Q1. What does your job role involve?
My role is really varied, that’s why I love it! I’m all about revenue generation, relationship building and driving sales performance. I look after a portfolio of accounts from MICE agents to sports and entertainment agents, and thrive on the amazing relationships I have built within the industry. I’m also part of Aimbridge’s learning and development team, delivering sales training to colleagues at all levels. Supporting colleagues in learning, growing, and being their best selves is so rewarding.
Q2. How long have you worked in the hospitality and events industry?
I first started in the industry aged 15, as a banqueting waitress, so a long time! I fell in love with the industry and found so much personal and professional satisfaction contributing to giving guests amazing experiences. I worked as a wedding and event coordinator whilst studying a degree in BSc Hospitality Business Management at Sheffield Hallam University, before moving into my first sales role after graduating aged 21.
Q3. What inspires you about working in the events and hospitality industry?
The hospitality industry is one big community, and I get to work with a diverse team across lots of different departments delivering memorable events and stays to all different kinds of guest. I’ve made friends for life through work, and we all share the same goal of delivering outstanding hospitality. I find the commercial element of the industry very interesting, and how each function, from sales to revenue to operations plays such a crucial role in the success of our business. At Aimbridge, the guest is at the heart of all we do and knowing that we have delivered a ’wow’ event just fills me with happiness and pride.
Q4. What is your greatest achievement to date whilst working with Aimbridge?
It has to be winning Sales Leader of the Year 2023 earlier this year. The award is voted for by colleagues and I was truly honored to be considered for the award, let alone win it. I’ve worked for Aimbridge for 8 years and it’s always been a goal to be nominated, but the best part for me was reading the kind words written about me and my contribution to our team and I am so grateful to have achieved it. The VIP Incentive Trip to the Bahamas wasn’t too bad either!!
Q5. What do you find most challenging about your role?
The most challenging part of my role is how quickly priorities can change, but that is what makes it exciting too. I’m a woman who likes a plan but sometimes that plan just has to change! Every day is different and personally I love a challenge!
Q6. Which are your top 2 venues for corporate events and why?
- Indoor team building favourite – Mercure Manchester Piccadilly has the stunning International Suite that can host up to 800 guests. We’ve seen some amazing team building happening here, delivered by Eventurous! It’s a great space in the heart of Manchester.
- Outdoor team building favourite – Mercure Maidstone Great Danes or Mercure Hull Grange Park… how do I choose? Mercure Maidstone is set within 26 acres giving lots of space for amazing activities whilst Mercure Hull Grange Park has its own beautiful gardens and outdoor spaces for the perfect team away day. Mercure Gloucester Bowden Hall and Mercure Bristol North The Grange are also beautiful country house settings, ideal for a corporate retreat or company fun day!
Q7. What is the most exciting corporate event you have ever seen take place and at which Aimbridge venue?
Eventurous delivered an incredible corporate event for Aimbridge’s Commercial Forum at Eastside Rooms last year with lots of memorable surprises like the Haka conference energiser, now famous across the team! This was true conference enhancement and we still talk about the event to this day! Eventurous also delivered again at this year’s annual conference in Birmingham with Sea Shanty style group called ‘Shantify’ who got us all up and singing, ready and motivated for day 2 of the conference.
Q8. Wellbeing, CSR and Sustainability are all key considerations for planning corporate events in 2024. Why are these important to you personally and what are Aimbridge doing to support these causes?
We understand that wellness really matters, and it aligns with our values too. We introduced Wellness Your Way in 2024 as a way to say thank you to clients who book with us – it’s been so popular that we have extended it until the end of 2025! Clients can claim rewards in the form of wellness gift cards, charity donations or vouchers from £50 – £1000 when placing a booking with us.
Aimbridge work closely with preferred suppliers too to ensure our hotels are delivering on their CSR policies. Many of our hotels now no longer have any single use plastics on site and many others now have the option to offset your carbon footprint. Some hotels produce their own honey with onsite beehives too. We know how important this is to our customers.
Personally, when I stay in hotels, I like to feel that I am making a positive contribution to the environment and love to see how hotels are thinking out of the box to deliver on this. From recycled wooden room keys, electric car charging points to simple initiatives like reusing towels – it’s everyone’s responsibility to think about sustainability.
When we deliver team building on site, we always recommend Eventurous as a leading sustainably focused event management agency. Not only do they format their all of their corporate events with sustainability at the forefront, but they offer a wide range of exciting CSR and charity team building activities that focus on giving back to the wider community or educating teams on important topics such as sustainability and carbon efficiency.
Q9. What are your personal goals for the next 12 months?
In the next 12 months I want to travel more, read more books and focus on my wellbeing. I’m training for my third marathon in April too, I did say I love a challenge. We also have a house project happening at home which I imagine will take up a lot of time in the next year!
Q10. What’s your favourite thing about partnering with Eventurous to deliver unforgettable experiences for clients?
My favourite thing is that Eventurous have the knowledge and experience to deliver events that are above and beyond anyone’s expectations, every time. They have the passion and expertise to deliver experiences that are mind blowing and guest feedback reiterates this. Eventurous are constantly working on new ideas to enhance conferences and have amazing contacts to bring ideas alive – you understand the event brief and inspire us to deliver outstanding events. I know that I can pick up the phone for help and advice and we love working with them!
