Shanade T.

I'm Jamaican-born and have been in hospitality for 15 years, starting my career in luxury hotels in Jamaica. I migrated to the United States 10 years ago and continued working in hotels before transitioning to airline work during COVID, where I spent about 4 years and experienced tremendous growth. About 3 months ago, I returned to the hotel industry and currently work at a hotel in downtown Miami, close to the cruise port. My typical day is incredibly fast-paced and varied. I start by checking our occupancy forecast because we get a lot of cruise travelers and one-nighters, so our turnover is very high. Based on the volume of checkouts and check-ins, I position myself where I'm needed most, whether that's at the front desk with my team or preparing for evening arrivals. I handle daily payroll for hourly staff, review P&L reports for the operations team, manage inventory requests from housekeeping and maintenance based on our budget, and oversee our restaurant's breakfast service. I also have budget meetings with company leaders throughout the week. It's always something happening in a hotel, so whatever issue arises kind of takes the day away. What I'm most proud of is that I started with this company 10 years ago as a front desk agent with no experience, no managerial background, and no leadership experience. They saw something in me and enrolled me in their 'Creating a Leader' program, sending me to Indianapolis for 3 months of leadership training. They invested their time, money, energy, and knowledge into me, which allowed me to grow and oversee multiple departments. Coming from humble beginnings with no university or college experience, being where I am now is my greatest accomplishment, especially knowing that many people went to school for what I've achieved through hands-on experience and mentorship.