Doug Lester Email & Phone Number

Boston, Massachusetts, Us

With deep experience in management, recruiting and executive coaching, I've helped well over a thousand MBAs and ambitious professionals craft, communicate and advance compelling work-life narratives. Career Narratives clients are mostly mid-career and senior leaders in consumer, healthcare, health and wellness, and tech who want to have a positive impact on the world. Over more than 10 years, I've developed a narrative-focused methodology for coaching that draws on multiple aspects of my work experience and background, including marketing, strategy, writing, networking, interviewing and leadership. I work intensively with a select group of individual clients, host the Career Narratives Podcast, lead the executive coaching program for a Fortune 100 company's corporate strategy group, and serve on the coaching staff for alumni at the Harvard Business School.

Boston, Ma, Us

As part of the Career and Professional Development coaching staff at HBS, I work with the School's diverse alumni, helping them advance satisfying careers that have a positive impact on the world. I primarily attract current and aspiring leaders in marketing, strategy and general management. My approach to coaching varies from being broadly conceptual, touching on issues related to meaning in work and life, to highly focused and tactical, including formulating effective positioning, communication and networking strategies and then following through on them. I've presented to students, alumni and staff on networking and relationship-building, managing career transitions and working effectively with executive recruiters. I've also helped prepare alumni and students for interviews, facilitated numerous group coaching sessions, and been a resource for LGBTQ+ students and alumni as they navigate their careers.

As a certified moderator and a professional in-depth interviewer, I collaborated with a diverse and experienced team of market researchers to produce studies in healthcare, pharmaceuticals, technology, automotive and a range of other industries.I developed a high level of comfort interviewing senior leaders and KOLs and an intuitive sense of the right questions to ask in order to help them put their thoughts and feelings into words. I rely on these skills often in my work with coaching clients who are trying to express their feelings about impact and meaning in work and to craft their unique personal narratives.

Boston, Ma, Us

Partnering with leading mission-driven organizations in higher education, performing arts, healthcare, research and social services, I helped chief executives and their boards recruit some of their most consequential hires. Through in-depth stakeholder interviews and moderated group forums, I identified key organizational opportunities and challenges and produced comprehensive scope documents, some of which were used as teaching tools for new associates in the firm. As part of my daily responsibilities, I developed and cultivated an extensive professional network among non-profit, corporate and community leaders and coached candidates in the prime of their careers on personal narrative, executive presence, interviewing, negotiation and work-life integration.

New Brunswick, Nj, Us

I established a unified team that aligned management of all one-to-one consumer contacts for Neutrogena and OrthoNeutrogena, the company's Rx skincare brand. The group incorporated Digital, Consumer Affairs and Neutrogena's Retail Kiosk Labs as well as ongoing relationships with three agencies. Working with partners in Neutrogena's base business, I successfully championed the integration of online advertising into the offline planning process and designed a data strategy to increase cross-purchase among Neutrogena’s most loyal consumers. Once established, I oversaw a group with 10 full-time staff and over a dozen contract employees.After permanently relocating to Boston in 2004, I continued to serve as a consultant to Neutrogena through 2006. I also remained open to coaching the marketers I had hired into the company and managed. This ultimately led to me founding Career Narratives and establishing myself as a professional coach.

New Brunswick, Nj, Us

I proposed and led a department that directed Neutrogena's digital and DTC Rx marketing strategy and execution. Leading a cross-functional effort to reimagine and relaunch Neutrogena.com and the company's DTC Rx website, I hired and managed a digital agency and closely coordinated development work with Neutrogena IT, professional marketing and J&J corporate counsel. I also hired and managed a DTC advertising agency and led the development of two award-winning multi-channel campaigns for Retin-A Micro, J&J's flagship Rx skincare treatment. I built a team of six full-time staff, and following through on my commitment to professional development and coaching, I continued to lead MBA and undergraduate recruiting programs and serve as a mentor to junior marketing staff.

New Brunswick, Nj, Us

I led the development and execution of Neutrogena's facial skincare strategy, launching numerous market-leading new products supported by national advertising campaigns and promotions. I was the point person for the team that identified Neutrogena's first celebrity spokesperson and produced campaigns that helped drive 20%+ annual growth for the business and company over several years. My role involved frequent presentations to Neutrogena's management board, large audiences at sales meetings and town halls, and our retail partners.I managed a small team of associate and assistant marketing managers and was an enthusiastic participant and leader in MBA and undergraduate recruiting programs. I also mentored and coached many new hires, continuing to be available a trusted resource and sounding board throughout their time at Neutrogena.

Northampton, Gb

I led the development and execution of Avon's men's fragrance and women's anti-aging skincare strategies. In a highly complex, matrixed organization, I directed multiple new product launches and collaborated on advertising, merchandising tactics and sales force management.

Amsterdam, North Holland, Nl

I was responsible for developing and executing Lancaster Group's global marketing programs for new fragrance launches. Working in the global headquarters in New York, I partnered with marketing teams in Germany, France, Italy, the U.K., Australia and other affiliate markets. I also led an international qualitative research study that improved value perception and profit for Lancaster’s annual holiday program.

New York, Ny, Us

Working with the General Manager, I produced a nationally televised promotional event for Estée Lauder and Hearst Magazines that featured Broadway stars and the U.S. Ambassador. I also visited several Lauder boutiques in cities across Siberia as part of a research and advisory program.

Mba, Strategic Management

Master Of Arts - Ma, International Studies

Ba, Russian And Eastern European Studies