I got into the events industry because I actually fell into it. I was working as a revenue manager in a hotel and I took on the meetings and events side of the business as there was no one else to do it. I loved the diversity of the role and the fact that an enquiry could be worth £100 or £100,000.
I have worked here since January 2012, but I have been in the meetings and events industry for over 15 years.
I was attracted to this particular role because the quality of the hotels and the significant investment that the Group was putting behind each property really appealed to me. I also liked the fact that Guoman and Thistle have a strong focus on meetings and events.
Not many people know that I used to work at a Thistle hotel 25 years ago when I was head receptionist at The Bedford Arms hotel in Woburn. I also met my husband when we both worked at the hotel.
My worst experience at an event was inheriting a situation where two well-known banks had booked large conferences on the same day. They were significant competitors to each other and were very unhappy about the conflict of interest. Trying to keep them apart on the day was a logistical nightmare but we managed to use two different areas of the hotel so everyone was happy. The way the problem was turned round and dealt with quickly and efficiently meant that both banks returned to us to hold their conferences for years afterwards.
If there's one thing I've learnt it's communication is key at all levels. Internally with staff and stakeholders as well as externally with the client and customers.
The best event I have ever been involved with is when I worked for a hotel in Birmingham we used to organise product launches for a well known high street retailer. Its Christmas fashion events were always amazing – the no expense spared kind of events with celebrities and amazing entertainment – they were always my favourite.
If I could do anything all over again I would honestly not change a thing. I’ve loved every job I've done and have no regrets.
The one thing I can't stand is people who don't take ownership and responsibility for what they do. I’m a very solution oriented person and I encourage everyone in my team to take account for specific tasks.
Outside of work I spend my time with my husband and two children, we have family in Cornwall so we spend a lot of time there.
If money were no object I would open up a restaurant in the Caribbean. We've have been there a few times including St Lucia and Barbados, and we absolutely love it. It's one of my favourite places in the world.
The one thing I can't do my job without is my team. It may sound cheesy but they are all extremely dedicated and passionate about the Guoman and Thistle Hotel Group and very knowledgeable about the industry. They make my job ten times easier.
If I could swap places with anyone in the industry it would be someone in a meetings and events role at one of the big travel management companies to see what it's like to be on the other side of the business. It would be great to gain a different perspective on the meetings and events sector.
If I ruled the event industry I would speed up the development and implementation of state-of-the-art technology and make it scalable to the events industry.
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