Supplier Profile

Alison Maier
Sales Manager
Brookstreet Hotel
Joined MPI in 2016
Alison.maier@brookstreet.com 
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alisonmaier/

1. Tell us a bit about yourself

I was born in a small town in British Columbia called Masset. Most of you will probably need to Google it and I don’t blame you – it is pretty off the grid, but a must-see for nature lovers and those who love to fish.

Being a part of a large family (6 kids), my parents had their hands full. Five of us are girls too, so my dad definitely did something terrible to deserve that (kidding). I am a ‘military brat’ so I bounced around quite a bit when I was younger. We started out in BC, then off to Florida, then California (thanks to Hurricane Andrew), before coming to Ottawa.

I am also a big sports enthusiast and grew up playing hockey, with the boys. Being the only girl playing at the time resulted in me using many janitor closets and furnace rooms as change rooms. One time, I even had to share a furnace room with another girl who played on the other team… she stole my oranges after the game and I never forgave her.

Eventually, I made my way onto the varsity hockey team at uOttawa, while completing my Honours Bachelor of Health Science. After graduation, I moved back to California for a short stint before returning to Ottawa to start my career with the Ottawa Senators – in sales, not on the ice.

After 4 seasons in Sales for the team, I then made the move to hospitality, where I am now the Corporate Sales Manager at Brookstreet Hotel.

One last thing you should know about me is that I am a CRAZY dog person. Picture that person who posts endless amounts of photos and videos of their children… that’s me, but with my two dogs, Stanley & Cali. They also have their own Instagram handle…@stanley_and_cali because you are obviously going to want to follow them.

2. How did you join the industry? Was it a straight path or a more circuitous route?

My path to the Sales & the Hospitality industry was a bit unconventional. My educational background is in health, having initially planned to go to Medical School. It wasn’t until I dove into my Sales career that I opted to further my education and seek out business certifications from Algonquin College.

I had worked multiple sales jobs throughout university, but never thought of it as a legitimate career path. When I moved back to California, I received a job offer to work at a Sport & Entertainment marketing firm, in Walnut Creek. This opened my eyes to the idea of pursuing Sales and working in sport (though it seems kind of obvious to me now).

From there, I returned to Ottawa and began my career in Business Development, with the Ottawa Senators. I remained with the team for approx. 4 seasons before making the jump to Brookstreet Hotel. I had collaborated with the staff at Brookstreet on several occasions and I couldn’t help but be drawn to their creativity and innovativeness.

Needless to say, I love this industry and it has given me the opportunity to strengthen my passion for sales (I have been told once or twice I am a tad competitive, so that helps), all the while meeting some amazing individuals along the way.

What more could you want?

3. Social Media: What is your favourite industry app?

I am a huge LinkedIn nerd…ask anyone in my office. I am fascinated by the analytics and sheer reach you can achieve through this platform. There are tons of industry specific groups you can join as well, where you can share best practices, tips, ideas, etc.

Personally, I find it is a fantastic prospecting tool and a great place to share your accomplishments with fellow colleagues and industry partners.

4. Inspiration: What are you currently reading or would recommend reading

I am currently reading a novel called ‘Brain on Fire’, written by Susannah Cahalan. It is a true story of a young reporter in NYC, who is stricken with a very sudden and debilitating illness. The book narrates from a first person perspective and describes her battle surrounding the struggle to find a diagnosis and her frustrations throughout her recovery process.

When I was in my final year at uOttawa, I was actually a Research Assistant for a Neuroplasticity study, so this was right up my alley.

‘Brain on Fire’ is a phenomenal read and definitely makes you think about your perception on certain illnesses. If you are fascinated by the human brain, or just need an inspirational & impactful read – I would highly suggest this book.

It was also made into a movie for those that would just prefer to watch it…no judgement.

5. Professional: What is one small adjustment that has had a big impact on you professionally?

I absolutely love lists. I find that the mere act of putting pen to paper seems to make even the largest of tasks achievable.

Before each week (and day) I ensure to pre-plan what my day/week will look like. I carve out times for particular tasks, noting that there will always be “disrupters” to the day (i.e. everything unplanned).

By doing this and setting small goals, I find that there has been an immense increase in my ROI.

I wouldn’t say any of this is ground breaking or a big secret, but it works.

6. Personal: What is the advice you would give to your younger self?

The best advice I could give to my younger self is to trust your gut and just do it.

I like to think I do not have any regrets, but I could have saved myself a lot of time and energy had I just trusted my initial gut feeling.

I’ve learned that I have a pretty good sense of self and am somewhat of self-proclaimed expert when it comes to first impressions. That being said, it wasn’t until later that I gained the confidence to feel empowered enough to go against the grain and follow my instincts.

This also remains true for every multiple choice exam I have ever taken. “Please, Alison – do not go back and change your answers. Also… don’t slouch.”

7. Networking: What was your favourite networking event?

It may be a tad biased, but I don’t care – MPI events have always been a favourite of mine! As I mentioned before, I absolutely love this industry, so I thrive off meeting with like-minded meeting professionals.

I am also a big fan of golf tournaments, as I think it takes the pressure off of networking and allows for more organic interactions.

Lastly, having just attended a TedX event at Brookstreet, I can honestly say that that was one of the most thought-provoking events I have had the pleasure of attending. It made networking easy, as everyone was eager to hear people’s perception and take-aways from each talk.

8. Favourite Quote:

“The vision of a champion is someone who is bent over, drenched in sweat, at the point of exhaustion when no one else is watching.” – Mia Hamm

   Article compiled by Kelly Brintnell, Tourism Kingston

Article edited by Rozanne Lyons, CMP, Intertask Conferences