Can you share your journey and experience as a woman in the hospitality industry? What challenges have you faced, and how have you overcome them?
My parents asked me when I went to college what I wanted to do. What would make you happy? I immediately said working in a restaurant, working in a hotel, working at a resort, working in the hospitality industry. My parents said, “Get a business degree.” So, I did, and I enjoyed my classes, but my heart was always going back to hospitality. So, in my last year of college, I decided to double major in business and hospitality management.
My first job out of school was not glamorous, but it set me up to lead a team and start developing my management style. My career path took me from starting as a concessions manager to a catering director to a district marketing manager, then a site lead, an ADM, then finally into my current DM role. The experiences that I took away from all of these positions helped me understand the business from the bottom up. That experience was invaluable and gave me the opportunity to work with different people, manage and supervise people of all walks of life and find my voice as a manager.
My challenge when I started was that I have an introverted personality. I love hospitality and the joy it brings to those we serve, but inserting myself into social activities or addressing difficult issues with team members was hard. I was also a quiet, petite woman. I was placed in a position of leadership early and supported sales teams throughout my career, but competing with other skilled males was challenging because, even though I may have been more qualified or had a better personality match with a client, I was not always thought of first.
Finding my voice and building my confidence was not easy. It took me years to develop the confidence to know that addressing difficult situations with team members was not only the right thing for them but also for the business and the rest of the team. It took me years to tell colleagues to talk to me in an appropriate way and to treat me with respect and that my ideas were valid. It took me years to understand my self-worth. I believe that this confidence comes with time and though experiences, but it also is supported with great mentors that have come into my path over the years. Having a cheerleader on your side or someone in a leadership position recognize you is important and has been a motivator for me over the years.
International Women’s Month is a time to celebrate achievements. Can you highlight a particular success or accomplishment during your time with Parkhurst that you are especially proud of? How did you navigate the path to success?
I have had many great experiences throughout the years with Parkhurst. It is hard to highlight just one. The one commonality that all of my memories have is that they are all surrounded by a group of us. I did not achieve anything on my own. I may have led the charge or helped organize the event, but the group is the reason for the success. Our successful events, new location openings, engagement events, client meetings, etc., are all successful because I have an amazing team I work with. The management team that I work with, my DM group, the CSC, and my client partners all played a role in the successes that I have had. Now, a lot of passion, hard work, and dedication went into each and every event or project, but the execution and the celebration is celebrated by all. To me, the group and the team’s success is what makes me happy and feel like the job was well done.
In the context of gender diversity and inclusion, what steps do you believe businesses can take to create more supportive environments for women in leadership roles?
It was my honor to sit on the DE&I council on the Empowerment committee a few years ago. During this time, we were just beginning to discuss inclusion groups and how to start a group within the organization. I was honored to help bring WING to life. My tenure ended after the very first WING event, but I think that is where the organization’s inclusion group story began. This group has done a great deal of work to help women in the workplace. It is a great start to how we can support women in our organization.
Mentor programs or executive leadership touch points would be a positive experience for many women leaders. Being seen by those decision-makers may help keep up-and-coming women leaders in the forefront of their minds and help with decision-making when advancement opportunities arise.
As a woman in a leadership position, have you observed changes or shifts in the perception of women in business over the course of your career? How do you think the narrative around women in leadership roles has evolved?
In my opinion, the landscape of the hospitality industry has changed significantly over the past 20 years. When I started in this industry, it seemed to be male-dominated, particularly in leadership roles. Kitchens were gruffer and grittier, and for some women including myself, I was almost seen as a novelty.
But over the past 20 years, I have seen a change. A slow progression into a more inclusive environment for not just women, but for people who identify in all different ways. The fear of starting or having a family has all but evaporated over that time. The one area we can continue to work on improving is encouraging women to take leadership roles when they are available and expand our women representation in the C-Suite and in executive leadership roles. Women have different perspectives from their male counterparts and our voices help make a more rounded and successful environment for all of us.
