General Manager at Daily Provisions

I fell into this industry like so many do at such a young age. When I was at the beginning of my career, I felt so entitled to recognition, the next promotion, or just being the most knowledgeable person in the room. As time went on, the biggest thing I have learned is to put my ego aside and focus on how much I could learn and get out of each experience.

It's ok to admit that you don't know something or that you were wrong. In hospitality, we are so lucky to be surrounded by some of the most resilient, creative, and hardworking people who all have their own tips, tricks, and experiences. Through the good and the bad, I can confidently say I have learned from every opportunity and every leader I have had.

A mentor once told me, "We are just putting croissants in bags." This industry can feel so high stress and high stakes all the time, and it's important to put the day in perspective. As I have moved through my career, it's the phrase I have used most with teams. It really calms people down during the most chaotic and stressful days.

It's so important that someone is just a good person who can hold a conversation. 9 times out of 10 I am hiring the "inexperienced" applicant who wants to work hard and learn.

The ability to communicate and collaborate are so important for my job! No one person can be a successful leader; we are made up of every individual on our team and the trust we build with them to talk to each other and brainstorm together.

Follow your gut and work with people who want to teach you.

Opening Cafe Beatrice, The Lexington, and Geppetto was a career highlight. We were a teeny, tiny team who opened these concepts during peak COVID, in an area that was essentially empty. We had to change our business model to cater towards demographics we never thought we would serve (hello construction workers!) and we were constantly working together to come up with new ideas to drive business all while protecting our team and our guests.