impact, not inventory, your resume stops blending in.

📍 What’s one quiet accomplishment that deserves more credit in your story?

Years ago, I worked under a GM who refused to lower standards, even on nights when everything went wrong.

The lobby was packed, the phones wouldn’t stop ringing, and the bar was short-staffed.

He did more than protect the service that night. He protected the trust our guests and staff came to expect.

Now, when I help leaders shape their resumes, I think about that lesson.
 
You’re not just listing what you did.
 
You’re defending what mattered and demonstrating you stood firm when it counted.

📍 Who taught you to protect the standard when it would’ve been easier to let it slide?

The moments I’m most thankful for weren’t the easiest ones.
 
They were the ones that shaped clarity:

The rejection that made me sharpen my story.
The client who pushed for a better version.
The leader who told me the truth, not what I wanted to hear.

Gratitude is more than reflection because every setback I’ve had became a blueprint for helping others position their worth.

📍 What moment challenged you most and later proved to be a gift?

Early this year, I almost said no to a client because the project seemed small.
It turned into one of my most fulfilling partnerships,  and a reminder that impact isn’t always visible upfront.

That “small” project ended with a client landing their dream role.
 
What I thought was routine became a story I still reference when coaching others.

The wins that matter most often start quietly,  when you choose to stay committed, even when the payoff isn’t obvious yet.

📍 What’s one quiet win that reminded you why you do what you do?

PocketNerd Limited

With over 25 years of engineering, architectural, and leadership experience across industries and continents, I blend technical expertise with emotional intelligence to help organisations and leaders cut through complexity, deliver bold technology, and unlock potential.

Founder, IT Architect, Executive Coach and Mentor

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Architect (Contract)

Network Digital Marketing

Architect (Fractional)

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

Crown Prosecution Service

Napier AI

Architect (Fractional/Contact)

Médecins Sans Frontières/Doctors Without Borders (MSF) UK and Ireland

In this role I supported MSF UK and Ireland by providing Azure consultancy and guidance on a fractional basis.

Azure Consultant (Fractional)

ClearBank®

At ClearBank, a Principal Engineer is a hybrid Solution Architect/Technical Architect/seasoned developer. The key criteria for the role is that you are technically hands-on, whilst providing strategic direction and governance.

Principal Software Engineer (Contract)

国境なき医師団日本／Medecins Sans Frontieres Japan

In this role I supported a new project within MSF: Health Data Sharing. This project enables researchers around the world to tap into MSF's unparalleled wealth of clinical trial data to extend and enhance medical research.

Technical Consultant (Contract)

Vanquis Bank

Due to changes with IR35, my time with Vanquis Bank, through Iridium, was cut short. I primarily worked on three projects:

- Breathing Space, which is a regulatory project. The solution will be a Cloud hosted microservice that interfaces with the Government's Insolvency Service and the Bank's back office systems
- RBAC & PAM, which will be the Bank's next generation security platform
- API Platform, which is the Bank's Cloud first, secure  AKS platform that will underpin most initiatives moving forwards 

I additionally provided technical support across the architecture team and mentored some team members

Lead Solutions Architect (Contract)

I blend technical expertise with people-centered leadership, as both a Fractional IT Architect and qualified Executive Coach and mentor. With over 25 years of experience, I work closely with organizations to deliver complex, technically challenging IT projects, while using coaching and mentoring to foster collaboration, growth, and empowerment within teams.

In today’s fast-paced tech landscape, it’s not just about delivering solutions, it's about building teams that thrive. My approach combines in-depth knowledge of technology, software development, and IT architecture, with a coaching mindset that empowers teams to excel. I partner with individuals and departments, guiding them to unlock their true potential, embrace innovation, and navigate the challenges of delivering state-of-the-art, scalable technology solutions.

From blue-chip companies to NGOs, SMEs, and start-ups, I bring a flexible and adaptable approach to each project, ensuring that the unique needs of the business are met with creativity, pragmatism, and a focus on long-term success. My coaching background enables me to lead with empathy, while my technical expertise ensures that every solution is robust, reliable, and future-proof.

Whether I’m coaching leaders or mentoring teams, my goal is always to create a collaborative environment where everyone’s voice is valued, and every challenge is seen as an opportunity for growth. I specialize in Microsoft and JavaScript-based technologies, Agile methodologies, and Cloud architecture, but my real strength lies in helping teams come together to achieve more than they thought possible.

Let’s connect and explore how I can help your organization tackle complex IT challenges while building a team that’s ready to grow and succeed together.

Richard Stockley

🌱 Proud and excited to be a mentor in Elevate - Women in Tech Cohort 5 🌱
 
The best-performing organisations and teams I’ve worked with are the ones that truly represent society, where different voices, perspectives, and lived experiences come together to shape something better. Diversity isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s the foundation for innovation, fairness, and trust.
 
That’s why I’m so excited to be part of Elevate - Women in Tech's Cohort 5, a space dedicated to changing that imbalance by supporting, empowering, and amplifying the voices of women across our industry.
 
I’m looking forward to learning from this community, sharing experiences, and helping make technology more inclusive, not just in who builds it, but in what we build and who it serves. I'm also really excited to be collaborating alongside these amazing mentors on the programme 👇
 
Kellie Kwarteng Callum Thomson Liza Layne Marina Magnabosco Helen Johnson Laura Phillips Raluca Mihu Helen Dickens Gracie Davis Rachel L. Tara Lawrence Laura Jaques Tejal Maniar (ACA) Vince Pizzoni FIChE CEng BSc FCMI AFWES FEI MSWE SPE CDI Keisha D.
 
#ElevateHER #WomenInTech #Mentoring #Coaching #Leadership #Inclusion #Diversity #TechForGood #Representation

👋 𝗠𝘆 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗷𝗼𝗯 𝗶𝘀 𝟵𝟱% 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲, 𝟱% 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵.

That 5% still 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠, it’s the foundation that earns credibility and builds trust. But it’s the other 95% that determines whether projects truly succeed.

💬 Communication
💡 Empathy
🤝 Influence
🔄 Adaptability
➕ More ...

These are the skills that turn good solutions into great outcomes, and great teams into trusted partners.

🎥 In my upcoming video series, I’ll walk through the full lifecycle of an IT solution, from bidding and discovery, through build and go-live, to sunsetting.

At each stage, I’ll share:
⚙️ The 5% 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 you 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 understand.
🧠 The 95% 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀 that matter even more, and how to develop them.

Because delivering tech is never just about technology, it’s about people.

#TechLeadership #PeopleSkills #Communication #Empathy #Influence #Adaptability #SoftSkills #CareerGrowth #DeliveryExcellence #LeadershipInTech #95PercentPeople

A grey image with white tech that states my tech job is 95% people and 5% tech, and indicates my new video series on this subject is coming soon

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Luke Duggan

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The Battle

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