Julie Gray
Company:
Bovingdons
Job title:
Managing Director
How did you get into the sector:
By marrying my lovely husband!
What do you enjoy about your role:
The diversity – every day brings something new and interesting.
Career high:
Signing the lease on Nonsuch Mansion – our first event venue.
Career low:
Losing a contract that I knew was perfect for Bovingdons!
What are your plans for the next year:
To look for another exclusive venue to rent or buy, continue to create fabulous events with great food and to build on our long standing reputation as a “Serious Player”.
What was the biggest break of your career:
Winning the contract at The Orangery, Holland Park, our first venue – which we still have today 18 years on!"
What are you most proud of in your career:
Our staff retention. The industry is known for its quick staff turnover and we are certainly breaking the norm as our staff stay for years and years!
What advice would you give to people keen to progress in the
industry:
To be realistic! It takes years of learning with experience professionals to build your own experience, I have in the last 5 years realised that I have enough experience and therefore confidence to deal with anything that's thrown at me – I do feel the younger new comers think they know it all rather too quickly! Which is a shame because they miss out on the "nuts & bolts" of our industry.
Who inspires you:
My staff, my clients, our suppliers and anyone who is passionate about what they do.
What do you do in your downtime:
My second job of wife & mum and I also love to my vegetable garden and when time allows I play very bad mixed doubles!
What question do you always ask in interviews:
What is the thing you are most proud of to date and the worst thing that has happened to you at work … and then of course the why question and "what" did you do?
Tips that have made you a success:
Hard work – impossible to do it without, a resolute inner belief, never compromising, never being afraid to say no – even to business ( if it's not good business) and I think above all being open and very honest at all times. I need to sleep well at night!