Sea Island Company’s Post

Many of you will be aware that I’ve recently stepped down from my Chief Executive role. This was a planned decision for me to find more (to use a current overused catch phrase) balance. Advice from my inner circle has been not to rush, to take time to consider my next step and to rest up a bit. I am listening to this but I’m also very aware that I need to do something “worky” not only to keep my brain ticking over but because so much of how I perceive myself is attached to my professional life.  So, I wrote a short list of things that any new opportunity had to include, ·   Only working with people I like, something I refer to as the beer test. E.g. would I want to have a beer with these people outside of work hours? ·    It must be doing something that was interesting and where I can make a difference. ·    I no longer wanted to be the boss but still want to be operating at a strategic level. ·    Working for an entity that is great at what they do, and where ethics and people are valued. ·    That any commitment right now was not forever and not fulltime.   I’m thrilled to share that I’ve taken on a six-month contract working a couple of days a week for Davis Ogilvie (DO). DO were a client in the past, and they ticked all the boxes. I’m helping them build their communication and marketing capabilities, in preparation to support a soon to be appointed in house resource. Given how much of my consulting career was spent working with or for engineers and planners this feels like a return to my roots. A well-worn steel cap boot so to speak. Thanks to Elliot Duke, Russell Benge and Tony Lindbom for having me! If you are in the market for some practical support on your new build, renovation, land development or infrastructure project then DM me, I know some people! As for the rest of my time along with a bit of ongoing advocacy for The Christchurch Foundation I am enjoying school pickups and after school sport runs. Not so high on my to do list is the endless cycle of dishwasher emptying and filling, so I suspect it won’t be long before I am looking to fill in a couple more days. #newrole #backtomyroots Kirsten Hall #thinkplanDO

Yesterday, we celebrated the 14th anniversary of Joss Search with team lunch and Magnolia Bakery cupcakes, sent from our London office! 🧁 Here are 14 things I’ve learned in my eight years as a Jossie: 💎 Focus on doing all of the small things really well and the big things will look after themselves 💎 Eat the frog 💎 There’s no such thing as too many to-do lists 💎 We don’t save lives, but we do change them 💎 You don’t have to be the best - you just need to do your best 💎 Resilience is a muscle, and you only build it by failing 💎 Treat your candidates the way you’d like your family to be treated 💎 Mindset is there for the taking 💎 Fortune favours the bold 💎 Be tolerant with others and strict with yourself 💎 We need hurdles to evolve 💎 Making others happy will make you happy 💎 Team work really does make the dream work 💎 Be humble about what you know and confident about what you can learn   It’s exciting to envision where Joss Search New York will be in the next 14 years... 🚀 Here’s to growth, innovation, and continued success! 🥂 #josssearch #anniversary #newyorkexpansion #futureready

So inspired this week by working for an industry that has so much opportunity and development potential! Looking through my LinkedIn feed this week, just about every other post has been "Started a New Position"! It is not people that are simply job-hopping but those growing and developing in their careers. While hospitality doesn't own the slogan "Be all you can be", it truly applies to our industry. Where else can you grown and learn so much, not just about work but about yourself? When I was trying to pick my college major as a typical 18-year-old not knowing what to do with their life, I chose Hospitality as a catch-all. From there, I was able to explore F&B, theme parks, hotels, front-of-house, back-of-house, operations, development, sales, marketing, etc. - the whole gamut until discovering my true passion in revenue management. That wouldn't have been possible without the opportunity that Hospitality allows, and I am so grateful for all the lessons I have learned along the way and the people that have led me to where I am (you know who you are!) since my not-so-fresh-faced teenage days. So once you have found your passion in Hospitality, the sky's the limit! Be all you can be this year! While there are always growing pains, take the time to appreciate all the learning you are getting along the way.

Not a lot of you might've seen this post coming this year, as it might come as a huge surprise to some, but I have decided to leave Legoland California after almost 8.5 years. My time at Legoland has been nothing short of crazy. Both good and bad crazy, and I have gone through so much during my time here at the resort. I've grown and flourished in more ways than I'm able to count and I am ever so grateful and proud of all my accomplishments and growth that I have undergone since being employed here. When I first started, I was just looking for a high school summer job, so I would be able to save some money to hopefully buy my own car, and save some money for college. Little did 16-year-old Megan think that she was going to go through so much of her life at this place. I have spent 1/3 of my life working at Legoland, and I am so privileged to have had the opportunities that I was given and worked so hard to have earned. I've had the opportunity to build relationships and learn new skills. I had the immense pleasure of representing my home department of Retail in the Pilot Agile Leaders Program at the Resort, and I represented them immensely well. I ended up buying my own car years later with the money that I earned all by myself. I put myself through school financially (thank you tuition reimbursement for helping). I earned 3 college degrees. I worked 2 jobs on top of being a college student. I traveled. I got to try new things. I failed. A lot, but I also succeeded. To say that this was an easy decision for me to leave something that has been a constant in my life for the past 8 years is a lie. Leaving something that is so comfortable for me, was the most difficult decision that I've had to make. The number of ups and downs that I talked myself into and that I've talked to others about (almost every day) was turmoil, and I was winding myself up with all of this in my head, wondering if I'm making the wrong choice by staying, or if I'm making the wrong choice of leaving. I have no backup plan, and that terrifies me to great lengths. But I'm also so excited to see where this next chapter of my life takes me. I'm terrified of failing, but I'm also terrified of never even try and I end up asking the question, "What if?" To LEGOLAND California Resort, Karen Radzinski, Greg Radzinski, and Rachel Coffman, you have all pushed me to lengths I didn't even know that I could ever be capable of. Thank you for believing in me, even when I didn't. Thank you to all of you who have been with me on this incredible journey. Thank you LEGOLAND California Resort for all of the memories and growth. I will miss this place, but I'm grateful for all that you've given me.

💡 We are built to flow with the natural pace of change. Sometimes situations arise that can be overwhelming, being able to accept the lack of control is key to overcoming what ever challenge is presented to you. In my role overseeing event operations, the critical two-hour window—one hour before the event starts and the first hour during—sees my work phone ringing every 30-60 seconds with last-minute client requests and urgent needs from stakeholders within our theme parks. Mastering the art of staying calm and providing composed, effective solutions has been an essential skill I've rapidly honed. If you're considering a career in events, never underestimate the importance of a solution-oriented mindset—it will be the key to your success. 💡Did you know that at Yas Island Theme Parks, once the operational hours have been complete you can host your very own event with us just like Ethara have done in this image. We provide all F&B, AV, and staffing needed to execute a flawless one of a kind gala dinner/ awards ceremony or after party.

1. Read 'Who moved my Cheese', & try to define your 'cheese', remembering that change is inevitable and your focus in career and in life will change 🧀 2. Don't let the ongoing trend of the 2 year career itch lead to 'grass is always greener' thinking 🌿 3. Advocate for yourself and stay true to your ethics and beliefs ⭐ ...while the discussion was a blur, these are three of the points I remember making in this week's Marketing Society of Ireland Future Council's event 'What I Wish I Knew'; an event focussed on marketeers experience re professional growth, and showing all the twists and turns a career path in marketing can offer. It was a pleasure to sit on the panel with Emma O'Doherty, Jamie Fulham & Rachel Ray, and get lots of insights from them too. Well done to the Marketing Society Future Council for organising another great event, and to Máire McCarron for leading the discussion. Laura Cassidy Sarah Jane S. Mark O'Reilly Murphy Aoibhinn Raleigh Than Sin Emma Woodhead Emily Gordon #marketingsociety #marketing #careers

As I usually do I like to share personal stories and how those experiences have impacted me throughout my career. I believe Presence and Engagement within the given industry we are connected to provides great power and influence to how we develop our skills and gain knowledge and just as important (maybe more importantly) - how we contribute of our expertise, insights and perspectives and from those we gain value which is leveraged to benefit our own business, and relationships. The barrier to engagement...most often it's time, second is a monetary consideration. But when one considers engagement as an investment in themselves and their business suddenly perspectives are reconsidered on what they will gain from those experiences. But it takes commitment and effort...there is no magic trick to share. To be a champion, you have to be in the game otherwise the sideline is as far as one can go. https://lnkd.in/g_hdZZ_M

🎢A rollercoaster of emotions at GORM HQ this week: Chief Operating Officer Beatriz Gómez Moreno: These past few weeks in Ireland have been fantastic (who would have thought?), as I finally got to meet in person so many people I've been in touch with online for years. Meeting face-to-face has shown me how valuable and enjoyable real interactions are, making my time in Dublin even more special 🇮🇪 Communications Intern Lorna Kaufmann: Been trying to implement the saying "slow but steady wins the race" this week. There's no point in rushing if it's going to impact quality 🐢 Digital Marketing and Communications Executive Eilís Walsh: "I'm feeling inspired and grateful this week - I am amazed by the really talented people I come into contact with through my role, building my network at home in Ireland and abroad. The jigsaw pieces are slowly coming together for me in ways so I am choosing to be grateful this week."🧩 The Wideshot Programme Coordinator Ayesha Syeddah: "A company’s culture doesn’t exist without its people - own the responsibility of defining it for the betterment of everyone around you, including yourself." 🗣 #WeeklyRecap #LearningAndGrowth #ProfessionalDevelopment #SocialEnterprise #TeamWellbeing #WorkCulture #Ireland #TeamSkills #DiversityInclusion #InterculturalManagement #InternationalTeam

What have you learned since you started your position???? We are celebrating everything February at Digital Edge today. We are celebrating our people, our work, our business and all those that engage with Digital Edge. The theme of the day has been 2 pronged. 1. Not settling for second best. it isn't about being 1st, it's about asking how we can be better. 2. Perspective. It is important to know how far we have come so that we can understand how far we can go. An amazing team session where I asked each of the team the question... What has been the biggest lesson you have learned since you started your position here at DE? Here are my teams answers and I LOVE it! - I can learn anything - The power of TEAM - I am more capable than I thought - I can talk to people and be listened to - I didn't think I was as adaptable - I didn't think I would be able to build the size of the systems I am now. - I am only ever a second or decision away from a change. I'm a second away from being anything and doing anything. WOW! Like, WOW! Incredible realisations. I am officially blown away by my teams reaction to this question. There was no huffing and puffing, no uncertainty and everyone answered with real conviction. What have YOU learned since you started YOUR position? GO!!!! Have a great weekend😘

🌟 Employee Spotlight: Meet Madison Gochanour 🌟 Join us in celebrating the dedication and hard work of our June Employee Spotlight! Read on to learn more about Madison, or click the link below: 👏🎉 https://lnkd.in/gD5XmTSq 🚚 How long have you been with Bay & Bay? • I have been with Bay & Bay for 2.5 years. 🚚 What drew you to the transportation industry? • It was a different type of industry that I had not been in before and wanted to try. I am still interested, as this is a great job and very interesting; no two days are the same. 🚚 What position did you start in, and how did that help you get to where you are now? • CSA taught me how to stay organized and how to get everything done in a timely manner. 🚚 What do you enjoy most about Bay & Bay? • The people. I love the job, but the working environment makes it so much better. 🚚 What do you like to do outside of work? • I like to garden, bake or cook, and knit!