Monday motivation – Felix asks (S2E6)

It is Monday 15th of February. In today's episode of Monday motivation - the last one of season 2 - I have the great pleasure to introduce the General Manager of The Wellem, part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt, and the first member of that same collection in Germany, Till Raymond Westheuser. 

In 2016, The Unbound Collection by Hyatt launched a global collection of unique and independent stay experiences. The collection consists of 25 hotels worldwide ranging from historic urban gems to contemporary trend-setters, spanning boutique properties to resorts. In July 2019, Till moved from Hamburg to Düsseldorf to take over the hotel while operating under Hyatt House Düsseldorf. In November 2020, The Wellem hotel opened its doors with 102 studios and suites. It also offers six food and beverage outlets.

After a traineeship with the Mandarin Oriental in Munich, Till moved to start his career with the Kempinski. He was a member of the pre-opening team for the Grand & Ixir Hotel in Manama, Bahrain before moving to Austria to join Kempinski's “Das Tirol”. Afterward, Till held various positions as Assistant Director of Sales to the famous Kempinski Taschenbergpalais in Dresden before joining the Kempinski Hotel Atlantic (which is now part of Marriott, since the beginning of 2021) in Hamburg as Director of Sales, and later as Director of Sales and Marketing in February 2016. 

This is around the same time that Till and I met. During these days, I enjoyed our frequent exchanges, despite us being competitors, and it was always a conversation on equal terms. In today’s interview, Till and I discuss his start in hospitality and what the industry means to him. We covered three different aspects that underline the variety of our beautiful trade. In the end, Till both shared his list of favorite books and the advice he received from his father with us. 

I hope you will enjoy this episode with Till as much as I did. Season 3 is in the making and will be online on April 5. 

Question 1: Where did you start your career? 

Till Raymond Westheuser (TRW): “ I started my career at the Hilton Düsseldorf. A 375 keys property with 18 adjacent meeting rooms, a nice hotel bar, and a restaurant as an apprentice in the hospitality industry". 

Question 2: What does hospitality mean to you? 

TRW: "The hospitality industry is a unique working environment as it is somehow our society in a nutshell. For instance, under the roof of a hotel, you get to know all different walks of life interacting with one another daily. The multi-millionaire staying in the presidential suite and the cleaning staff tidying up the suite, their paths would not come have crossed in their "normal lives", but inside the hotel, they do come very close. It all comes down to people and managing the communication between them effectively.”

Question 3: Can you please share an anecdote you experienced that shows the variety and beauty of our tourism and hospitality industry? 

TRW: “To be honest there is not one single striking anecdote I could share right now but maybe I could break it down into three different aspects, which strike me personally: 

Camaraderie

As a member of a hotel team, you learn that no one, regardless of their position, can achieve something alone. You must be a convinced team player to be successful, and you must trust the ability of your team members. You lose and win together as a team, there can't be a superhero who can achieve all on his own.    

Global mobility

As a hotelier, especially when you just started your career, I think you should desire to see the world. This certainly is a unique advantage that hoteliers can apply for jobs worldwide and could develop their careers and at the same time grow their personality while living abroad. 

The hospitality field in general requires a very diverse skillset and no day is like the other. If you work in hospitality for various years you learn to master different disciplines at the same time.” 

Question 4: Have you had a mentor in your career? Who was it and did she/he give you the advice you still follow?

TRW: “I have gladly met a lot of role models along the way, which certainly influenced me to become the hotelier that I am today. I prefer the word role model instead of a mentor. Keeping your eyes open, being able to listen to the older generation without being too proud to ask for advice if needed. And finally, not taking yourself too seriously is a key aspect to further develop as a hotelier.”

 Question 5: What would you like to say to a hospitality/ tourism student or professional who recently started his/her career at this right moment? 

TRW: “You have chosen a fantastic perspective work field, which is suffering now due to the Pandemic, however, the industry will bounce back and will recover. Regardless of the current challenges, people were and will always travel from A to B as simple as that. If you love working in a team within an international working environment, and if you love taking good care of people, you have certainly chosen the right perspective work field. Secondly, I would pass on the advice my father gave me a couple of years ago: "just look for a perspective work field where you can do what you love. Don't look for quick money too early in your career. If you choose a potential future job, just look where your expectations and desires are mostly satisfied. If you find a job you love, you will do more than expected and you will go the extra mile. If you do what you love, you will do it well and if you do something good, you will one day, earn good money.”

Question 6: Do you have a book recommendation - this could be everything from a novel to an autobiography.

TRW: "As I was born in Berlin, I do have a little bit of a Kempinski background and love history and of course the hospitality industry, I would recommend “Das Adlon - Eine Familiensaga." On a private note, I am currently reading the German book "Brüder" by Jackie Thomae, a great book which coincidently also takes place in my hometown Berlin.”

Dear Till, thank you for your time. I hope to see you soon in your beautiful hotel in Düsseldorf.