Luke Daugherty Email & Phone Number

Greater St. Louis Area

Through my freelance content production business. I offer work that falls into five categories:Content MarketingI've crafted or edited compelling, audience-building content for many businesses. I ideate content, conduct informational and SEO research, interview subject matter experts, and write briefs. When I’m not dispatching this content to other writers and editing it, I write blog posts, articles, case studies, e-books, and white papers to help businesses deliver educational content, build brand authority, and grow audience reach and engagement.CopywritingI also offer copywriting and editing services to help businesses drive sales directly. I write email campaigns, social copy, digital ads, and landing pages — independently or as a unified campaign. If you need to tell your larger brand story or rework copy across your entire website, I can help you clarify your brand message and convey it in your voice.Service JournalismI’m a journalist at heart, with a degree in magazine journalism from one of the nation’s top journalism schools. In particular, I’m passionate about writing articles that inform readers about topics that touch on their everyday lives, from personal finance and green energy to consumer tech and mental wellness. I love to write clear, engaging content that empowers readers to take action — and helps digital publications build readership and engagement. CopyeditingI’ve edited thousands of articles and other copy for publications and business clients, helping bring clarity and breathe life into dull and disorganized writing. If you require a content overhaul or need to produce a high volume of work, I can whip your copy into shape. GhostwritingI've also helped entrepreneurs and thought leaders convert their ideas and expertise into writing. If you need to organize your thoughts and elevate your voice, I can help you clearly convey your message.My CV page (linked above) has a comprehensive portfolio. Let's discuss your content needs!

Remote

Dotdash Meredith is America's largest digital and print publisher and Digiday's 2018 and 2020 Publisher of the Year. The company grew rapidly during my time there, yet maintained a focus on creating and optimizing high-quality, relevant, and helpful articles for readers of all kinds. I served as a Quality Team editor and content brief writer for The Balance, Dotdash's vertical covering everything related to personal finance, small business, and careers. The company competes with brands such as NerdWallet, Bankrate, and Credit Karma for the top-ranking content in this space. My duties included:• Editing and updating dozens of articles per month • Researching and writing hundreds of content briefs for freelancers who wrote new articles or updated existing content• Refreshing all content to ensure it was current, relevant, accurate, and evergreen• Fact-checking and updating any data or other information that needed verification or refreshing• Copyediting all articles for grammar, flow, and style — matching the brand’s conversational, helpful voice and tone and performing major rewrites where necessary• Cleaning up and optimizing all links to ensure appropriate internal link density and anchor-text optimization• Conducting SEO research and optimizing all content for top keywords to ensure prime placement in SERP results• Reviewing any duplicate content across the vertical to recommend any pages that should be redirected or merged with other articles• Improving all content for a better user experience and engagement with the brand

Greater St. Louis Area

As a part of the freelance team at Influence & Co., I regularly ghostwrote content for clients promoting their expertise and thought leadership in the fields of marketing, finance, entrepreneurship, and general business. I used the client's knowledge base as the foundation to write original pieces that appeared in publications such as Entrepreneur, Forbes, Harvard Business Review, and Inc.**Due to client agreements, ghostwritten content may not be shared here in its published form. Clips available upon request.**

Greater St. Louis Area

• Developed content and marketing collateral for promoting coffees via retail, wholesale, and online sales avenues• Created write-ups highlighting company initiatives or product stories for company blog• Assisted with special marketing and promotional initiatives for special releases like the Cupping Room Series• Managed every new coffee launch, from sourcing to planning dates and communications, to organizing marketing content• Coordinated internal communication around all coffee launches for retail cafes and customer-facing content• Roasted coffee and assisted with quality control and green coffee purchasing for one of St. Louis’ most successful specialty coffee roaster-retailers

Louisville, Kentucky Area

• Key leader in the company through several seasons of growth and expansion, from one original cafe to six shops and a roasting operation between 2010-2018• Handled all business and financial operations while revenue grew by 180% from 2012-2017• Facilitated transition of company to a respected brand with a regional and national reputation. Accolades for Quills during this time include: • Best place to get a drink in the South - Imbibe Magazine, 2011 • Best Coffee Shop in Louisville, 2012 • First Place, America’s Best Coffee House, 2015• Initiated and oversaw all management procedures to maintain profitability• Administered planning and launch of company health benefits program• Created or oversaw the creation of all systems for general and managerial staff hiring, training, and review• Trained the director of retail and the administrative assistant• Planned and executed the move and expansion of our roasting facility• Developed procedures and systems for roasting, production, and inventory control• Handled all contracts for green coffee futures, the core company product• Roasted on Giesen, Diedrich, and San Franciscan coffee roasters, with and without profiling software• Oversaw planning and buildout for Louisville’s only professionally certified training lab• Consulted ownership and executed financial plans on all new cafe build-outs• Assisted in the development of company social media, website, branding, and overall brand marketing

Louisville, Kentucky Area

• Managed the original shop during the year prior to expansion• Executed all employee hiring, scheduling, reviews, and discipline• Managed all systems for inventory, product ordering, stocking and display• Implemented procedures for all cash management by staff• Set and maintained standards for customer service• Worked all shifts on the floor regularly

Columbia, Missouri Area

• Led other baristas in one of the nation’s leading coffee roasters and retailers, and Columbia’s best coffee house in 2009 and 2010• Contributed to organizational goal of raising Columbia coffee education and experience through creative devotion to product excellence, a trajectory that has continued since 2010

Columbia, Missouri Area

• Helped to build a church from a planting team of 10 to an established church of 150 members• Assisted in oversight of all pastoral and administrative concerns• Planned and led weekly services• Wrote curriculum for small group lessons and other teaching materials• Guided and developed a growing team of musicians and other worship leaders• Inspired personal growth in a diverse group of people through interpersonal leadership and teaching • Connected people to the church community and service opportunities in the broader community

Columbia, Missouri Area

• Managed all front-of-house staff, inventory, scheduling and training• Helped to create a unique local experience through outstanding customer service built on relationships (Small Business of the Year, 2005)• Led staff in commitment to coffee, espresso and service excellence• Maintained creative vision for premiere local arts cafe and concert venue• Administrated arts program, which included booking musician schedule with thirty acts per month, coordinating bi-monthly gallery showings, running P.R. and promoting shows• Curated a weekly arts newsletter for our customers, featuring provocative cultural essays

St. Louis, Mo

Reported, wrote and edited for a weekly community newspaper for a summer internship while in journalism school.