Female leaders in hospitality often face unique challenges and obstacles along their career paths. Whether it’s gender bias, pay disparities, or balancing work and family, these challenges can make it more difficult for women to succeed and thrive. Throughout the twists and turns of my career journey, I was fortunate to find ways to overcome these obstacles which allowed me to become the successful leader in hospitality that I am today—but I didn’t do it alone.

Growing up under the legacy wing of my late grandfather, Jack DeBoer, came with a unique set of challenges and opportunities. Between his guidance and my first job at an Italian cashmere company right after high school, I learned to keep service top of mind and to promote excellence in everything that I do. In addition to learning from my grandfather, my parents also worked in the hospitality industry from the time I was born. They taught me many life lessons by using the Ritz Carlton credo card — and in my years before and especially now as a leader in hospitality, I adopted their habit of always providing the “gold standard” in service. They taught me so much about service and adaptability which I am committed to instilling in our WaterWalk team today. Our team prioritizes building strong relationships with our guests by being attentive to their needs, providing exceptional service and going above and beyond to exceed their expectations.

Despite beginning in retail and growing up with the hospitality industry consistently in front of me, I ended up in the banking world right out of college, pursuing a career that I felt was my niche at the time. Throughout my career in banking, hospitality was never too far off my radar. When I was recruited to a prestigious international bank and working on teams in the New York, London and Dusseldorf offices, I managed hospitality deals ranging from $100 million to $1 billion. It was during this time that I faced the first noticeable challenge in my career when I was passed over for a promotion that was offered to a colleague who had a connection at the bank. Discouraged and unsure of what move to make next, I spoke with a mentor of mine who ultimately helped guide my decision to move to Wichita and work for the family business. This marked a pivotal moment that provided a new avenue and the opportunity to rise above the situation and embrace my passion for hospitality.

There is a significant level of pressure that comes along with starting over on a new path, even more so when that path involves working in the shadow of a family member who has been making waves in the industry for years. From the beginning of my time at WaterWalk, I never took any position I held for granted. I started where anyone with a banking background might start in the hospitality industry – in real estate. Real estate and site selection are still some of my favorite areas of the business, but as I progressed with the brand, I sought positions that both fit my existing skillset and would help establish a new skillset. Along with my length of time in the industry and my young age came plenty of doubt and questions about my voice in the trajectory of the business, but I didn’t let that stop me from sharing it and earning my seat at the table. Instead of fighting against the male leaders on my team, I embraced them and leaned on their knowledge; working with them to continue growing the WaterWalk brand.

During my rise to CEO, I knew I didn’t know it all, so I surrounded myself with mentors and remained willing to adjust my skillset to excel in a new environment. Leading a business is not easy, especially a legacy brand in a male-dominated industry, but adaptability and confidence were the keys to making myself an expert in everything I learned along the journey to where I am now. Hospitality is an industry that thrives on innovation and creativity, so it has been very exciting to drive change by encouraging my team to think outside of the box and come up with new ideas. I have also learned every idea may not work and it’s okay to fail. I encourage other females in hospitality to go with their gut and accept when things don’t turn out how they expected them to. Every failure is an opportunity to improve both professionally and personally.

As WaterWalk has continued to thrive – unveiling the first of the Gen 2.0 properties for our brand and growth plans to double our portfolio in the next year – I am incredibly humbled to be a part of my late grandfather’s business that I didn’t even realize I would have a hand in, let alone lead. My advice to other female leaders in the hospitality industry is to keep learning, stay confident and be passionate about what you do. Surround yourself with successful leaders in hospitality and other industries to gain valuable insights and guidance. By focusing on these keys to growth, female leaders in hospitality can develop their skills, build their networks and position themselves for success in their hospitality careers.