If there were any television theme that stuck out last year, it would have to have been the singing competition. Remember? It seemed like the major networks were saturated with them. All of them boasting about and showcasing their musical version of a show that promised to turn a nobody into somebody.
For us millennials in the hotel industry, we sometimes have difficulty being heard among industry leaders and those who are above us in the managerial hierarchy. Our ideas, efforts and who we are often fail to stand out.
How can we get past this and make ourselves known? I recently caught up with Steve Belmonte about this subject. Steve is the CEO of Vimana Franchise Systems LLC and Hospitality Solutions LCC. Having been in the industry for a little while, I can say with confidence that if you know Steve, you know he has a strong voice. While speaking with him, he shared his equally strong belief on how to stand out positively in business and in life. His approach, Steve admits, hasn’t always been perfect. However, it has helped guide his path over the years. In many ways I feel his thoughts can provide guidance for our own paths as well.
It starts with passion
Few people may know that Steve is actually the youngest GM in Holiday Inn history. It’s true—he assumed this sought-after position at just 18 years old. It might surprise you further to know that he also never graduated college. Now, if you are like me, you are probably asking yourself how he did that. This successful life achievement of becoming a GM at an early age, as Steve pointed out to me, started gaining momentum many years earlier.
“I had a genuine love for the hotel industry,” he said. “When I was a little kid traveling with my parents on vacation, I was absolutely fascinated with hotels. I knew at an early age that I wanted to be in the hotel business. Maybe that’s unique, maybe it isn’t, but I knew what I wanted.”
After Steve said this, I thought to myself, “Am I doing what I want to do?” I think this is a burning question for many of us in the early parts of our career. Then again, how do we truly know for sure if we are doing what we want?
Steve continued by explaining, “If you genuinely love what you do, you will do it with a high degree of passion. The truth is that passion can take you very far in this industry. It can set you apart from other employees, players and executives. If you are passionate about what you do, it is no longer a job and it is no longer work; it is a very enjoyable journey.”
Stay balanced and emulate noteworthy traits
Whenever I think about the word “journey,” I’m reminded that so many parts of our lives are not one-stop destinations. Rather, the trip down the career path of our dreams is a process of continual refinement. Once we do find that position we love and enjoy, our jobs are not done yet.
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Steve shares, “I feel like I did pretty well in business because of the second most important element I think we need to have: balance in our life. I see a lot of people who have no personal life. They work around the clock, pound back their Scotches and four to five years later they are just burned out. I thank God that this hasn’t happened to me because my home life has been a strong part of my identity.”
I feel like each of us can take this thought to heart. On many occasions I have been caught taking on too much, traveling too often and working too late. As recently as this past fall, I’ve had to reevaluate how I balance work with my own home life. It’s a challenge but one that must be taken head on if we are to get past the sprints and marathons the world carves beneath our feet.
Assisting us with all of this can be leadership traits that we emulate from different individuals. Steve shared with me traits such as integrity, a heart for giving and passion that he captured from industry icons such as Mike Leven and Jonathan Tisch. “I targeted traits that I admired and allowed them to guide me.”
What traits would you like to emulate from leaders that inspire you?
Remember the importance of your name
As we began to wrap up our discussion, Steve settled his words on a final thought. He said, “At the end of the day, your name is all you have. Part of the reason I have been successful is because people trust me. I’m blunt, but I am always honest. This is why I was very successful with Ramada. We took the brand from 400 hotels to 1,100 hotels. This happened because my franchisees trusted me.”
I thought back to an earlier story Steve shared that occurred in 1991. At this time in the hotel industry, Steve came on board to work for a company known as HFS. Hospitality Franchise Systems eventually became Cendant, and you might know its present name, the Wyndham Hotel Group. He was hired by a gentleman by the name of Henry Silverman, company founder, to head up the Ramada franchise that was purchased out of bankruptcy.
“Why did he think of me?” asked Steve. “He thought of me because I was in the trades every other publication with Equity Hotel Corporation. We made a great name for ourselves through hard work, promotion and passion. I guess if it wasn’t for this I would not have been on his radar screen.”
This story jumped out at me because if we are truly going to stand out and have our voices heard by those above us and around us, we have to remember the importance of our name. Steve created a great name for himself and was recognized because of it. Over the years he has been successful because he held steadfast to being honest, hard-working and passionate.
Focus on the inside to make a difference on the outside and be heard
What I gathered from my conversation with Steve is that so much of what makes a difference externally must first start within us. If we want to stand out among other individuals, have our ideas heard and be recognized, then we have to take a hard look at ourselves.
What is the name you are creating for yourself? If you feel that name is awesome, are you staying committed to preserving it? Are you emulating the best character traits from those that inspire you? How is the balance in your life? Are you passionate about your current position and what you are doing?
“Passion, commitment and hard work will get you to the top if you truly love this (hotel) industry,” Steve said.
One of my favorite lessons on leadership is that it doesn’t matter what you do. You can be the president of the largest hotel organization, a GM of a hotel or even own a few for that matter. All of that doesn’t matter. What holds more weight and significance is who you are and how you do what you do. Steve reminded me that if you want to be recognized, you have to start by looking inward. Focus on who you are and be heard.
Mark Williams is Director of Development for Coakley & Williams, one of the nation’s top third-party hotel management companies. In 2006, Mark received his B.S. degree in Hospitality from University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management. He also received his MBA from Grand Canyon University’s Ken Blanchard School of Business in 2011. Currently, Mark serves as Chair for the American Hotel & Lodging Associations’ Under 30 Gateway. He can be reached by phone at 301-614-8848 or by email at mwilliams@cwhotels.com.
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