Unlike becoming a doctor, police officer, or nurse, there is no clear path to hospitality. When kids play with a toy car with flashing lights, parents immediately think police officer. But a child’s organizational skills and knack for persuasion don’t immediately scream event planner. Today, career paths have become less conventional and more convoluted. Some careers you just sort of fall into and find an environment that seems like it was made just for you—when you were heading in different direction entirely.
Once upon a time I was an art student, headed towards a completely different life. My passion for hospitality was born when I made my first foray into the industry at university. Now with more than 25 years of experience under my belt and a job in business development for Hôtel Château Laurier Québec working with an elite team of event coordinators, I still find my work fulfilling.
The passion I have for my work and my hotel is contagious. Put your conference, meeting, or event in my capable hands and I’ll make it a success. With the help of the best team in town, your guests will be surprised and delighted by your event.
Don’t believe me? Give me a chance to convince you. We’ve got passion, an experienced team, and a hotel in the heart of the most beautiful city in North America—you’ll want to hold your event here for many years to come.
“A great product sells itself”
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about the success of Hôtel Château Laurier Québec and the hotel’s event caterer, George V. Why? Well, somebody asked me about it, which got me thinking and eventually led to this blog post.
There are a number of reasons for the hotel’s success, but it all boils down to this: “A great product sells itself.” As corporate sales manager of Hôtel Château Laurier Québec, my job is to sell a product. And at the end of the day, my goal is to earn your trust and help you host a successful event.
You don’t usually see what goes into organizing an event before the date that’s on the invitation. The organizer does a lot, but from the outside it’s hard to picture everything that goes on behind the scenes of a successful large-scale event. There’s an art to getting it right—like a master chef, you’re constantly problem-solving on the fly, finding ways to kick it up a notch, and adding an extra flourish to everything.
What we provide goes beyond visible results. We provide an experienced team with a talent for event planning and support at every step leading up to the big day. Our clients trust us to help them outdo themselves, to provide a variety of event options, and to deliver unforgettable experiences guests will be talking about for years. What makes our work so satisfying are the friendships we develop, the feeling of success we share with our clients, and the look on their faces when they say, “thank you.” Most importantly, we want the person in charge of the event from the organization we’re working with to be congratulated on a job well done. It makes us so proud to have had some small part in their accomplishment.
That’s my definition of success. It’s forging ties with organizations, exceeding their expectations, and getting to say “see you next time,” every time.