Her Story
About Anabel
Anabel Polanco is the Assistant SMB Manager at the Hay Adams Hotel in Washington, DC, a role she began two months ago after relocating from Dubai. She has worked in hospitality since 2016, previously serving as a restaurant coordinator at a three-Michelin-star restaurant in San Diego and completing a rooms operations program in Dubai. Her specialization is in events management. Polanco earned an international business degree, followed by a second degree from which she graduated magna cum laude, and a master's degree in international hospitality management from the Swiss Hotel Management School. She attributes her success to perseverance and consistency, noting that planning her master's program took nearly four years of dedicated effort. Polanco emphasizes surrounding herself with motivated individuals and delivering her best in every role, from hostess to her current leadership position.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Anabel
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to perseverance and consistency. I had to work really hard for everything. Some things took years, like planning to go to Switzerland for my master's took almost 4 years from starting my second degree in 2020 to going in 2023. I remind myself of my goals even on days I don't feel like working hard, and I never give up. I focus on delivering my best every day and keep moving to the next step.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I learned through experience is to surround yourself with people who keep you motivated and doing new things. If you have good people around you who are accomplishing things, it motivates you to keep up and give your best. Being in an environment where people are trying new things prevents you from getting lazy. Hospitality is a passion for me, and I always give my best with heart no matter the role, like when I was a hostess.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is that things are changing really fast and it's hard for people to accept changes. After the pandemic, hospitality changed a lot with different guests and a changing world. It's hard for humans to embrace change and leave what's familiar, but most of the time it's good and leads to better ways. The key is communication, explaining why changes are happening, and using leadership skills to get the team on board.
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