Tracey Moran, director of Communications at Red Cow Moran Hotel, takes the Business & Finance 60-second challenge.
Q. What was your first job?
It was actually ‘bagging spuds’ for my dad’s supermarket in west Limerick.
As an entrepreneur dad had a number of businesses on the go at the same time – a supermarket, pub, music lounge, restaurant, post office and even an undertaking business.
As kids, we all had our jobs and bagging the spuds was our least favourite; doing the bottle bins was another!
Q. What would you regard as your greatest achievement to date?
Becoming a mum to three wonderful children would be top of the list, but other achievements I am proud of would include the coordination from start to finish of the ‘Tomathon’ a charity walk instigated by my father on behalf of Pieta House. We succeeded in raising €190,000 and walked from west Limerick to Dublin.
I am also extremely proud to be part of the team that has been involved with the newly enhanced Red Cow Moran Hotel, a refurbishment that broke ground in October 2015 months and includes 150 deluxe new bedrooms, two luxurious bedroom suites, a new coffee dock and wine bar, fitness suite and Tom’s Table (our new dining concept named after the head of our family Tom Moran.
Q. If you could step into the shoes of one businessperson for the day, who would it be and why?
While I admire women like Margaret Heffernan and Frieda Hayes for their passion and unfaltering belief in their work, as well as their business acumen, I’m not sure how much ‘fun’ a day in their shoes would be. Richard Branson strikes me as someone who gets the best of both worlds – business success plus an exciting life!
Q. In three words or less, how do you define success?
Personally fulfilled.
Q. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Be ‘proactive and not reactive’. When things are not going the way they should – turn a positive into a negative!
Q. How do you motivate yourself and your staff?
Communication is key. Staff need to know what is going on and feel part of a team to feel motivated.
From my own point of view, I’m motivated by results and feedback. Doing a great job and getting feedback that echoes this is what motivates me to continuously strive for improvement.
Q. How do you relax?
Working full-time and being a mum means I don’t get too much time to myself. But when I do, I love getting stuck into a great book or enjoying a meal out with my hubby or friends.
Q. What’s your motto?
Turn a negative into a positive.
There’s so much in life we cannot change and recognising this is half the battle – if you can’t change something then make the best of it!
Q. What are your aspirations for the future of your business?
To continue to grow and look for new opportunities that come our way as a family and as a business.
We are a progressive and dynamic family who strive to be the best we can be in the hospitality industry.
Doing a great job and getting feedback that echoes this is what motivates me to continuously strive for improvement
ELEGANT EXTENSION
A seasoned leader, Tracey Moran is experienced in all day-to-day sales, marketing and communication activities, such as event management, sponsorship and PR.
Moran networked and experienced at converting opportunities into success. One such success is the recent seven-storey extension at Red Cow Moran Hotel. The extension includes 14 new spaces for corporate and social events.
