Private Club Radio Show
Welcome to the Private Club Radio Show, the industry's weekly source for education, news, trends, and other current developments in the world of private clubs.
Hosted by the talented entertainer and industry expert, Denny Corby,
the podcast offers a unique perspective on the private club industry, featuring expert guests, product spotlights, predictions, and more.
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Private Club Radio Show
464: Building a Career in Hospitality You’re Proud Of w/ Bridget Eckert, CCM
From bussing tables at Circus Pizza to leading top private clubs,
Bridget Eckert, CCM has lived every side of hospitality.
In this episode, she and Denny Corby dive into what it takes to build a career you’re proud of — one rooted in curiosity, connection, and purpose. They talk messy résumés that actually make sense, teaching the next generation of club pros, and why pride still matters in this business.
Funny, real, and full of takeaways for anyone who loves hospitality.
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Hey everybody, welcome to the Private Club Radio Show, where we give you the scoop on all things private golf and country clubs from mastering leadership and management, food and beverage excellence, ever engagement secrets, board governance, and everything in between, all while keeping it fun and light. Whether you're a club veteran, just getting your feet wet, or somewhere in the middle, you are in the right place. I'm your host, Denny Corby. Welcome to the show. In this episode, we are hanging out with Bridget Ecker, CCM, AGM of Town and Country Club in Minnesota. And her journey, let's just say it starts with circus pizza and being Bumper the Clown and ending up at one of the most respected clubs in the state. You see, her story is all about heart, hustle, and staying human in hospitality. And she has done it all. Server, banquet manager, catering director, stadium operations, club leadership. And she'll tell you straight up every weird job, every long day, every experience, every late night banquet has taught her something that teaches her how to show up and how she leads, even to this day. And in this episode, we talk about why she never still feels like she's at work. Even after 25 years in the club and hospitality game, we dive into what she learned from jumping from private clubs to the University of Minnesota football stadium. Yes, where she's worked with the Vikings and the Gopher games, and how she also pushes her students, because she's also a teacher and educator as well, to chase internships that stand out. Internships and things that make you stand out on paper, that give you a little bit of that edge, that sparks a conversation that makes people go, really, tell me more about that. What was that like? You know, just unique internships instead of just maybe settling for a normal hotel gig. Bridget's got this incredible mix of warmth, wisdom, and realness. And you'll hear how she balances leadership, teaching, motherhood, and somehow still finds joy in all of the chaos. And I think one of my favorite lines from this one is she said, I just want people to look back and say she wasn't a jerk. She was just a good human. And honestly, that might just be the best goal all of us can have. So settle in. This is a great episode. Big thanks to some of our show partners. We really appreciate all of their support here on the channel. I also want to give myself a quick little shout out, the Denny Corby Experience. We are now booking into 2026. If you or your club is looking to have one of the most fun member event nights, holler at me. The Denny Corby Experience. There's excitement, there's mystery, also there's magic, mind reading, and comedy, a ton of laughs, gasps, and holy craps. Learn more, dennycorby.com. Enough about that though. Let's get to the episode. Private club radio listeners. Let's welcome to the show, Bridget Eckert.
SPEAKER_00:We also had our first ever quarter century club. So anyone that had been a member for 25 years or more, we had people in the room. One gentleman had been there for I think like 65 years. He'd been a member at the club. So he's also our oldest member. Um, but so we had both of those events simultaneously. Yesterday, um, we're also, you know, most of our staff are gone because of school. So trying to execute all these things um at the same time. So um it was a long day, but it was so fun. And these members were telling some of the craziest stories, and um, you know, all the presidents, all the past presidents stand up. And then one of the women in the room, she's like, you know, I was the first club, you know, female club president. I'm like, does anyone know that? We should talk about this. Um, and then the piano player that we had, he's like, you know, I've been playing here for 38 years. Like, really? It's like, yep, I was in college. And George Carroll, who's uh, you know, kind of a storied club manager in our market, um, he's like, Well, George was here and and he's like, Hey, kid, you got any business cards? He's like, I don't. He's like, Well, how much do you charge? He's like, I don't know, how much do you want to pay me? And he's been playing there ever since. So, you know, just things like that. So it was so fun to hear some of those stories. And it was just that was a great night, but in general, it's just, you know, trying to get the weather, um, you know, having having these beautiful summer evenings when it's not even summer anymore, and the members just love it, and getting all the extra use out of the patio. And if there's a if there's a beautiful day in Minnesota, we're outside.
SPEAKER_02:So real real quick, can you go, can you dive into those two events? Those sounded like a lot of fun. Well, so the the superintendents re-revenge.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, it's an annual event. I think a lot of clubs do it, but it's you know, they make the course a little complicated. You're a teen off um uh on a random spot on the golf course. It's not the T-Box. Your your pin placements are really difficult. If you don't land in the right place, you're never gonna get par, uh, things like that. So they just really make it difficult. We do another one called cross country. So you might start on hole one and then maybe instead of going to two, you're, you know, it makes more sense to go to five or things like that. So it's really just about, I don't want to say sticking it to the member because that's not what the intent is, but it's it's really playing the course in such an abnormal, um, yeah, you know, unnatural way. And, you know, one member teed off and then they're driving the carts over the curbs, you know. I'm like, what are you doing? He's like, I didn't mean to, but it seems like that's the way we're supposed to go. I'm like, well, everyone else was going this way. Um but you know, it's it's like it's just it's just they're playing the course in in almost like a putt-putt way, right? Like just really nonsensical. And it throws them off. And the what this one group they were they were putting out on 18. I had I was in the halfway house, you know, I didn't have anyone for the afternoon. And so I'm like, I'm gonna sit out there. You see everything, and everyone's walking around, like, what are you doing here? I'm like, I'm watching you, you know. Um, but they finished off on 18 and they got a birdie, and they're they were so excited because again, this pin placement was just difficult. So just just to watch them be so excited about about this this hole. And one of the Bevcourt girls had stopped by and she's like, Congratulations on your birdie, whoever got that. And they're like, Oh no, our team got this. This is a this is a team event. And they were just so excited to play, and it's six sums. So, you know, they make their own teams and they're having fun, and it's just it's just great, you know, to you know, the golf, golf can be serious, right? It, you know, yeah, even even when you're just playing with your friends, like it can be serious. They're they're playing for money on holes and they're they're having a good time, but but some of the players are a little extra sometimes. And so when you see these members just having a blast, and you know that the superintendent had a great time putting the course together and really trying to make it complicated on one hole or really fun and strange on another hole. It's just so much fun to watch these members play. And then, you know, they had they had lunch to the so the ladies played in the morning, then they had a joint lunch. So the lady golfers finished, the men had lunch, and then they were going out, and then they had appetizers after, and then they transitioned right into the quarter century club. So some members were they had double duty, they were there from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. They made a day of it. So it was just a great day at the club yesterday.
SPEAKER_02:And then as as Lee and man, I this is so this is what it feels like to work here. All the staff is like, oh, welcome. Yeah all day. So oops, I'm just gonna think about that. It's so cool.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_02:And and and you have a unique start to the whole thing, you know, because what we you were telling uh you were 15 uh uh uh bus and tables at circus pizza. You you were a clown. You know, what what did those early jobs teach you that still maybe shows up in your sure in your work today and how you lead and how you sure.
SPEAKER_00:I mean, I think first and foremost, it it was teamwork, right? It's you know, coming together as a group of people and and really I mean, busting a table, it's that's not your only job, right? You're you're stepping in and helping somebody else, you're keeping the flow going so that the next family can come in. So I think part of it, the the first and foremost was teamwork, it was collegiality, it was you know, getting getting the to to to make friends and build relationships. So that's such an early introduction to what hospitality is. Um things that have really stuck with me, I would say um it's I mean, honestly, it's it's so much of it is is relationship building, whether it's relationship within your coworkers, relationships with the people that you're tending to. Um I think one of the things that you know has kept me in clubs specifically, and I think you find this in restaurants, but it's you know, restaurants, it's regulars, right? You get the same guys that come in and sit at the bar on Wednesday nights, or you have the same family that comes in for dinner on a Sunday or whatnot. And you definitely see that in restaurants. That's where I started, right? I sp I was in restaurants until I was maybe 24 or 25. It's something that I've always done. But then when you get to clubs and you're seeing families and you see them grow and change, and you're meeting the grandchildren for, you know, the holidays, and you're meeting the extended families, and this is my sister, and she's in town from California, or my parents are here. They haven't been here for four years. We're excited to have them and whatnot. It's it's these bonding things that happen. And, you know, I had so my first club I was at uh was Lafayette Club on this huge lake in Minnesota. It's it's it's a big lake in the West Metro. And and there's um this one family that I remember in particular, and they their the the the wife, they had she had a baby, and we we had children at the same time. And ultimately our boys went to school together and grew up together and graduated together, and they they they both went out to Montana to go to school and chase their snowboard dreams. And, you know, as you watch these families grow and morph, and I left the club, right? I mean, I I I think I'm I was there for seven years. And so people, you know, enter and exit your lives at different times, but the club community is is is really small. You don't realize how small it is, and then all of a sudden you see somebody 15 years later and their children are adults and and now they have children of their own and and you're kind of brought back into the fold of things in a different capacity, but it's so relationship driven. And what you find, you know, as a young person working in hospitality, you think that people are are coming and going, you know, I'm never gonna see these people again, and who cares, and and whatever. And and it's so not true, right? They they come back to your lives in different capacities and and you might not know it at that time, but and I I just think it's it's it's such a gift to watch families grow and change. I see it with staff as well. I same club, you know, back to my first club. There was, you know, gals that that worked for me, they were you know just graduating high school, and and you see them go through their college career, they go off into the world and they get jobs, and then they get married and they're starting to have families. And you know, you follow, and now with social media, I see them on on Facebook or Instagram, and they have children. I run into them at the bar, um, you know, things like that. And it's just like you just it it's just this connectivity that you have. And so from from day one to 2781 or whatever it is, I mean, you just you know, it's it things just come back to you in a way that you never expect. So I love that. And whether again it's employees or members, their families, their extended families, their friends, they they come back. We just I saw a member at the bar um last weekend. And they had left the club, they moved out east, and they just rejoined. They were just voted, I think they were just voted back in um at the board meeting last week. But he, you know, he saw him, he's like, Hey Bridget, we're excited to come back. We can't wait to see you again. I'm like, I know I just saw I saw your name. I knew trouble was back on the way. We're really excited. This is gonna be fun. I can't wait. Um, you know, I still remember. I remember you dancing. I remember you dancing at that at that golf event, and I may or may not have a picture of that. Um, you know, but it's just it's so fun, and I just I love it. I just love the relationships. So, you know, to thinking back to that those early times, those early, those early jobs, and really being able to talk to people and to get to know them, and it's just different. You know, the restaurants are transient and and and clubs are not, and I just I love that.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I feel I feel like a lot of the people who I talk to who have like good people skills and things of that nature, it's you know, they they come from the trenches. It's like they come from like a like you've worked the weird jobs. You did like the weird stuff early on. Like you were you're like, what am I doing here? But yeah, you know, looking back, you're like, that's probably like the best learning experience in the entire world.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I mean, I didn't just like go to college and wake up and be a manager, right? I mean, I've been a busser, a server, a host, a bartender, a dishwasher, the clown at the circus thing, you know, the bumper, the clown. We had to do parades and oh gosh, I'll never forget. We were at, so they would rent this clown out, and I would go be in parades, or there was one event. We were at a church. It was like a church festival, like a little carnival. And we always had like a person with us. So it was my best friend from high school. And we're we're goofing around. I who knows what silliness we were doing. But I tripped and the head falls off, and it's you know, we're laughing, the head's on the floor. I, you know, I mean, I think we're in a back hallway. So like thankfully, I don't think there were any kids around, but just this whole idea, like we were so irresponsible and just silly and just, you know, like we're getting paid for this. Who knows why they were paying us? But, you know, like you're just you're so you're just being silly and having fun, and like people are getting paid to do these things. I still feel the same way, right? I'm almost 50 years old, and people are still paying me to do this for a job. It's insanity. You know, I was just talking to my daughter. My daughter's 21, she's in college, and she's changed her major for the 187th time, and she wants to, she wants to work in hospitality, she wants to work in clubs. She has worked at most of the clubs that I work at. Uh, I'm really excited about that. But we were having a conversation because I'm like, okay, really, let's talk about this. Because I don't know if you really like people. And she's telling me, she's like, no, here's why I want to do this. And in this conversation, we're talking and I'm listening to her, and I'm like, okay, I I believe her now. I, you know, I think this is gonna be okay. But but we're talking about it, and I'm explaining to her, I'm like, listen, I never feel like I'm at work, right? I never feel like I'm working. I mean, certainly there's moments like yesterday when I'm there from 7 a.m. to you know 8 p.m. And it's a long day, my feet hurt, but I I never feel like I'm working, you know. I'm having fun. I'm I'm always at a party. It might not be my party, and I might not be partaking in the party activities, but I'm at a party, I'm talking to people, I'm I'm creating these moments, I'm doing these things. So, you know, I I I never feel like it's like that big of a deal. And I can't believe they pay me all this money to do this. So if you can find that, like what a special thing. You know, everyone talks about that. How can how can you get paid to do something that you love to do? And I've always felt that way. So whether it's, you know, having your clown head roll down the hallway or you know, you're shaking hands and and talking to people and engaging and listening to them tell you how wonderful of a night they're having. What a gift, you know, to be able to do that. So I love it.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. And and and you've done a lot of positions also, like not just you know, like in the club. So in terms, like, you know, what like a HR at one point? You've done some account, like you've done like a little bit of everything.
SPEAKER_00:Not HR. No, so I have been catering, uh, member dining, um, banquet manager. I I mean I've done a lot of different things. Um, I fill in, I've helped out in different capacities. Um, but yeah, I'm currently an assistant general manager. So I, you know, I have a plan, I have a path that I'd like to take. But I started out as an assistant dining manager at um at my first club. I was a front desk. Actually, I always forget about this job. It's the only one, it's the only one that um they didn't let me stay. Um, it was a long time ago. I think I was 20 or 21 years old. But um, I was a receptionist at a club. And um, but yeah, I've so I've been a receptionist, I've been um assistant dining manager, a banquet manager, a catering assistant, catering director. So I've done a lot of different things, but you know, a lot of the positions that I took were really meant for me to fill a gap in knowledge. I really wanted to learn, I wanted to be a well-rounded club manager. Um, they were also positions that I took that fit different needs within my family at different times. So, you know, again, with having children, it's sometimes hard to be able to work every night, weekend, and holiday. And so they were different moments in time. For example, when I was a catering director um at one of my clubs, it was a sales position. It was a Monday through Friday job. I didn't have to be there for all the events. So it was it was the right time in my family, you know. I think my kids were maybe middle school, high school. They were high school because actually I left there um right around um COVID, right after COVID. So 21, I think is when I left and what type of club I'm currently at. So my kids were in high school. My son graduated in 2020. So um it was, you know, I didn't want to miss all the the games and the dances and the drama and all that kind of stuff. So I went to a position that allowed me to have the presence that I wanted to have at home. So different, different steps for different purposes. But you know, when I when it was the right time and and the needs of my family um adjusted, I went right back into the operational operations fire, if you will. Um, and that's what put me in the position I'm in now. So I love it.
SPEAKER_02:And all within clubs, which is which is cool and neat. And still keeping like your foot in there and and yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Absolutely. I can't get away. I tried. I was at I I left one of my clubs and took a break. I took the summer off and then I went into um football actually. I was at a stadium, one of the University of Minnesota. I worked for Airmark actually, but I I ran um most of the football stadium at for the University of Minnesota. And um I loved it. I love sports and entertainment. It was so much fun, but um I thought it would be less consuming than working in a club. It was 100% more consuming. I did that for three years. Yeah, it was so it was so crazy because when I worked there, so the Vikings were playing there when um US Bank Stadium was under construction. So we were one of the only football facilities in the country that was going from NCAA football, flipping overnight to NFL football. And it takes like five days to build a football stadium to get it ready for a game. So we were doing it overnight in 24 hours. So we had the Vikings there for two years, followed obviously by gopher games. And then uh we were also responsible for the hockey arena, so um Mary UT Arena, which is now 3M at Mary UT. We also had basketball, so I had Williams Arena, which both of those are like off-premiscatering because everything is is is made at the football stadium and then trucked over to the other two. So it's like satellite service. We also had anything that was done for soccer, like at the soccer stadiums. Um, if there was a golf tournament, you know, we were driving box lunches over. So it was nuts. And then as soon as the Vikings left, Minnesota United started, um, it was their inaugural season because their stadium was also under construction. So there were two years of of soccer. Um, so it never stopped. It was so much fun. It was so exciting, but it was insane. So I did that for three years and then I moved back to golf right away. Uh but yeah.
SPEAKER_02:What what did you learn over? Did you was there any like new things you're like, like I want to say, like you're we're always learning, we're always growing. But from going from clubs to that, back to clubs, were there any realizations, or was there anything you're like, whoa, that was unique, or were you able to bring anything different that you saw that they did?
SPEAKER_00:You're like, ooh, I can I can steal that a little bit, and I can use that over in clubs, or like you know, yeah, I think the thing, the two, the two big things that I took with me from working in that environment were with Airmark being a corporate environment, there was uh I learned a lot more about finance, honestly. Because in clubs at the time, I think it was for me, it was more about the accounting and learning about forecasting, KPIs. It was the first time we'd ever talked about EBITDA, right? It was the first time that term was brought in. Clubs weren't talking about that at the time. I don't, I don't even know if we're talking about it now. We were, we were when I went to the next club because the next club was Club Corp or Invited. Um, and so they were talking about EBITDA. So to be able to take that corporate financial knowledge and then bring it to my next club was was really important. And now it's a language I speak. Um that also helped when I when I got my MBA, you know, to be able to know that. And so the financial acuity growth was huge working in a corporate environment. So I think that was really important. And honestly, the other thing was um the diversity in the workforce was so much broader working in sports. You know, when you bring in 600 employees for a game day versus having your core 20 or 30 employees um at a club, obviously in the summer season that grows. We hire 50 people just to work at our pool between servers and bartenders for the summer. Um, but when you're at a stadium and you have so many, you know, people and influx of managers and the diversity of the workforce, that was really big. And learning how to communicate in such a different way. Um, you know, we were bringing in temporary staff, we were bringing in volunteer staff. All of the stands at the stadiums were volunteers. Uh, and a lot of them are nonprofits, and so they're raising money for the organizations. Um, a lot of them were um youth organizations, so maybe it was a dance team or um uh like a softball team or something, and they're raising money for their group to go on these trips or to for their dance competitions and things like that. So um it was so many different types of of organizations and programs that I thought that was really interesting and it's really helped me when you're when you're looking at um the the club that I'm at now and being it's not a city club, but it's in the heart of the city. And so again, a really diverse work group. So I think I think that was really helpful. I think a lot of clubs, you know, that I've worked at have been in Surubia. And so it it's this it's it's very uh I'm trying to think of the right word, but it there's it's just not a diverse work group. So I think bringing bringing that to the table and and being able to really think about that more clearly, uh, I think that was really helpful. So I definitely brought things with me from that and the excitement and the energy and understanding what I'm drawn to and and and that's you know, also put something else in my pocket. And we we talked about this with um with my second job. Um, you know, I'm also an instructor at a community college. And so one of the things that I talk about with my students when they're coming to me looking for internship ideas or things of that nature, we often talk about, you know, different um different paths that they can take. And I really encourage people to work in sports. I think it's such a fun resume builder. It's it's really interesting. So, because to take a step back from that, I'm always gonna champion for private clubs. It's my number one, I you know, I think beyond restaurants, beyond hotels, private clubs offer such a wonderful work environment and such exposure. And we can certainly go back and talk about that. But when we're talking about internship opportunities, I teach at a community college. So there's not as many formal internship programs available to those students the way that universities offer. So when we're talking about where we should go or what what kind of internships do you want, a lot of these students aren't able to go out to the East Coast or go to Florida or go to where all these really exciting um club internships are. They need to stay home, right? They're working, they're helping to support their families. Um they they can't move, they can't leave Minnesota.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:We have some, we have a lot of major sports teams here. We've got the Vikings, the Twins, the the Gophers, Minnesota United. I think that there's women's hockey now too. I forget the name of that team, but there's all these opportunities. And when you're interviewing for positions or you're sending your resume out there and they see these pro sports teams, that's exciting and that's really interesting. If that's not just, I worked at Doubletree for a summer. That's, you know, that that's interesting. I can't think of a better word. Um, and I think that could get you an interview. From there, it's up to you, obviously, to present yourself well, to be well spoken, to be to be interesting on your own, right? But having some of those key things on your resume as, yeah, I worked for the twins for this season, or uh, even thinking about some of our major market events that we've had. We've had the Super Bowl, we've had Ryder Cup, we're gonna have it again. Um, we've got the KPMG, or we had the KPMG. Um, yeah, there was a, I forget what it what it is, the golf thing. Um I think we've got a couple other big golf events coming up. We had the frozen floor, the final floor, like we've got all these things. Volunteer for those, get on, get on those um platforms or get on to those events. Um, I've been really fortunate to have, you know, people in my life working on those events. I let me connect you to these people. I've also worked at these places. Let me connect you. I, you know, when I worked for the for the University of Minnesota or for Airmark, when we had the Vikings there, I've I've been able to connect with some of the Vikings employees or with some of the Minnesota United employees. Can I, is there somebody I can connect you to? Some of them have now moved on to other places. There was a gal that worked at town and country club where I currently work, and she was interviewing for a role with Special Olympics. I'm like, oh, there's a gentleman that worked for Minnesota United who's now at Special Olympics. Let me reach out to him for you, you know, and and let me make a connection. It doesn't mean you'll get the job, but is there a support that I can offer? So it's it's the same thing with internships. Find something interesting that is going to pique someone's interest, get it on your resume, and then and then build that connection, build additional connections on your own. So it's something that I I try to champion for. Um, and and having had worked in that sports and entertainment industry, even briefly, the connections are vast. And the interest, you know, I promise that I it's it's I promise that I've gotten interviews because of that experience. I got to work with NBC Sports, I got to work with Monday Night Football, you know, I, you know, I because I delivered soup to their trailer, you know, like it sounds so silly, but I met these people, and every time that Marty Cabelli from NBC Sports came to town, the snow came with him, and I texted him like, dude, what are you doing to us? You know, and it's this great opportunity to connect with somebody. And that's the same thing with the club business, right? We connect with people. So where does what does that connection look like? How do you bring it to the table? How do you capitalize on it and and grow it? So, I mean, I I obviously haven't talked to him in years now that I've been out of that industry, but golf is also something. Sports and entertainment. It's just utilized in a different way. So, you know, golf, private clubs, you know, however you however you look at it, it's all sports and entertainment. So I think that there's that there's um a relationship that you can build with that. So if you want to work in clubs, work in clubs. Absolutely work in clubs. But if it's something that you've thought about before, my my job as an instructor, as a as a um educator is to open doors and open minds and and plant seeds. So I'm gonna plant them. I'm gonna plant them for private for private clubs. I promise. In the classroom, these kids are probably, or these students are probably sick of listening to my examples about clubs. They want to hear about you know about big restaurants and hotels and they want to travel the world. And you can do that with clubs as well. But let's let's get your foot in the door. You know, and your foot is gonna be in the door because they want to listen to the experiences that you've had.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. And if they can document those experiences now with you know LinkedIn and other platforms as as as well, people are constantly looking for talent in those places. So if you can document the journey and start, you know, writing well on LinkedIn and decent posts and absolutely. People are always watching, and and now we're all connected more than ever. So it's easier to get something someplace else because of what's built. So yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, I'm trying to tell my daughter that even with her. She's like, Do I need a resume? I'm like, Yes. Yes, you have to have a resume. Well, will you write it? Oh my gosh. No, no, no. But I can't. Yeah, why use AI. Um, just put some bullets, put it in there, and then make sure it doesn't sound like an 87-year-old wrote it. You know, make sure that it sounds like you wrote it. Um, but yes, and you need LinkedIn. It's the same thing with my son. He also works in golf. Um, he works at a country club here in Minnesota. He's a equipment manager. But um, but yeah, same thing. You need a resume, you need LinkedIn, you need to connect with people, you need to start building this for yourself because it it's it's so important. It's so important. I don't know if they get that. They're still on, they still think that an employer is gonna find them on Snapchat.
SPEAKER_02:So you know, it probably is only a matter of time. Yeah, maybe it's it we're probably we're probably still about 10 more years.
SPEAKER_00:I maybe. I don't know. She's in Phoenix and she's applying for jobs, but she's using her Minnesota address. I'm like, well, no wonder no one's calling you. They're not gonna help you relocate, but they don't re you know, she's already there. So I'm like, you got it. Use your current address in Phoenix. Good goodness, I don't know. I'm trying. Like, I'm not calling anybody for you. I'm not gonna call them. I'll tell you where to apply. I will tell I'll help you find some clubs near your apartment, but I'm not I'm not reaching out for you. You've got to do this by yourself.
SPEAKER_02:Talking about the the kids in the school and teaching, where what do you see in that world, in that environment? What are they struggling with? What are their hesitations, you know, when they're looking at the hospitality world?
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, you know, I don't know, I don't know what they're concerned about, but what I'm concerned about is that they're not showing up in person. Everything is online and behind a screen. And I think my biggest concern, and we've talked about this um, you know, with other instructors, hospitality is an in-person business. It is not an online business. So, you know, most of my courses have moved online because enrollment, enrollment was down for in-person. So when I first started teaching four years ago, my courses were you could you could choose if you wanted to be in person or online. And so I would have maybe 10 students in person and 10 online. And the 10 in person, it would dwindle down every week, and I'd have two showing up in class and everybody else just completing their stuff and turning it in. And it was hard because you can't have quality discussion. So, even, you know, how I said that, you know, all of my examples when we're talking about things in class were club examples. Um, but you you can't have quality discussion and quality conversation with two people in the room. I mean, those two people are having a great conversation, but no one else is getting that interaction. And so my my worry is that with so many students doing doing classes online, and and let's let's be honest, like when when everyone's went to online high school and college during COVID, it's impossible now to go backwards and say, well, we expected you to still be educated during COVID and we expected you to still participate online, but now we're gonna make you do it in person. It's hard to go backwards, right? It's hard to transition back. But if you want to work in hospitality in any capacity, clubs, hotels, restaurants, you know, luxury travel, whatever you want to do, it's still an in-person job, right? Like you still have to build relationships, you still have to be of service. You can't deliver someone's food from home. Like you can't do it. And we can talk about, I mean, they were just talking about this. Um we were at LLC um in DC and they were talking about you know the robot servers and whatever. I'd be sure you can do that, um, but not really, right? I mean, the robot can't, you know, welcome Mr. Jones to the club in in a profound way that makes him feel welcomed and makes him feel needed. You you can't do that. So that's I think my biggest worry is I think there's so many young people that are having a hard time connecting with each other and with other people. So I think that's that's my worry in general, whether you're a student or you're finishing school, uh, there's so many people have a hard time communicating. I mean, you and I are communicating now digitally, but we met in person, right? Like I met you where were where were we? Chicago. I met you in person.
SPEAKER_02:So uh MREF.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, so like you you can establish a connection and then you can continue to perpetuate it digitally. Uh, but I'm sure I'll see you again in person at some point, hopefully in Anaheim. But uh, you know, well you can't you can't only form these bonds on the internet and you know, through through Snapchat or TikTok or or whatever it is. So I think that's my biggest concern is as these young people are entering industry, you they just they they have to be able to be in person. And I'm really worried about that. So I even when you're talking about internships and um, you know, getting themselves out there, I I struggle with it, right? I struggle. I I have anxiety when we're in big groups. It's it's I was thinking about this when I was I was driving um to the you know, I'm I'm in this like rented office space. I didn't want to talk to you um at my house because my husband works from home and he's just a constant like interloper into whatever space I'm in. Um so I was thinking about this driving in here and how how much anxiety I have when I'm in large groups. And we were at LLC and and I'm at this table of people for dinner that I knew nobody at this table besides my husband. And I was sitting at the table, not talking to people because I'm not good at that when it's not my space. But my husband is, you know, like, hi, I'm Jason, and he's talking to everybody, and everyone thought I was the spouse. And so they're asking, like, well, what club are you at? And I'm like, oh no, no, I'm just the spouse. I'm just the guest, she's the one that's at the club, she's the chapter president, because that's what you know, LLC is the managing directors and chapter leadership and whatever. And they're like, Oh, oh, well, what club are you at? You know, and so then I have to start talking to people. And so even though I'm in this industry and and I have this job, I still have these problems that I have to deal with and overcome. And it's and it's the you know, the problems of of having um, you know, nervousness in social settings or meeting new people. And so I understand, you know, what the students are challenged with that are spending their lives behind their phones. I I get it, but you still have to do it and you still have to get out there. And the longer you wait to do it, the worse it is. So when I started the position that I'm in now, I'm like, okay, if I'm gonna make this work and I'm gonna be successful and I'm gonna really make a place for myself in this club, I'm gonna have to talk to these people. So it's like every night for the first month, I went to every single table. Okay, I'm Bridget, I'm the new assistant general manager. I wanted to make sure I introduced myself to you and you know, like, oh, this is great to meet you. It's like I purposely put myself like I I knew under my shirt, like I'm breaking out in hives, I'm probably splotchy, I'm sure my ears are red, you know, like it truly makes me uncomfortable. But then last night at this quarter century dinner, I'm working the room and I'm fine, I'm I'm comfortable because I know these people. So you have to put yourself in these positions and you have to be out there and you have to be confident with yourself, and you're not going to do that if you don't get out from behind the screen. So that's my biggest worry with this next group of people coming out, um, you know, coming into um industry and whatever industry they're in, you know, but especially hospitality is that I'm just so worried that um I'm so worried that they're gonna be so uncomfortable communicating in person with people that it's that they're gonna struggle. So we'll see. Hopefully the ones that really want it are gonna charge right through that. And maybe the universities are different, you know, because again, I'm at a community college, and so maybe universities are different because they're taking more in-person classes, and so maybe that's where the hospitality students are at. I mean, I again I'm teaching hospitality courses. I mean, it's business and hospitality, but and maybe again, maybe it's different because I'm at a community college and they can they I don't know. I mean, I I know universities also offer online courses, but and maybe yeah, maybe it's just the demographic of of the student that I have, but that's that's just my concern with who I'm teaching. Um but you never know. But yeah, I think there's so many wonderful students that are coming through these programs. I mean, I work with the students, I don't work with them directly, but the students at Stout. And we're hosting um students coming up on the uh 13th, October 13th at our club. And I'm so excited because we I was on a panel last year. I think that maybe we were at interlocking, I can't remember, but they were engaged, they were asking questions, it was so fun. So, so yeah, maybe it's the maybe it's the students that I have. Maybe it's me. You never know. But I'm excited. I mean, there's definitely, you know, different programs out there, but I'm either way, I've I've had some wonderful students um work, you know, that have worked at our club that have gone through and you see them out in the world doing great things. Um, the programs are wonderful. There, there's great internships out there. Um so we'll see. But I I just worry about about you know it being such a such a strong need to be in person. Hospitality is an in-person business, and I worry about the online courses clouding that.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:So we'll see.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah. What you know, you've you've done a lot in your career. Different, you know, roles, positions, different, you know, from different points of view, uh, for different reasons. You know, looking back so far, and you you have so much you want to do still and are going to do, but like looking back, what what are you most proud of? Like looking back on everything, like what what makes you the happiest? What what are you most proud of in your career so far?
SPEAKER_00:Gosh, that's such a hard question. Cause I don't know. I think I think some of them like there's there's accomplishments that I've had that I'm really proud of. And then there's like accomplishments of others that I'm really proud of, right? So for myself, I'm I'm so proud that I was able to um raise my family and and still stay in the industry. Like I do see so many um young women start in the industry and then dip out because the pressures of work and family can be really great. Um, I, you know, sometimes it's hard to feel like you're your best self at work and at home. So I'm so thankful that um, you know, again, my husband is he's he's such a good dad. And he was, you know, he's so fun. And um, you know, we we were able to balance our our lives in a way like it's never balanced, right? Like, and everyone talks about that work-life balance. It's never balanced, but I was able to always like I've always had great um people that I worked for where, like, hey, I need a dip. My daughter's in this cheer competition. She is the she's only on stage for two and a half minutes. I just need to make sure she sees me there, right? And so I'm gonna go, I'm gonna watch her, and I'm gonna be back. So I've all it's always been great that I could do things like that. Um, my son played a bunch of different sports. So again, same thing. Like, I'm gonna go watch this, I'll be back. Um, so to be able to do things like that, and you know, I always worked at night, he worked during the day, I was in my kids' classrooms during the day. Like there were just things that I so genuinely appreciate so that I felt like I was able to be the kind of parent that I wanted to be and also the kind of leader that I wanted to be. Um, so I'm I'm really proud of that. Uh, you know, we didn't really talk about this, but you know, my education was a long, twisty, windy road. I always share that with my students. Um, I started college in 1995 and I finished college in I think 2010. You know, I was in and out of school. It took me forever. But part of it too was because I didn't go to school until I figured out what I really love to do. So um I was on the 15-year college plan.
SPEAKER_02:Um, but super, super, super, super senior.
unknown:Yeah.
SPEAKER_00:Senior. What? Um, so but you know, like I did what I needed to do when I needed to do it. And I ultimately, you know, I went to Stout. I have a degree in golf enterprise management. And then I got an MBA and I did all of this stuff while my kids were toddlers and elementary school kids and um middle schoolers. Like, I'm I'm so proud that I was able to reach my education goals when I reached them. That it, you know, I mean, I was working 60 hours a week, I was going to school, I was getting this stuff done. Like, I'm so proud of those things because education's really important to me. I just didn't know it until, you know, I was old. Um, so I'm so proud of those kind of things and that I've achieved the things I want to achieve. And and also, you know, doing the CCM stuff and like all of the things that I was able to do while raising a family and working in club management, right? Like all of those things. I don't know, I don't, I don't know how I did all of that stuff. So so exciting about that. Um, and then like the pride that I have in other people. Um, you know, again, the people that have worked for me, the people that have worked with me. It's so exciting to, again, I I I've I said this earlier, watching um people, and most of them don't even work in clubs, right? Totally fine. But getting to watch people that have worked for me develop who they are as people. Um, I think of one gentleman in particular, and I hope that he hears this. Um, but his name is Ivan. And Ivan came to work for me. Um, it was so funny because his his girlfriend at the time worked for me. She was a server, and this this guy came in and he was like the bouncer at a club event. So he was checking IDs for a beer tent, and it was like a day job, right? He just came in and worked for us for one day. We paid him cash, and then he he started showing up more and more. And and so I don't even remember what he was doing at the club, if he was bartending or serving or whatever, but he worked there for a while, and then he came with me to the next club, and then he came to me, came with me to the next club, and and then the next, right? Like I think he worked with me at four, maybe four clubs. He was I don't know, a couple clubs. Um, and then he ended up working um with the PGA um during Ryder Cup, and then that turned into working um with the Super Bowl, and then that turned into working with I think the Final Four. Um, then he worked for Minnesota United. I mean, he's gone on and done all these amazing things, and it's connections that he made while working at clubs that we worked together. Um, he just transitioned out of sports, and I think he's I forget what position he has now. Um, he got married to the girl. They have a beautiful family. Um he's one of the best people that I know. Like he's just such a good human. And um, and his wife's name is Ashley, she's a teacher. Um, but they're just they're great people, they have a great family, and to watch them go from this young couple to this married couple, building their family, growing their careers, like it's gonna make me emotional, but to like to be able to watch this family grow from just these two people that were in college, that um I love that, and I'm so proud of him as a human, as a man. Um he's just a good person. And so to be able to have these kind of people in my life, I love that. Like, you know, there were times where he'd call, he's like, Britain, I'm thinking about this job, and you know, I'm not sure about it. And like, and I forget what the position was, but I'm like, do you even like that sport? Like, why are like why are you why are you thinking about it? You know, and he's like, well, and I don't remember what it was, um, what his reasons were. And I'm like, Ivan, do you even want this job? He's like, I don't think so. I'm like, then why are we talking about this? You know, so it's like he was asking me like career questions or life questions and and whatever. And it's just like, I love that. Like, I love that we have that relationship. And that was just because of a job, because he was like this bouncer at this like tent party that we had, you know? Um, so that's so I'm so proud of that. And I'm so proud that I have relationships like that with my employees. There's another gal that worked for me at a club, and um, she ended up leaving. There was a conflict, you know, with that with an employee, and and she's gone on to have a couple different positions. We just checked in with each other the other day. I love that. She's not, again, she's not at a club anymore. I think she's at a hotel. Um, but it's just these relationships that I'm so proud of. So I I couldn't ask for anything better. Like, I think that that speaks so much to um the kind of manager that I am. I love that. I just love that.
SPEAKER_01:So I don't know.
SPEAKER_00:That I'm I'm more proud of that than any of the degrees and jobs and you know, credentials or whatever. Like, I mean, I I want that stuff too, don't get me wrong. But I just want to be a good person and I want to be a good manager, and I want people to look back on our time together and be like, oh, she was just she was not a jerk. You know, like she's a good human too. Like, I want to be a good person, a good human. So I'm so proud of that.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, which is a really good goal. And I feel like a lot more people need a simple goal like that.
SPEAKER_00:Like, which is my boss did suck.
SPEAKER_02:They weren't a jerk. Actually, tried to help.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah, something, something like that.
SPEAKER_02:Bridget, thank you so much for coming on. Thank you for sharing. Thank you. Thank you so much for coming on and sharing.
SPEAKER_00:Thank you. Thanks for having me. I appreciate it.
SPEAKER_02:Hope you all enjoyed that. Bridget, thank you so much for coming on and sharing and all that you do for the youths and helping out in your communities and trying to bring the best of the best to the club space. I'm your host, Denny Corby. That's this episode. Until next time. Catch y'all on the flippity flip.
