About Me
Professional Background
My career began in hospitality. I earned an Associate's degree in Restaurant and Hospitality Management, which gave me a strong foundation in customer service, team leadership, and operations. I went on to hold management roles at Starbucks and worked in reservations at The Ritz-Carlton.
From there I began building independently. I launched an Etsy shop where I designed and sold merchandise, created custom apparel for community fundraising events, and founded Gulf Coast Polished Pros — a cleaning business I launched and operated on my own, managing everything from client acquisition and scheduling to pricing and day-to-day operations.
More recently, I earned my health insurance broker license, supported startup marketing and operations through Zuyzo, and began building websites using modern AI-assisted development tools and platforms.
I am based in the Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania, where I continue building digital projects and working with entrepreneurs and small businesses.
Areas
What I Work On
I don't fit neatly into one box — and I've stopped trying to. Here's where I spend my time.
Entrepreneurship
Running and launching businesses from the ground up. I've done the pricing spreadsheets, the client calls, the hiring, the branding — all of it. I know what it takes to get something off the ground and keep it going.
Creative Work
Branding, merchandise design, social media content, and digital graphics. I've designed shirts and hats for community fundraisers, an independent book launch, and my own businesses.
Technology
Building websites and digital projects using AI tools and modern development platforms like Next.js, VS Code, and Vercel. I pair tools like Claude with real coding workflows to create things that actually ship.
Insurance
Licensed health insurance broker. I help clients understand their coverage options and navigate a system that's genuinely confusing. Clear explanations, no pressure.
Featured Work
Projects
Things I've built, launched, or shipped — across business, design, and tech.
LydiaRich.com
This portfolio site. Designed and built by me using Next.js, React, and AI-assisted development tools. It's a working example of the kind of websites I can build for clients — modern, fast, and deployed on professional infrastructure.
SnapPLC Landing Page
A futuristic AI product landing page built as part of a startup marketing experiment. Designed to look and feel like a real industrial AI platform — complete with animated diagnostics, fake module detection, and engineer humor hidden in plain sight.
Gulf Coast Polished Pros
Founded and ran a professional cleaning business on the Gulf Coast. Built from zero — I handled the branding, pricing, client acquisition, scheduling, hiring, and day-to-day operations. Real business, real clients, real lessons.
Custom Merchandise Design
Designed shirts, hats, and branded merchandise for community fundraisers and an independent book launch. From concept to print-ready files — handling artwork, layout, and vendor coordination.
Tools & Strengths
Skills
Creative
- Canva
- Merchandise & Apparel Design
- Branding
- Social Media Content
- Graphic Layout
- Print-Ready File Prep
Technology
- AI Tools (Claude, ChatGPT)
- VS Code
- Next.js & React
- Website Development
- Domain & Hosting Setup
- Git & GitHub
- Vercel Deployment
Business Operations
- Client Communication
- Entrepreneurship
- Invoicing & Billing
- Zoho Books
- Scheduling & Operations
- Google Drive & Docs
- Excel & Spreadsheets
Let's Work Together
Got a project?
Let's talk.
Whether you need a website built, a brand put together, help with insurance, or just want to collaborate on something — I'm open to it. Reach out and let's figure out what we can make.