When your dad owns a restaurant and catering company, it’s hard not to fall in love with the magic of events. That’s a big part of the story for Sarah Just, director of sales and conference services at Turning Stone Resort Casino in Verona, New York, whose father got into the hospitality business when she was a toddler.
“[As a child,] I would sneak upstairs to his office, and I’d either be playing Solitaire on his computer or trying to learn about food costing and looking at his accounting ledger,” says Just. “He would sit with me and teach me things. He taught me about things like par levels and staffing and how you can do special event menus.”
When Just was old enough to work, she started helping out at the restaurant. Just recalls her first day: “My job was to fill water pitchers and glasses,” she says. “I remember my dad came around on my first night. He said to me, ‘Is this what you think people should see when they walk in? And do you feel prepared for how busy we’re going to get?’” He proceeded to point out that her ice bucket was not full, there was half-melted ice and water all over the counter and floor, and she didn’t have any clean washcloths on hand or enough glasses for service. “He said, ‘You always have to prepare. That’s what sets you apart,’” says Just.
She took that advice to heart and has come a long way since then, now leading a sales and conference services team of 30 people at Turning Stone, one of New York’s premier four-season resorts that has earned multiple Forbes Four-Star awards. In addition to boosting revenue, Just leads strategy on everything from how to optimize artificial intelligence use in the sales process to what the service standards should be when the resort debuts its new convention facility later this year.
Her favorite parts of the job? Never being bored, getting to know interesting people, and wowing returning and new clients. “We have so many resources at Turning Stone,” says Just. “It’s so fun to sell because of everything we have at our fingertips.”
And while she might have learned her preparation skills from her father, Just has her own secrets to success: collaboration and communication. “That’s what really makes you successful in hospitality,” she says. “Every department and its actions touch a group booking, from the front desk and what the shuttle driver says to how effective the signage is at the resort. I’m always really proud when the team gets together and comes up with great solutions that work not only for the property, but for the attendees as well.”
