I am from Nepal, where we mostly rely on hospitality and tourism, so I wanted to learn more about it, as it offered more scope for a career. Also, I like to meet people and get to know about their cultures and customs.

When I’ve graduated in 2011 my family decided to move to UK, which was not the easiest decision to make. Coming to new country, with no friends around was challenging, however I was positive, optimistic and open-minded. My first job in the hospitality sector was at Pret A Manger, where I started as a Team Member and grew to be a Leader. There were more opportunities for me, but I wanted to try my luck in the Hotel Industry. This is what I studied and dreamt about, so I changed my career and I think it was the best decision to make. Accor gave me the chance to prove myself. Although I didn’t have much experience in the UK, Accor believed in my potential and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity that changed my life.

I started at Ibis Styles London Southwark as a Front House Team Member and in less than a year I was promoted to Front Office Team Leader. Shortly after, next promotions came along; Duty Manager, Assistant Front Office Manager and Front Office Manager.  Ibis Styles was amazing because it is the place where I proved myself, build friendships and had a great time. I have then decided to join Novotel London Greenwich to learn more about different brands, how they operate and to grow even further, where I am currently working as a Rooms Division Manager.

I love learning about cultures and countries through the people I meet. In Accor, I have met people from all around the world and build great friendships, which I cherish. Also, hospitality gives you the possibility to grow in many directions like HR, Marketing, Accounts etc. People may think that this career is limited to the reception, or restaurant, however there are many more opportunities, which I was not aware until I joined. I was offered plenty of training and development opportunities, for which I am extremely grateful.

My proudest moment is where I am now and what I’ve achieved in my life, coming from a small country. I wanted to prove to others and, mostly to myself, that a woman from Nepal can achieve great things with dedication, hard work, support and a bit of luck. However, it also makes me sad, that I wasn’t able to share these moments with my dad, as he passed away recently.

For me, Heartist® means to do everything from the heart. Training teams, serving customers and building relationships with passion. When you do something with a genuine feeling, you accomplish more. It is great that Accor is providing this training, which inspire us to achieve our goals and career in a Heartist® way.

Someone who has just joined the industry may find it a bit hectic at first; it may not be easy to understand how it works and be challenging at times, but hospitality is amazing, they just need to give it a chance!

There are lots of opportunities – I started with no experience to now being a Rooms Division Manager. I came from a different country, had to adapt to the new culture and language. As I speak Nepalese and Gurung as my first languages, it did not come naturally to express myself in English, but joining Accor, talking with guests and colleagues, and learning through that was really helpful and enjoyable.