Anna Cochran, Innkeeper at the Rosewood Victoria Inn
by Christine Hart
Aviawest
Published November 1, 2008
Two years ago, if you had asked Anna Cochran if she expected to be a leader within a booming resort development and management company, she might have thought you were joking.
Yet at age 25, she is the youngest woman currently leading a team within Vancouver Island-based Aviawest Resorts. Since joining the company as a general inn staff in October 2006, Cochran has worked tirelessly to exceed guests’ expectations and make the Rosewood Victoria Inn one of the premiere boutique hotels in downtown Victoria, BC.
“I’m really glad I took the role of Innkeeper here at the Rosewood. We’ve got such a great team and we have fun every day. I feel like I’ve found what I should be doing for a living and it’s very satisfying,” said Cochran.
“I love the hands-on component of the job. I enjoy working with tools and making repairs as much as I like working with people, serving high tea or helping guests plan activities.”
Shortly after Cochran joined the Rosewood team, she got a sense of the corporate culture within Aviawest. A company-wide human resources survey seemed unremarkable until she noticed feedback from staff being incorporated throughout the company.
“I thought, ‘Wow, this company actually cares about its employees,’ so when the chance to move into the Innkeeper’s spot came up, I just bit the bullet and stepped up,” said Cochran, noting how proud she is to work for a noticeably ethical company.
“Now that I’ve been in this role for awhile, I feel more confident and comfortable. I know I can do the job and people respond to that.”
Having entered the workforce straight out of high school, Cochran already has a varied background from working jobs like customer service representative, cashier, x-ray developer, and grocery delivery driver. She even had a hand in founding a short-lived staging and minor renovation company called Illuminations, which partnered with Realtors to help clients tidy, fix, and present homes for showing. She found Aviawest just when she was looking to make the change from ‘job’ to ‘career’.
“I was looking for work, but really looking for a good fit; I wanted something I could stay with for awhile. After months of job search, I found Aviawest and a front desk role at the Rosewood. I’ve felt recognized and supported every day since,” said Cochran.
Simon Rose, Aviawest’s Director of Talent, couldn’t be happier to have Cochran running things at the Rosewood. “One hundred per cent of feedback that I’ve heard from Rosewood guests and staff about Anna has been positive. Aviawest is very lucky to have her as one of our leaders.”
“When we asked Anna to lead the Rosewood, it was definitely a case of choosing talent and attitude over experience. At the time, I thought we were getting someone who would do the Innkeeper’s job well but within a week or two of working with her, I knew we were getting someone who was going to be a ten out of ten and exceed everyone’s expectations,” said Rose.
In any hands-on hospitality role, persistence, versatility, and the ability to smile in the face of a leaking roof or an unhappy guest is truly invaluable. Many smaller properties present these challenges to a handful of people rather than separate departments and the Rosewood Inn is no exception.
“My biggest challenge at the Inn is definitely staffing. There are so many jobs out there right now, so it’s tough to find a solid team member, who is also qualified. When hiring, I look to my own skill gaps and try to find staff who compliment myself and current staff. Still, we need true multi-taskers and they can be rare,” said Cochran.
Fortunately, like all Aviawest properties and departments, she has the support of strong recruiting and retention strategies. The same channels through which Aviawest and Rose have found many staff for all business areas including sales, front desk, housekeeping, marketing, and more.
Cochran admitted, “I did find it a little tough to establish leadership – at first. The Innkeeper before me left some really big shoes to fill and I was faced with the challenge of managing staff I had already worked with. Add that I’m young, and a woman. I found myself struggling to have guests accept me in the role – especially when it was me who’d turn up to plunge a toilet at 11 pm or fix a broken thermostat.”
“My favourite part of the day is that moment when all the rooms are done, I can sit down and relax for a bit. I get a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction from the work,” said Cochran.
Looking around the finely appointed antique-themed Inn, it’s easy to see what she’s proud of. From the warm and sunny atrium, to the inviting sitting room and well-groomed rose gardens, the atmosphere is cozy, yet conveys impeccable attention to detail.
Cochran has certainly made her mark, both at the Rosewood and within Aviawest. So where does she see herself in the future?
“At the moment, I’m looking at a post-secondary course that takes practical work experience into account,” she said, adding, “ I love working for Aviawest, but some time farther down the road, I’d like to work overseas and run my own B&B.”
At Aviawest, they know that whatever Anna Cochran decides to do, she’ll bring her powerful work ethic and enthusiasm for quality.
www.aviawest.com
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