Humble Beginnings with a Lasting Impact

I didn’t start my career behind a desk or in a corner office. I started with a name tag, a pressed shirt, and a smile at the front desk of a small boutique hotel. Before I was leading turnarounds or advising resort owners on operations, I was hauling luggage, answering guest complaints, and folding towels behind the scenes.

That experience, those early days on the frontline, shaped everything about how I lead today. Because when you’ve stood in the shoes of your team, when you’ve handled the unexpected with a guest staring at you from across the counter, you carry that understanding with you wherever you go.

I wouldn’t trade those years for anything. They taught me humility, resilience, and the importance of empathy in leadership. And in this business: hospitality, operations, guest experience, those things matter more than ever.

The Education You Can’t Buy

You can go to business school to learn about KPIs and profit margins, and I respect that. But no textbook can teach you what it’s like to juggle five check-ins while the phone is ringing and the housekeeping team is short-staffed.

Working on the floor teaches you how to think fast, how to stay calm, and how to communicate with people from all walks of life. You learn how to solve problems without passing the buck. You learn how to apologize sincerely and mean it.

As a turnaround consultant now, I walk into struggling properties and often find leaders who’ve lost touch with their team’s reality. They’ve forgotten what it feels like to be understaffed, overworked, or on the receiving end of an upset guest. That disconnect can cost a business more than they realize.

Empathy Isn’t Optional

One of the biggest lessons I learned early on is this: people don’t just want to be managed, they want to be understood. When you’ve been on the receiving end of a 12-hour shift and still have to put on a smile, you gain a lot of respect for the people doing the work.

That’s why I lead with empathy. When I’m hired to turn a hotel around, the first thing I do isn’t cut costs or revamp marketing, it’s listen. I talk to the front desk staff, the housekeepers, and the maintenance team. I ask them what’s working and what’s broken. And more often than not, they already know the answers.

You can’t fix a hotel without understanding the people who run it. And you can’t understand them if you’ve never done what they do.

From Luggage Carts to Leadership

People sometimes ask how I made the leap, from bellhop to boardroom. The truth is, it wasn’t one big jump. It was a thousand small steps, taken over years of showing up, learning, and saying yes to challenges.

I moved from front desk to night manager. From night manager to operations. Eventually, I was trusted to lead properties. Then regions. And now, I consult for hotels and resorts across Florida and the Caribbean.

But no matter the title, I’ve never forgotten where I started. I still notice how clean the lobby is. I still shake hands with the team before I talk to the GM. And I still believe that some of the best leaders are found folding linens in the back of house.

Why It Still Matters Today

The hospitality industry is evolving fast. Technology is changing how we book, how we check in, how we engage with guests. But one thing hasn’t changed: the need for human connection.

Guests still remember how they were treated. Staff still thrive when they feel respected. And leaders still succeed when they stay grounded in the day-to-day realities of the business.

Frontline experience keeps you humble. It reminds you that leadership isn’t about being above the team, it’s about being with them.

Advice for Aspiring Leaders

If you’re just getting started in hospitality or any service industry, my advice is simple: embrace the entry-level. There’s no shame in starting at the bottom. In fact, there’s power in it.

That’s where you learn. That’s where you build the grit and insight that will set you apart later. Don’t rush to climb the ladder. Learn the steps. Learn the people. Learn the pressure points.

And if you’re already in leadership, remember this: your title doesn’t make you untouchable. The best way to lead is to stay accessible, stay observant, and stay involved.

Leading from Experience

When I walk into a struggling hotel today, I bring more than strategies, I bring empathy. I bring understanding. And I bring a deep respect for the people doing the work day in and day out.

Leadership isn’t just about vision and strategy. It’s about remembering the weight of the luggage, the stress of a sold-out night, and the pride of a job well done, even if no one noticed.

From bellhop to boardroom, I’ve seen every side of this business. And what I’ve learned is this: the most effective leaders never forget where they started. Because that’s where the heart of hospitality lives.