One of the best parts of being in the Tourism industry for many years is the people I meet. Our industry has an endless list of talented, hardworking, fun-loving and creative professionals. I decided to interview my friends and give you a peek into their lives and careers. This week we hear from my friend Kim Rose. Kim and I have known each other since we were friends in high school and I am so happy we have stayed in touch over all these years!
Tell us a bit about how you got started in the tourism industry.
I waited on tables to earn money for college and started doing accounting for some local restaurants. I “volunteered” to become a manager at one of these restaurants (how hard could it be I thought) and my career in hospitality began. I managed restaurants for 5 years and then moved to the Florida Keys and switched over to hotel management.
A stint as F & B Director at one of the busiest resorts in South Florida (the Beach Boys wrote the song Kokomo about one of our bars and we were the number 1 purchaser of Bacardi rum in the world). After a transfer to Daytona Beach I worked with an Event Company from Colorado that offered me an opportunity to travel around the world working on the 2004 Olympic Torch Relay. This was my start in the event industry. I always say I happened to be in the right place at the right time.
What is your current job and what are your primary responsibilities?
I am the founder and co-owner of KRo Events LLC. We currently have 8 FT employers and subcontractors all around the world.
I handle all the financial aspects of the company, oversee team members and handle programs for our international clients.
What are some of the changes you have seen since you began your career?
The major change I have seen is the rise of social media and how the impact of a well thought out curated social media plan can positively impact your business. Social media has evolved from a fad to a powerful tool.
What tourism trends are you seeing that will impact your job and how you work in the next 2 years?
I’m afraid with COVID-19 all bets are off. The event industry is waiting with baited breath to see what will happen next.
It’s vacation time – where do you go?
This is a tough question! I have been so fortunate to travel, with work, all over the world. One of my favorite places is the country of Portugal – I have spent a lot of time here and it is truly a lovely place. Stateside I’d find my way to Martha’s Vineyard or to the southern part of Utah which is so spectacularly beautiful.
What is your favorite app and tell us a bit about it.
For me, while on-site, I could not live without my Dropbox App. It enables me to pull up numerous schedules and documents on my phone without having to carry around a binder filled with papers.
What is your favorite tradeshow and why?
NA – we usually build the tradeshows, not attend them!
What advice do you have for someone just getting started in the tourism industry?
Pay attention and learn. Pay attention to what is going on in the world, what is going on in your industry, the trends, what new venues are opening up (hotel, event space, restaurant), who has won awards and what about their entry made them stand out, what new items are getting great reviews (or negative ones).
What is one of the ways you are coping with being home from work and self-isolating?
I am used to working from home but my standard routine before COVID-19 was to take my computer and myself to one of my favorite coffee shops so I could have a little human interaction. Now I make sure to pick up the phone each day and call a friend (not a work colleague) and chat about anything other than work. I feel renewed and re-motivated after I hang up the phone.
What do you see as an opportunity that will come out of the current Coronovirus crisis?
Our company is known for producing high-end exclusive events for small numbers of attendees – I believe we will see more small regional events as opposed to large national or global events in the next few years. Once our clients have secured funding for events I believe we are uniquely positioned to be successful in the post COVID world.