Daring To Be Great: Leadership Insights With Cipriano Talavera

Q&A with Cipriano Talavera, Front Office Manager at Hilton Garden Inn Carlsbad Beach

How did you end up in your current role?
The Best Western in Oceanside was sold after I had been there for 4 years and I found my way to the Hilton Garden Inn Carlsbad Beach when the new owners opted out of keeping the management company it had previously been managed by. I worked all of the shifts and positions at the HGI Carlsbad Beach property as a Guest Service Agent, Night Auditor, Front Desk Supervisor and eventually Front Office Manager.

What do you love about this industry?
I remained within the hospitality industry because I came to realize I was a people person and enjoyed seeing the smiles on the faces of families who came to experience what San Diego had to offer. I also enjoyed meeting different guests from around the world and learning about their cultures. I have now built long lasting friendships with some of our VIP’s and the smile they have when they walk into our entryway and know they came to a place where the people feel like family is priceless.

What do you love about your role/what inspires you to be great?
The part I love about my job is interacting with our guests, being responsible for the wonderful memories they take back home and knowing we were responsible for that. Being a destination spot on the beach, we are expected to make an impact on our guest’s lives when they come for family vacations, anniversaries, and birthdays and what motivates me is wanting to be the best at what we do. I want to build a future within the hospitality industry where we are known for years to come. We currently have families that have been coming to the property since it was practically built in the early 2000’s. I want that momentum to continue.

What are your professional aspirations; where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?
In the next 5 years I wish to move up to the next level, which is rooms division manager, or general management eventually within the next 10 years.

What advice/tips resonated with you most from mentors throughout your career?
There are a few things that have always stuck with me about the hospitality industry. The first would be the way we treat each other within the hotel we work at as a whole. We treat the property as our own. We all come here to work hard and make a living for ourselves and as such we should take pride and ownership of the hotel, its problems and its achievements. Whether small or large we all do our part to keep the place running and we all show up to provide for our families. The second is to treat the guests like family and how you wish your sister, brother mother, or father would want to be treated when they come stay with us. Sincerity goes a long way in this industry when building lasting memories with our guests.

What advice would you give someone who is coming up?
Do not get discouraged about being in the hospitality industry by guests with bad attitudes. We all get them every now and then, but we cannot let those bad interactions effect the rest of our day and other guests stays. If you are committed to moving up within the industry, then make it known to your hotel leaders so you can be placed in positions to learn about different departments you may be interested in. I like to share my knowledge and am a firm believer in sharing information so we all know how to help each other.