Her Story
About Courtney
Courtney Smith is a hospitality operations executive and General Manager of both River Outpost Brewing Company and Spins Hudson, two successful hospitality and entertainment venues serving New York's Hudson Valley region. She oversees daily business operations, event execution, staff leadership, guest experience, and operational strategy, ensuring each venue delivers exceptional customer experiences while driving sustainable revenue growth. Recognized for her ability to optimize processes, improve team performance, and strengthen operational efficiency, Courtney has built a reputation as a results-oriented leader who thrives in fast-paced, high-volume environments.
Courtney began her hospitality career as a server and bartender, gaining firsthand experience in customer service before pursuing a career in state corrections. She later returned to hospitality, where her leadership abilities and operational expertise enabled her to steadily advance through management roles. After successfully transforming operations at Spins Hudson, she was selected to lead River Outpost Brewing Company as General Manager, where she now manages both organizations simultaneously. Her background includes operations management, event management, account management, payroll, inventory control, staff development, compliance, and venue operations, allowing her to effectively lead diverse teams while maintaining high standards of service and business performance.
Driven by a strong work ethic instilled from childhood, Courtney credits her success to perseverance, self-reliance, and an unwavering determination to continue growing despite setbacks. She is passionate about mentoring employees, believing that great leadership is measured by helping others develop successful careers beyond their current roles. In addition to her professional responsibilities, Courtney is committed to supporting her local community by organizing an annual fundraising festival benefiting local police departments and promoting local businesses. She remains dedicated to building organizations where operational excellence, exceptional guest experiences, and meaningful leadership create lasting success for both employees and the communities they serve.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Courtney
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the values of self-reliance and perseverance that were instilled in me from an early age. My family taught me that if I wanted something, I needed to work for it because no one else was going to achieve it on my behalf. Every rejection I encountered only strengthened my determination to keep moving forward. That drive to continuously improve, build, and pursue new opportunities has remained with me throughout my career and continues to motivate me every day.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice is to never become discouraged when opportunities don't work out as planned. A "no" from one employer or organization does not define your potential or your future. Continue building relationships, learn from those around you, remain persistent, and keep pursuing your goals. Every setback creates an opportunity to grow, and perseverance will open doors that initially seemed closed.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Based on my leadership philosophy, I value integrity, accountability, respect, perseverance, and investing in people. I believe leadership is about developing others, creating environments where people feel valued, treating everyone with dignity, and building teams that succeed together. Success is measured not only by business performance but by the positive impact I can have on the lives and careers of those I lead.
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