Hugo Germain grew up knowing he wanted to join the family business, Le Germain Hotels. “When I was young, I wanted to work with my father,” says Germain, now director of development at the company, which has offices in Montreal, and 14 (and counting) hotels across Canada. That doesn’t mean the journey was easy. After college, Germain, 38, joined Krispy Kreme in Canada as assistant manager for store openings. “You get out of university with a college degree and you are told you’re cream of the crop,” he says. At Krispy Kreme, he earned a modest salary and would watch as his college friends realized it was him working the night shift at the drive-through window. “The looks on their faces…” he says. Still, he worked with a great mentor at the company and learned different aspects of the business. He also gained credibility, as he’d shown he could succeed outside the family business.
Germain is one of 20 rising stars (all 40 and under) HOTELS interviewed for our May feature. All shared their insights about their lives in the business and thoughts about some of today’s challenges and opportunities. In a Wall Street Journal-sponsored series, read Germain’s responses to our questions and click here to link to the full list of interviews with HOTELS 20 Next-Gen hospitality leaders.
Contributed by Karen Kroll
HOTELS: How do you see hotel industry opportunities evolving? How plentiful and varied are they?
Hugo Germain: We’re seeing myriad different products coming to the market. I believe the tourism and hotel industries are very attractive for the new generations, who strive for traveling and continuous learning, who enjoy meeting all kinds of new people, and do not want to be stuck with the same thing all the time. The hotel business provides an environment that’s versatile and allow them to explore.
H: How prevalent are glass ceilings and the old boys network in the hotel industry?
HG: We are fortunate to have co-presidents leading our organization. My father and aunt created Groupe Germain Hotels 30 years ago. As an organization, we value diversity and equity.
When you look at the representation of senior executives at conferences like (the Americas Lodging Investment Summit), you still feel that a larger proportion of men are represented, but this is changing. The hotel business is not all about numbers. It is about people and human contact. I feel that women have a natural flair for that. There should be more women leading hotel groups around the world.
H: Are company cultures shifting meet hotel staff and corporate needs? How do you think company cultures need to be updated to attract younger professionals, and how do the priorities of next-gen leaders compare to those of current ones?
HG: Younger leaders are looking for a better balance between family and work, and for more flexibility and challenge. They want to lead with ideas and push boundaries and be part of a movement.
H: Why are people getting into the hotel business and what does the industry need to do to become more attractive? What’s attracting people now?
HG: Industrywide, there is a shortage of people willing to work in our industry. We certainly have to attract people with growth opportunities, better working conditions and giving them ownership so they can (take actions) with our guests. We should not be afraid of shaking things up a bit. Work-life balance is much more a topic today and organizations need to adapt to that reality.
H: What do you care about the most when it comes to hotels and careers?
HG: Continuing to generate growth opportunities for our people. We are passionate about seeing our people thrive in this environment.
H: What about the business keeps you up at night?
HG: Our company culture has always been very customer-centric. It’s in our DNA. The main challenge is to ensure that whether you’re staying in Montreal or Calgary or Saskatoon, you experience the same type of genuine contact. If we don’t pay attention to this, it can shift very quickly.
H: What advice would you tell people entering the industry now? What’s important?
HG: Authenticity is the guiding principle for good service. If somebody asks a question, if you know the answer, tell them. If you don’t, tell them that. When things go well, be proud to talk about it. When things don’t go so well, tell the truth.
H: Describe the things that you try to do every day, and why do you do them?
HG: We get a report on the performance of our 14 properties that I look at daily. I set priorities early in the day. The rest varies greatly from day to day, which makes my job interesting.
H: Where do you find inspiration outside your industry?
HG: For two years, I gave myself the challenge of doing the Iron Man Triathlon. I’m a cyclist, but had never swum before, and had never run that much. It’s tough, but you know there is a carrot at the end, and you know you’re going to succeed, and you just need to tell your legs to shut up. In business, it’s the same. There are times where things are hurting, but you’re going to get to it, and you’re going to succeed.
H: Who inspires you?
Elon Musk. He doesn’t hesitate to question everything around him. He challenges the status quo all the time. People think he might be crazy at times, and then you’re seeing a rocket coming back to earth, landing on a 20-by-20-foot platform. That inspires other people to go further and to transform their own environment,
H: What’s one prediction you’ll make about the coming year?
HG: I’m not very good at predictions. But I know we’re going to open four hotels this year and launch a third brand called Alt Hotels.