Leah Magallanes and Daryl Urbanski share their experiences and insights on navigating a career in hospitality management. They emphasize the importance of basic executive skills, adaptability, and transferable skills, as well as developing a strong work ethic and emotional intelligence. They also discuss the future of the industry in light of technological advancements and geopolitical changes, highlighting the need for a personal touch in an increasingly digital world and the importance of maintaining human connection. Through their stories, they demonstrate the value of adaptability and continuous learning in achieving success in the industry.

Resources

• Connect with Leah Magallanes on LinkedIn.
• For more Informative Interviews Click Here.

Episode Highlights

Food and beverage industry career path and leadership experience

• Leah Magallanes shares her journey from culinary school to VP of quality assurance at SM hotels and conventions Corp.
• Leah Magallanes comes from a family of entrepreneurs and has always been interested in food and beverage.
• Leah Magallanes has worked in various jobs to learn how to run a business and is now part of a corporation.
• Leah Magallanes started as a consultant for a hotel chain in 2011 and never left, eventually becoming VP of culinary operations.
• Leah opened the first hotel in 1 month, impressing the company with her intrapreneurial background and kitchen operations expertise.

Career progression and skill acquisition

• Leah Magallanes learned basic skills like communication, writing, and time management in college.
• Daryl Urbanski agrees that basic executive skills are important, even for creative professionals.
• Leah Magallanes progressed from marketing to brand management to culinary arts to restaurant management to catering to wellness and spa management.
• Leah Magallanes learned various skills, including massage therapy and financial planning, through curiosity and commitment.

Mentorship, skills, and grit for success

• Developed ownership mentality, learned marketing & selling.
• Drawn to people who excel in what they do, learns from them.
• Leah emphasizes the importance of grit and perseverance in personal and professional growth.
• Leah advises young people to trust the process and have grit, even when facing challenges.

Entrepreneurship, business planning, and technology adoption in the hospitality industry.

• Meritocracy is key to success, ignore at your peril.
• Lack of business plan is a common mistake for entrepreneurs.
• Personal touch still important in hospitality industry.
• Robots won't replace human interaction in guest experience.

The importance of human connection in the hospitality industry.

• Daryl Urbanski and Leah Magallanes discuss the role of AI in the hospitality industry, with Daryl emphasizing the importance of human connection and Leah highlighting the potential for AI to enhance productivity.
• Leah agree that while AI can provide efficiency gains, it cannot replace the need for human connection and empathy in the industry.
• Daryl Urbanski shares his regret-free experiences, highlighting the importance of deep connections with others.
• Leah joins the conversation, discussing the desire to live near friends in retirement, with a shared property purchase being a common goal.

Leah Magallanes: Skills for corporate ladder climbing, including strategic thinking, supply chain management, and EQ

• Organized and strategic thinking are key for climbing the corporate ladder.
• Leah emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence (EQ) in problem-solving.
• Leah discusses her role in quality and sustainability at HFS M and convention hotels.

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