TRUTH. TOLD STRONG.
The Steel Man Resumes philosophy
TROY RICHARD CARR
Founder & Builder
Waukesha, Wisconsin
THE MAN BEHIND THE MISSION
I experienced incarceration, homelessness, and addiction firsthand. I spent a decade after that helping justice-impacted people rebuild their careers -- starting at a halfway house as an alum, then working through sober living homes, treatment centers, jails, and prisons across Wisconsin. That practice became Steel Man Resumes -- an AI-powered career platform grounded in desistance theory, expressive writing research, and narrative psychology.
I also founded The Midnight Garden, a digital visibility consultancy serving justice-impacted entrepreneurs and the organizations that support them. And I advise Justice Beacon Solutions on digital strategy for AI governance in justice systems.
Six Sigma Black Belt (ASQ, 2015). FICGN Narrative Change Fellow. P2P Scholar, Cohort 49. Published researcher. I build tools at the intersection of justice, neuroscience, and technology. Antifragile by design.
FICGN
Narrative Change Fellow
P2P
Scholar, Cohort 49
SSB
Six Sigma Black Belt
0+
Research Citations
MORE THAN RESUMES
NARRATIVE RECONSTRUCTION
A decade of direct service using desistance theory, affect labeling, and expressive writing research. The Forge doesn't just fix resumes. It helps people understand their own story, then tells it strong.
PLATFORM DEVELOPMENT
Built the Forge, the Refinery, the JBS governance portal, and client platforms from the ground up. Full-stack, production-grade, designed for the populations other tools forget.
AI GOVERNANCE
Technology advisor to Justice Beacon Solutions. Every AI decision in the Crucible is logged and auditable. Built for institutional trust, not just convenience.
PUBLISHED RESEARCH
10,800-query AEO study with DOIs on Open Science Framework. Forge methodology grounded in 150+ peer-reviewed citations across neuroscience, psychology, and desistance theory.
LIVED EXPERIENCE
Incarceration, homelessness, recovery. Not a hook. A fact that shapes every design decision. I built these tools because I know what it's like to need them.
THE STEEL MAN PHILOSOPHY
Why "Steel Man"?
You've heard of a "straw man" argument -- a weak version of something that's easy to knock down. A "steel man" is the opposite: the strongest possible version of an argument.
That's what we do with your resume. We don't make a flimsy version of you that crumbles under scrutiny. We build the strongest possible case for why you should be hired.
We Don't Pretend Your Past Doesn't Exist
If you have a gap, a record, or a rocky work history -- employers are going to find out anyway. We help you get ahead of it. Address it on your terms. Turn a red flag into a story of growth.
Real Talk, Real Results
We won't tell you that you can be anything you want to be. We'll tell you what's realistic for your situation -- and then help you get there. The first job isn't always the dream job. But it's the job that gets you moving forward.
READY TO BUILD YOUR CASE?
Start with a free Career Intelligence Report. See where you stand -- and where you could go.
Start Free Report →