Here the Director of Marketing at W Brisbane talks exclusively to Traveltalk about her impressive career and desire to help others climb the corporate ladder.
Q: How did you get your start in the hospitality industry?
A: My first job out of university was at the Brisbane Marriott as a sales and marketing coordinator. I didn’t have any hospitality background whatsoever – I’d never even bought a beer or worked in a bar before – but I always wanted to work for luxury brands.
That was an entry level role where I learned the basics of how hotels operate, how sales teams function within hotels and I was the first person to set up their social media.
I was there for four years and then decided to make the move to London and ended up at the Park Lane Marriott. I had never been to London or to Europe before so it was a really big move. Obviously working in Mayfair in a luxury market I had some really awesome opportunities.
Q: Tell me about ‘Roofnic’
A: While I was there Marriott had a ‘Grey Space’ competition. They wanted talent to pitch ideas about how they could turn a space within a hotel into a functioning food and beverage outlet.
I ended up winning that with another person. We won $US40,000 and with that we had to set up a bar on the roof, which was what we had pitched as a business case. It was really interesting to do that in Mayfair because obviously it’s renowned for its high end luxury.
I think it got a lot of traction just because it was out of the box and unheard of for Mayfair to have something associated with a hotel on top of the roof. I actually have a photo of a line down Oxford Street of people lining up to come to the bar.
Q: So now you’re at the W Brisbane. How much are you enjoying the role there?
A: I’ve been here for three years now and I love W as a brand as I think it’s really aligned to my personality. It’s fast paced, it’s energetic and there’s a huge focus on design, music and fashion, so I really enjoy it.
Globally W have done an amazing job at always having great programming, there’s always fun partnerships and fun events. You’re always connecting with interesting and very talented people.
I’ve been very fortunate to do some amazing activations, which have driven a lot of revenue to the hotel and I guess that’s why I’ve been able to win a couple of awards recently.
Q: Let’s talk about that. You won the ‘Global Elite Award for PR & Communications Leader of the Year’ from Marriott International, which is quite an achievement.
A: It was just incredible to be recognised internally. It was a proud moment to then be recognised as ‘Best Marketed Hotel’ at the Queensland Hotels Association awards shortly afterwards.
I’ve now been invited to co-chair the Women In Leadership committee across our 50 hotels across Asia Pacific. So I’m super excited about the opportunities that are now opening up for me.
I also had my son last year so I’ve been working really hard to prove to everyone that you can be a great mum and still balance it all: relationships, motherhood and have a career at the same time.
I think that’s one of the key messages that I would like to provide for all of the talented females working in the business.
Q: So how do you balance those roles?
A: Time management, self-care and just being passionate about what you do. You’ve got to love what you do and feel rewarded for doing what you love to do every day.
Q: Why is it important to you to promote women in leadership?
A: I think traditionally, a lot of leadership roles in hospitality tend to be males. I feel that if we give females in the business opportunity and encouragement, they can have a great career and experience a lot of things that are quite rewarding for them.
I think that having a mentor will always give you another perspective. I’ve had some really great mentors over the years and while they’ve acknowledged my strengths, they’ve also found opportunities or areas where I can develop. I think that’s the greatest impact that a mentor can have.
Q: Have you ever felt held back purely because of your sex?
A: Not held back but perhaps not taken as seriously as I could have been earlier in my career.
My advice to young people and to young females is just to make sure that you’re communicating the right way to the right audience. That and knowing how and where you can add value to a conversation, or present a new idea to try and have an impact on that conversation.
Q: What kind of experience do guests staying at W Brisbane have?
A: We say to our guests to live the ‘Sunshine State of Mind’. So as soon as you walk through the door, you’re greeted by our team who just make you feel at home.
We like to make sure experiences are super personalised and I think W has all of the things that people would look for if they’re looking for the ultimate staycation.
From spacious and luxurious guestrooms featuring city or Brisbane River views, to the award-winning AWAY Spa, great restaurants and bars – including New York inspired grill The Lex, world-class cocktail bar Living Room Bar and poolside oasis WET Deck. Having the right product is key.
Q: What is it that drives you and gives you a buzz from what you do?
A: I love reading guest reviews and actually seeing what they say about us. I love being innovative, being different from all the other hotels and coming up with creative ideas.
That’s what gives me the buzz and what separates W as a brand from any other hotel chain.
