Her Story
About Pamela
My mom always likes to say that even when I was a kid, I loved playing mud pie parties. I love bringing people together, and I love leaving people better than I found them. I worked with the NAACP AXO program helping to bring judges together for the national competition, working with hoteliers in different cities and performance venues, which piqued my interest in hospitality. I started with Helms Briscoe, one of the largest suppliers of heads and beds, working commission-only successfully for over 5 years as a single woman with no little people - if there's any time to give it a shot, it's now! That experience lends to the hustle and building partnerships with individuals and companies that trust you solely on what you say you can do, and then making it happen. Many of those people still seek me out and we work together on different projects now. After a medical challenge, I needed something with more stability including insurance, which led me to Starwood's luxury division helping highbrow clients with everything from soup to nuts - currency exchange, flights, getting them to luxury properties across the globe. Then I moved to the Hilton Austin, a phenomenal 801-room property well known for winning Connie Awards and hosting Formula One, South by Southwest, and even Obama Security Detail. That property really helped me learn the values of care, value, and respect for the industry, colleagues, and clients. I was led by a powerful general manager, Mr. Robert Watson, who I will forever respect as one of the top leaders and influencers in my career - he knew the names of every single person on property. From that leadership, I yielded the grind to really work hard in this industry, bring people up with you, and treat all people with respect. I was then sought by Embassy Suites in Huntsville, Alabama, which allowed me to be closer to where I was born and raised in Little Rock, Arkansas. There I learned about raising up a team, using my experience to help influence other people in the industry, building partnerships, and encouraging them on how to provide not just a head in bed but follow the Hilton way of consultative sales - sell the property, want and desire to be number one, and fight for it, and kick butt, all with a smile. Then COVID hit and we were furloughed March 31st, 2020 and officially let go Halloween 2020. I realized how invaluable this industry is and how it can be affected by outer forces beyond your control. During the pandemic, I started a podcast called 'Hospital the Tea' because I wanted to change people's thoughts - oftentimes people don't see that hospitality is more than just housekeepers or front desk, they don't know all the details that go on behind it. I wanted to put a face to this amazing industry and show that out of every industry on the planet, there's room for every single person from every background. I interviewed quite a few different people from security to Amtrak train directors, to associations, to friends with J1 visas now in Belgium, UAE, and Germany - different aspects of this amazing industry. I made it a point to leave the pandemic better than I started, taking lots of industry classes online, helping to craft different programs for hospitality programs at universities in Huntsville, serving as a board member for the Society of Government Meeting Professionals, and hosting networking sessions virtually so we could all stay connected. When the pandemic lifted, I came on board with the Doubletree Suites in Huntsville, and in November 2022 they asked me to go to Charlotte. Two weeks later they offered me the opportunity with a substantial increase to lead the Home 2 Suites Charlotte Uptown, right across from the NASCAR Hall of Fame, 4 blocks from the Carolina Panthers, 3 blocks from the Charlotte Hornets - a property that opened during the pandemic so people didn't really know it was here. Now we are killing the competition. As a result, another company saw me and said 'you've been burying us for the last year and a half, what do we need to do to get you over here to lead these two properties?' They jumped very high not just in salary but in other concessions, and it's definitely with a company that has removed the proverbial ceiling. I see substantial space for growth, and you don't stop learning until you're on the other side of dirt, so that's what I always want to do - grow.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Pamela
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the leadership I received from powerful mentors like Mr. Robert Watson at the Hilton Austin, who taught me the values of care, value, and respect for the industry, colleagues, and clients. He knew the names of every single person on property, and from that leadership I yielded the grind to really work hard in this industry, bring people up with you, and treat all people with respect on property. I also credit my early experience with Helms Briscoe working commission-only, which taught me the hustle and how to build partnerships with individuals and companies that trust you solely on what you say you can do, and then making it happen. My philosophy has always been to leave people better than I found them - that's been my guiding principle since I was a kid playing mud pie parties and bringing people together. Even during the pandemic when I was furloughed, I made it a point to leave the pandemic better than I started by taking industry classes, helping craft programs for hospitality universities, serving on boards, and hosting networking sessions. I believe you don't stop learning until you're on the other side of dirt, so I always want to grow.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I want to show that out of every industry on the planet, there's room for every single person from every background in hospitality. That's why I started my podcast 'Hospital the Tea' during the pandemic - because oftentimes people don't see that hospitality is more than just the housekeepers or just the front desk, they don't know all the details that go on behind it. I wanted to put a face to this amazing industry and show the diverse opportunities available. I also want to dispel the myth that women, specifically African American women, are against one another. It's important for us to continue to see each other, and I want to show that you can keep learning and growing as you grow older - things don't stop. You've never reached the ceiling if God ain't said no. My advice is to leave people better than you found them, treat all people with respect, and remember that we can influence personally and professionally. Follow the consultative sales approach - sell the property, want and desire to be number one, and fight for it, and kick butt, all with a smile.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The pandemic taught me that this industry can be affected by outer forces and things beyond your control - it's not just about the budget for the client, the client's thoughts on the property, or the competition. It can be a global pandemic, and that made me rethink the industry. But I realized how invaluable this industry is. During COVID, hotels were empty and no one was traveling, and we were all furloughed and eventually let go. However, I saw this as an opportunity to help the industry grow and come back stronger. I wanted to help people think about how this is affecting our industry, how we can come out of this better, what we're learning, and how to better cherish your guests when they come in - they're not just a wallet. The challenge is that people don't fully understand all the aspects of hospitality, which is why I created my podcast to showcase the different roles from security to Amtrak train directors to associations to international workers. The opportunity is that there's room for growth and learning - you don't stop learning until you're on the other side of dirt.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The most important values to me are care, value, and respect - for the industry, for your colleagues, and for your clients. I learned these values at the Hilton Austin from Mr. Robert Watson, and they've guided my entire career. I believe in leaving people better than I found them - that's been my philosophy since I was a kid. I love bringing people together and treating all people with respect on property, from every department and background. I also believe in bringing people up with you as you grow, using your experience to help influence other people in the industry and building partnerships. It's important to me that guests are cherished when they come in - they're not just a wallet. I want to dispel the myth that women, specifically African American women, are against one another, and show that we can see each other and influence one another personally and professionally. I believe you never reach the ceiling if God ain't said no, and you don't stop learning until you're on the other side of dirt.
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