By Business & Finance Virginia Fortune, General Manager of the 1878 and The Premium Club, Private Members’ Clubs at 3Arena
What was your first job? I was a waitress in a Dublin hotel. It was hard work, but I think all young people should try their hand at a job where they interact with all walks of life. You meet lovely, pleasant people and the not so pleasant – that’s life. If you’re any good, you learn the art of cajolery and how to turn a bad situation into a better one. And perhaps get a better tip. What would you regard as your greatest achievement to date? As a single parent, I’ve survived getting my 19-year-old daughter, Rebecca, through the teens. Only a few months to go… Also, hanging onto my job during the recession when members were dropping like flies. Our members included many of the most vulnerable companies at that time so we really struggled from 2008 through to 2012. It was hugely challenging, but we worked hard, invested in our business and with a lot of creativity and nerves of steel we turned it all around. We are in a strong position at the minute and, over the course of the last few years, have often had to operate waiting lists. Right now, we have a limited number of spaces available which we will fill over the summer months. In three words or less, how would you define success? Being content. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Time you enjoy wasting, is not time wasted. How do you motivate yourself and your staff? I like to take my time in the morning, I don’t like to be rushed. That time, early in the morning, is my meditation and motivation for the day ahead. I have my coffee, my shower, do my make-up, have a mini fashion crisis, check my emails and mentally plan the day ahead. I am mostly motivated by my team and their amazing energy – I learn something new from them every day. They drop in and out of my office all day with questions and suggestions. I love working with them and growing the business, learning from them as much as they learn from me. No day is ever the same at 3Arena, it’s a diverse and exciting place to work. One day it’s Elton John, the next day it’s Drake and with each comes a different audience with very different needs. We are very customer focused and we need to be very diligent when delivering such a high-end product. As a place to work, 3Arena is superb and being part of such a great team delivering the product we do is very motivating. If you could step into the shoes of one business person for a day, who would it be and why? I have great respect for thoughtful philanthropists. I really admire MacKenzie Bezos, ex-wife of Mr. Amazon, Jeff Bezos. She recently pledged half of her divorce settlement to the Giving Pledge campaign as she ‘has a disproportionate amount of money to share’. I also really admire Ruby Wax who, having had a very difficult life, has studied to become a Master in Mindfulness and is now a powerful speaker throughout the world. And she has written several really interesting and funny books. She is an inspiration to all of us who may suffer a bit of stress or self-doubt – which, let’s face it, all of us do from time to time. How do you relax? I just close the front door behind me, I find it very easy to relax and I love spending time with Rebecca which isn’t that often these days as she has a very busy social life. I definitely watch too much Netflix, but I also do some Pilates, some walking and I love the exhilaration of a sea swim. What’s your motto? Never give up, never be a bully. Respect others and you will get respect back. It’s so much easier to be pleasant and the rewards are great. What are your aspirations for the future of your business? I want to see the business sustain and build on the success we have had over the past four to five years. We’re in an incredibly strong position in both clubs with very limited spaces available; I want us to maintain that position. There are exciting new developments with technology which will only enhance our business, so I want to see us harness these opportunities. We are increasingly focused on the retention and loyalty of our existing membership base many of whom have been with us for years so that is a big part of our plan for the next five years. We want to grow that program and ensure our members feel rewarded and loved. A full refurbishment of two of three levels of the 1878 has just been completed, with the third level penciled in for refurbishment later this year or early next. We may do something a little different with that area. We are also determined to become a more environmentally conscious business and we have a working group focused on this for the entire venue. That’s something I’m very passionate about. We can all do so much better in this area.
I have great respect for thoughtful philanthropists. I really admire MacKenzie Bezos, ex-wife of Mr. Amazon, Jeff Bezos. She recently pledged half of her divorce settlement to the Giving Pledge campaign as she ‘has a disproportionate amount of money to share’.
