Q&A with Stephanie!
1. What has your journey been like after graduating from MSU Denver?
After graduating from MSU Denver, I have been nonstop! I’ve had the pleasure of working for a very popular hotel in RiNo called The Source Hotel and starting out as a Sales Coordinator. While that was the best experience I’ve had work wise, there wasn’t much room for growth, so I listened to my gut, and took a chance in the suburbs of Lone Tree and have been working for Marriott a little over a year now!
2. Can you talk about your current role at Denver Marriott South at Park Meadows?
I am currently a Group Sales Manager at Marriott South at Park Meadows in Lone Tree, and I’m in charge of the S.M.E.R.F. (Social, Military, Educational, Religious, Fraternal) & Government segments for the property. Some of the harder segments, but honestly a little more exciting than Corporate & Associations🤭. This role in particular is mainly executing contracts, and then I hand room blocks to our coordinator to be the point of contact for, and if there are events tied to it, I pass it on to our Conference Services Manager to detail.
3. What does a typical workday look like for you?
A typical work day consists of checking emails, taking phone calls for leads, going out on sales calls (going off property and visiting businesses to promote our hotel), strategizing with the team on how to gain business, and just always being prepared for something new and exciting to happen. It’s never a dull moment in the Hospitality industry!
4. What are you passionate about in the work that you do?
Interacting with different clients is the most exciting. I get to work with wedding couples, the educational side of this segment which can consist of so much, military groups, sports groups, etc. It’s not always the same crowd necessarily.
5. In what ways has your MSU Denver experience had an impact on your career and shaped who you are today?
I told myself I wouldn’t work in hotels because one of my classes that consisted of learning how to write and execute contracts seemed so scary, but here I am, a Sales Manager executing contracts on a daily, and while I am still learning so much, after a year of doing just that, I’ve never felt more confident at selling and knowing the worth of what I do.
6. What career advice would you give to current and prospective MSU Denver students?
My advice would be to take chances. If something seems scary, do it. I have a kiddo so taking chances is a little more limited, but I took the chance because I wanted to grow my career, and it was the best thing that could have happened. Brittany Maestas who was a Professor at MSU Denver is now my Director, and I have learned so much from her. She has over 20 years of experience in the hotel industry, and having her guide us in being a better sales team, has led to a good amount of success in the 9 months that she has been here.