Private Club Radio Show

468: Rooted in the Club - Loyalty, Leadership, and Longevity w/ Jennifer Felegy, CCM

• Denny Corby

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She started as a server. Now she’s the General Manager.

In this episode, we sit down with Jennifer Felegy, CCM, General Manager of Lehigh Country Club, to explore what it really takes to build a club career from the ground up.

Over her 25+ years in private clubs, Jen has done it all — membership, HR, events, operations, even teaching hospitality students. Her story is one of grit, loyalty, and long-game leadership.

We talk about:

  • What it’s like to rise through the ranks at the same club
  • How to lead a team that’s watched you grow up
  • Building culture, retaining staff, and adapting to change post-COVID
  • What young professionals and future GMs really need to hear
  • And the leadership lessons you won’t find in a textbook

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SPEAKER_01:

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, member 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. Not too many people can say they started off as a server and ended up in the GMC at the same club. But Jen Fileggi can. And today, here on Private Club Radio, I get to sit down with Jen Fileggi, CCM, GM of Lehigh Country Club, and we talk about her 25-year journey through nearly every department in the building and what it really takes to grow a career in the club from the ground up. In this episode, we talk about what it's like going through the ranks and working at a club for so long. We talk about her experience in teaching, being adjunct professor at Northampton Community College, her time at Northampton Country Club, and then back to the reigns as GM at Lehigh Country Club. And we really talk about what it looks like to climb the ranks, how to lead people who used to be your peers. We talk about the emotional side of club management, lessons learned before she was a GM, and really how a lot of the best leaders, a lot of the greatest leaders and people who've I've been able to experience and chat with, and Jen is one of them, and I've said it here on the show. It's ones who have put in the work and and have done so many different jobs and worked so many different ranks in not even jobs and ranks, but so many positions and so many areas in the club that you know it inside and out. And when somebody tries to come at you with some BS, you know, or just some, oh, I can't do this or that can't happen. It's hard to get stuff past you. And I think that's what really makes these great leaders is people like Jen, people who have worked in the clubs, been in it, the nitty-gritty stuff that you can't always teach and you can't always learn. You have to get it by doing. And I love it, because her story is just equal parts, hustle, heart, longevity, and the kind of leader who earns respect and not demands it. So if you are building your career, if you're mentoring someone else, or just need a reminder that hard work and patience still matter, this one is for you. I cannot wait for you to dive in. Before we do, big thanks to all of our show partners, as well as myself, Denny Corby, the Denny Corby Experience. One of the most fun member event nights you can have. There's excitement, there's mystery, also there's magic, mind reading, and comedy, a ton of laughs, gasps, and holy craps, trusted by over 350 plus clubs all over the country. 2025 is currently sold out, but we can talk about 2026. If you want to learn more, head on over to dennycorby.com. Enough about that though. Let's get to the episode. Private club radio listeners. Let's welcome to the show, Jen Fileggi. And speaking of sticking with it, you've stuck with your club for a while. You're like a ride or die.

SPEAKER_00:

I am. It's it's a second home. You know, you you joke, not joke, but you play to the members. It's your home away from home. It really is my home away from home. Um, I was there 22 and a half years and then uh left for two years, and I've been back for five years.

SPEAKER_01:

That's so that that's gotta be so unique, cool, like so many different things that like you know, I would feel are just like like how am I even trying to phrase it? Sorry, brain fart. Uh, but like it's it's not many people get that experience and being able to feel like you bring different, you bring different things back every time. So you're able to like leave and come back. It's like, hey, here's what I found and here's how we can grow. And it's like you leave. It's like, oh, hey, here's what I found, here's how we can use it and grow. Hopefully, like, is that that how it happened?

SPEAKER_00:

I mean, I think it did. I think for me, um leaving, it was the time to leave. Um, the general manager that had mentored me for 20 some years was retiring, and the board was not in a place um where they thought that I was potentially qualified for the position. Um and then an opportunity opened up locally. And and I've definitely I think one unique thing is there's a lot of people in in the industry that kind of hop all over around the country and all of that. And that was never for me. Um lived in the same, you know, area my entire life. My husband is an educator. Um, and it wasn't really something that I wanted to do to my children, not to them, but I I wanted them to have, you know, kind of a stable home base. And um so yeah, so then I I went there and then it was actually, you know, not that I want to talk about COVID, uh, but um but during COVID, I realized that I missed being so close to home because honestly, the the Lehigh where I'm at now afforded me the ability to be there for all of my kids' things. I I didn't miss a softball game, I didn't miss a PTO meeting, I might have had to come in early or work late. Um, but I was able to be there and take my son to school every day. And the other club I was at was only 20 minutes away, but I still couldn't be there right after school when my son came home. Right.

SPEAKER_01:

And so I Because 20 minutes is really 30, 40 with traffic or stuff when you'd probably want to leave and go. So plenty of time, yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah. So um once I came back, it was like I could just pop home, make sure he was good, and then go back to work. So it's it's I've been very blessed with that.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. And and it I was just having a conversation with somebody about this, and it's just uh because we're gonna talk about how you know you've done pretty much all the jobs at a club, also, which gives you such a such a cool perspective uh just in general. But not that you would or you know, but sometimes people like maybe unintentionally, they like burn a bridge. So the fact that you were able to also just go have that back and forth, like I think I think that says something, you know, also that like you're you that like no matter what happens, you just keep a good attitude, you're friendly with everybody, and you just move on to like the next, you know, but like leaving like the doors open of like always having like a nice bridge, always having communication, always having contact, that that must help too. And like, was that always your mindset of just hey, just gonna just make everybody happy?

SPEAKER_00:

And oh, absolutely. You could ask a therapist, I'm a people pleaser. Um but but no, it's it's interesting because um the club that I left, one of my friends started managing um in the past year or so. And I went back there for a breakfast meeting with other club managers last Friday, and it was the first time I was back there. And I was only there two years, but it was a wonderful two years, and it was just very nostalgic, like seeing the staff, seeing the members. Um, and you know, because we are so local during like, you know, the annual shutdowns, like some of their members will come to our club, and you know, we just I still have a really good relationship um with all of the people there, which is really nice.

SPEAKER_01:

Ooh, that's sorry, that's just like a side note. That's that's sort of cool. And sometimes you don't always think about of and like how important some of those things are. It's when like you having friends at other clubs and allowing your your club people the experience to go, and because you're friendly with that club and that general manager and those people, that you could have access to certain things. Whereas if you're not open and friendly or you know, conversive, like sometimes like areas don't. But it's like it's so cool that you've like created that little environment there.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, and I'll be honest, and you know, we've in your notes, and I will not play the woman card, but I will tell you that we have three female general managers uh within a 20-mile radius um just of the Lehigh Valley. And the three of us talk to each other, lean on each other. Um, you know, one of our members goes to a neighboring club, they say, Oh, I hear they do this at Lehigh. And, you know, she's texting me right away. Do you do this? How do you do this?

SPEAKER_01:

And and we spill the beans.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, no, and we never ever have felt competitive in a way where we're really just there for each other. And I so appreciate those relationships that I've been able to develop and and foster over the past seven, eight years.

SPEAKER_01:

Well, it was it, was it when was it me and you when we were talking, like you know, before we we did the episode, it was like your your vibe attracts your tribe. You know, it's just you're just kind of like, uh, the more you are you and stuff, it's just like, okay, you're gonna realize not everything is for you, not every opportunity is whatever. But it's like, yeah, your vibe attracts your tribe. You just be you as best you can, the best version. And, you know, hopefully people see that and be like, okay, we want them. Like, right.

SPEAKER_00:

No, and and we're all we're all human, right? We're all imperfect. Um, but as long as you go in and do your best and but that's probably why that you guys don't see yourselves as competition either.

SPEAKER_01:

It's just like you guys are all just being like your best selves and people are seeing it. That's what and it's and I'm I'm just laughing too because I know so many people down in that area. So like when you were like, oh, this club said this, like to me, like, oh, I'm like, I know exactly who that probably is now. Yes.

SPEAKER_00:

Uh yes, yes, yes. But no, it's it's you know, I I kind of tell younger people, like, I'm like, we're in the business of making people happy, right? So how could you not love that?

SPEAKER_01:

And I'm sure they think I'm cheesy, but no, no, but so you know, speaking of young people, how did you even get started in clubs?

SPEAKER_00:

So actually, um right out of high school, I was going to study education and went to um a state university in Pennsylvania and just met a friend who threw my best friend in high school. And her grandfather had been a member of the club and she had worked at the club as a server and said, Hey, you should, you know, work at this club this summer, you know, when we're on break. And so I took a job at the club and then I also took a second job at a grocery store because I needed to fund my education. And it ended up that the schedules like were not aligning. And I thank God every day I don't work for the grocery store that I picked the right one. So yeah, so I started as a server, um, worked in member billing, accounts receivable, human resources. Um, and then that's probably about the time I was uh pregnant with my second child, and my general manager had said to me, Um, you know, if you weren't so busy being a mom, I'd really take you under my wing. And I said, Oh, my husband will stay home if he has to.

SPEAKER_01:

Drops the baby just before take the kid.

SPEAKER_00:

I'm going to work. No.

SPEAKER_01:

Say less.

SPEAKER_00:

Just so that's really when I started, you know, more of the um pursuit of my um CCM designation and started taking classes and and all of that and just just loved it. I mean, I ended up with a bachelor's in accounting thinking I was going to want to be the controller of the club. And then I realized I cannot sit and just do numbers all day, every day. I'm too much of a people person to do that.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. What was well, if we can go back a little bit too, you mentioned you did these different positions and you, you know, popped around. How did those opportunities come up? Was it you taking those opportunities? Was it, was it things just opening up and you just took advantage? Like, like how did how and why did that happen? Because, you know, was it on purpose? Was it an accident? Was it just you were like, okay, I guess I'll just do this? Like, because you know, some people do it with intention, others, you know, everyone's path in our journey here is like, you know, uh unique. So like how did how did all that happen?

SPEAKER_00:

I mean, I really have to credit my mentor and the general manager that was there.

SPEAKER_01:

At that moment.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, it really just he afforded me so many opportunities and really believed in me. Um, I was serving and then a position did open up in accounts receivable, and my daughter was going to kindergarten. And so I wanted more of a stable schedule. Um, and it just kind of went from there. After I had my second child, um, when I left for maternity leave, we filled the accounts receivable position, and that's when I came back in human resources and membership and oversaw that person. Um, and then, you know, the rest is history.

SPEAKER_01:

So it's just opportunities came up and you just took them and learned and commit first, figure the rest out later.

SPEAKER_00:

And basically. I'm kind of a nerd. Like I love to learn new things, and you know, I would say the one aspect that I didn't know a lot about prior to becoming a general manager was definitely like the golf and grounds aspects of things. So I've learned a lot about that over the past seven, eight years, um, which is, you know, sometimes fun, sometimes not.

SPEAKER_01:

Was that your like bane of your existence for your CCM? Or or or or was that because it was like your worst, you had to work harder at? So that ended up being your like best, even though it was your worst.

SPEAKER_00:

It was just more like I just I just definitely wasn't knowledgeable in that. And even within the the classes, um, if you don't really dig deep into it, you know, like I was I was a pretty good test taker and studier of the materials, but when you're actually living it every day and going out on the course, and you know, we spent three years ago, you know, I spent countless hours discussing what kind of sand we were gonna put in the bunkers. And it's like what kid like grows up thinking, like, oh, I'm gonna be thinking about that.

SPEAKER_01:

That no one ever keeps you up at night, right? Which sand. So how how many types of sand?

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, we went through like five different types, and there's different colors, there's different textures, uh, the mobilization of it. I mean, I I was just like mind-blown. Okay. Like I would have just been like, here's the sand, but it matters.

SPEAKER_01:

Here's the sand, enjoy.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, exactly.

SPEAKER_01:

Um because you've been able to have some really good, uh, good mentor, good people in the industry helping you, teaching you, supporting you, um, you do the same for other people. I know you're very involved with helping develop mid-managers and pulling kids into the in into the industry. Um were you always like a big cheerleader for like the industry, or was it just like at a certain point, like once maybe like you felt like you were at like a level you were like more of like, but like, you know, when when did all that start? And like how do you, you know, how do you connect with younger people? Like how do you really try to get them engaged and involved and show them how great of a industry it could be?

SPEAKER_00:

Great question. Um, so ironically, I'll go back to how I got into it, but ironically, today I had an interview um for an intern in May who is a finance major, but her dad worked in clubs. And she really wants to know about the club world. And we just connected right away. And I said, you know, we don't have kind of a set program for what you're looking for, but do you want a shadow in different areas? And she was like, absolutely. And we just really, really shared. And, you know, I shared with her the, you know, the national movement of hashtag choose clubs. And I was like, you might think that sounds silly, but it really is a thing because I don't think that young people realize that it doesn't, you know, just because you work at a country club doesn't mean that you're necessarily a server or a chef. There's so many opportunities within marketing, within accounting, um, you know, the the membership, all different things. Um my own son who's going for finance, I'm like, don't you just want to not not don't you just, but I'm like, why don't you become a director of golf? Like you love golf, like you're good with people. Um so yeah, and I I guess I really started getting more involved um once I became a general manager. I think prior to that, I don't know that I had enough knowledge. And I think also the Philadelphia vicinity chapter of club managers, um, being a part of that, being a part of that board and that network has been really um inspiring.

SPEAKER_01:

So that's actually a really unique point of view, or just, you know, because every club is different. Every club's vibe, every club's personality, and sometimes they don't need like club lead, like club GM might not need strong male, masculine energy GM. Sometimes they might need or want like a certain so like that's also like a thing, too. Is like sometimes it's you know, the club, like what's their tone, what's their style, what's their, you know. I don't know.

SPEAKER_00:

So I will say when I went for my um interview for the other position that would have became my first general manager position. The second interview was um, you went around to the different department heads and and met with them, and and I asked all of them, you know, what do they need? What do they need? I asked the board and the search committee what they needed. And they didn't need a golf expert. Like they had a great director of golf, they didn't need a grounds expert. They needed somebody to bring the team together and support everybody. And that's when it clicked in my head where I was like, I can do this.

SPEAKER_01:

So yeah. Do you do you do you think women are held to a different standard in club leadership? Or it's like a uh yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

I don't think so.

SPEAKER_01:

And I I'm just kind of like spitballing here too. I'm just like, oh, I don't know. It's yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

No, I think that there's been there's been a lot of great females that really broke into the industry. And you know, I I am I am not as close as some of my friends are, but like Janine, who was at Philly Country Club, like she produced a lot of good managers that are out there running their own clubs right now and really successful. And you know, she was probably one of the first that I knew of, you know, in my education.

unknown:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

You guys are hosting some big stuff coming up. We are big, big, big thangs. Big thangs.

SPEAKER_00:

They like uh the non-golf mind, but they they're telling me like things.

SPEAKER_01:

Now it's like you know, the stuff you weren't good at. Let's start bringing it up now. The PGA golf tour.

SPEAKER_00:

But they're like, this this act, this somebody, somebody is coming, and we're doing media, and I'm like having to Google who this person is. Like, yes, I know who Tiger Woods is. I don't know the rest of, but um, but no, so we are hosting, um, we have a five-year commitment to host the Jefferson Lehigh Valley Classic. Uh, it's part of the PGA Champions Tour. Um, it's a senior event. It is the first time that Lehigh is hosting something of this magnitude. I took um part of my team to St. Louis to observe a tournament that was run by the same company so that we could kind of see the behind the scenes and just know what we were getting ourselves in for. Um, there is the Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce is having their annual meeting in two weeks. Uh, and they will be kind of promoting the event, letting us, you know, some people might be speaking, uh, but we'll be there to represent it. And I think it's just great, great exposure for the club.

SPEAKER_01:

And yeah. With the whole, the whole, I mean, it's gonna bring so much, so much to the area.

SPEAKER_00:

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_01:

The the the the the the economic impact's gonna be impeccable. Yes, it's gonna be substantial.

SPEAKER_00:

It's gonna be epic.

SPEAKER_01:

Are you on TikTok?

SPEAKER_00:

I am.

SPEAKER_01:

Have you seen the PE guy, the private equity guy? He like, I'm gonna send you, I'm gonna send you this guy. And he it's like he's like the PE guy. So he's like in everything, he's like, it's a substantial house. Like, but he always like how he says certain words, so he'll be like uh like PE guy in New New Canaan. And it's just like, yeah, the kitties are going here. Yeah, yeah. Like it's just like it's I can't. So it's substantial.

SPEAKER_00:

Like it's no, it's it's very exciting. It's very exciting um for the area. And you know, really Jefferson is the primary sponsor, um, Jefferson Health Network, and um, you know, they um now have a presence in the Lehigh Valley and it's a charity tournament, so it's benefiting the Philadelphia Eagles Autism Foundation as well as Valley Youth House, which is more of a local organization.

SPEAKER_01:

Yep. Oh, that's gonna be huge. That's gonna be huge. The members have to be so excited.

SPEAKER_00:

They actually the the response has gone over very well, and they're really excited to volunteer to be here to kind of show off their club and yeah, we're excited about it.

SPEAKER_01:

Any any funny or wild reactions yet that that they've had so far?

SPEAKER_00:

No, it's it's very it's interesting because I will go on record saying I needed to make sure that our members were still going to be taken care of. So I can't tell, you know, Mrs. X and Mrs. Y that are 85 years old and don't care about golf that they can't come for their weekly lunch on Wednesday. So I have been very um working very hard with the tournament organization to say, you know, we do still have to have one area where our members can be.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Um and it's a small percentage, but you know what, they they matter too. They all matter.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. Has has has that response been like taken taken well?

SPEAKER_00:

From the tournament group or from yeah, yeah, yeah, they know. And even when we were, you know, in St. Louis, um, our tournament director, he's like, I he's like, I know like you're gonna be very heavily involved. Meaning I can't keep my mouth shut.

SPEAKER_01:

Yes. We're gonna hate this.

SPEAKER_00:

We actually hate it.

SPEAKER_01:

Five years. Like, what do we get ourselves into? The ink is dry? Okay.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

What what when you guys went out? Was there anything that you like? Let's say on like the plane back, you were like, oh, or like you know, the next meeting. Was there anything you were like, oh, good thing we went because we didn't expect this? Like, were there any things that like you going with with that mindset of not going to spectate, but going as like, shit, like we're gonna be doing this. We're gonna be because that's a whole different set of eyes. I'm sure you guys were like, you know, you go there, like, oh, it's gonna be this, and you leave, you're like, oh, I did not even maybe think about X, Y, and Z. Were there any of those things? You're like, ah.

SPEAKER_00:

I mean, I feel like this might sound you know elementary, but just the extent of the sky boxes, and you know, everybody laughed at me, but my first question was like, where does everybody go to the bathroom? Because our plumbing can't handle this. But we all really um, it was my uh director of catering and events, uh, director of membership, and my executive chef. And we all really, I think, just walked away feeling confident, more confident that, you know, this is gonna be really exciting and and we can do this. And how cool. I mean, they have um something called Fold of Honors Friday. And so I don't are you familiar with that?

SPEAKER_01:

That's the um, yeah, yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Overall, it was a great trip. The the club was very hospitable to us um and their sponsors and everything, and it was um it was beneficial, and we're really, you know, excited to to be hosting.

SPEAKER_01:

I mean, I was really hoping like there was like something that you were like, oh, like we did not even realize that was gonna be like a thing or something that we have to like consider. But but I I would assume it's probably overwhelming too, to like a certain degree.

SPEAKER_00:

Well, it's like strange things. Like it was the skybox, and then it was like they have a trailer where they print the giant signs like right there. And so, like the my membership director, she was just like, This is amazing. Like, just this giant thing. And it it so again, yeah, just like weird.

SPEAKER_01:

She sneaks in at night, she's printing her own stuff.

SPEAKER_00:

Yes, but it was giant, it took up like a whole trailer. It's crazy.

SPEAKER_01:

But like, but it makes sense. You're like, oh, of course, because you know they they they did one and they're like, we should probably just have like our own printers here. Yeah. Um, how do you how do you balance the like dream big with like the don't panic as all of that is starting to like phase out? Or like are they also helpful in like, hey, like like not like step one, two, three, but like are they also like with the communication, like how how how does that work then now, like moving out? Like, are there kind of like milestone steps? Like, I'm sure you know you're not like prone to like the wolves.

SPEAKER_00:

Right. No, no, no. So we we're working working with HS Sports Group. Um, so they're running the tournament in conjunction with the PGA tour champions. Um, HS has been great, and the tournament director has been great, and um, we're doing an open house for our members in a couple weeks where they can just come find out about how they can sponsor, how they can play in the program, um, shared hospitality, and then also volunteer um opportunities. We have, I mean, they're gonna need 700 to 900 volunteers over the course of the week. Um, and you know, we have to form all the different committees, and then after the new year, we'll get all the volunteers together and then we'll kind of get our marching orders. But we really just surpassed maybe three weeks ago, like the one year mark.

SPEAKER_01:

So dun dun dun. Yeah. What's your what's your what's your go-to way to calm down? To you know work and yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

It's to cook. Except I'm gonna show you this. I burned my hand last week cooking. So I haven't cooked for a week. I'm really sad.

SPEAKER_01:

What was the meal and was it worth it? And did you finish it?

SPEAKER_00:

Um, so it's frozen because it's going with me to Delaware. I might not eat it because I have PTSD. Um but no, so my go-to honestly is I have I would say 47 weeks out of the year, I have um my family over for Monday night dinner. And I cook all day and I make way too much food, but it's probably the only day of the week that I can cook. And um, I have my brother-in-law, sister-in-law, niece, nephew, my in-laws, a kid.

SPEAKER_01:

Everyone's invited.

SPEAKER_00:

It's actually a joke. It's like it's Aunt Jen's soup kitchen. Like, whoever shows up can eat. There's always enough food. And the only rule is nobody gets to tell me what to make. Like, I just want to do what I want to do.

SPEAKER_01:

Beggars can't be choosers. If you're gonna show up, you're gonna enjoy it. Yeah, I like that. I like that.

SPEAKER_00:

And people are like, why would you do that? Like on your like one day off. And I'm like, I it it calms me. Like it just it calms me.

SPEAKER_01:

You like are you like in the zone? Like, because like do you have like do you have so many things cooking that like be so like your brain is just on this is five that has time. I got this, I gotta start chopping this. So that that's your yes, that's your oh yeah. Yes.

SPEAKER_00:

And I do, I love it. I play music and I just cook and leave me alone, stay out of my kitchen.

SPEAKER_01:

Okay, so like what time do you normally start and like how far out? Like, okay, so walk me through like that Monday. So is it is it like is it leftover stuff? Like, do you pre-plan like in a couple weeks? You're like, hey, okay, I'm gonna do like how far out do you plan it? Do you have spreadsheets? Like, how do you like how how down how far down the rabbit hole? Like, do you keep track of like what you've made so you don't like repeat items? Like, how far, how far down do you go?

SPEAKER_00:

This is hilarious because you're so into this. So you're gonna have to come to Monday night dinner sometime. Um, so no, I don't have spreadsheets. I have it in my head. Um I normally start thinking about it on Friday or Saturday because I like defrost whatever protein I might be making.

SPEAKER_01:

Um, so you like bulk bulk buy your protein?

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, I do because I'm very frugal. I'm very frugal.

SPEAKER_01:

So okay. So do you buy like half a cow or like the whole cow?

SPEAKER_00:

I don't actually buy the cow because I'm not, but like it's funny because we'll have this I'm gonna sound so stupid. Like crab legs go on sale, right? At Giant. I like stock up. So we have like 10 pounds of crab legs, and one night we just have like a whole crab feast, and my mother in law is like, why do Why did you spend all this money? Oh no, Cheryl, I got it on sale. So I I definitely I'm always like just kind of I I buy the things when they're on sale and then I figure out what I'm gonna make. And there's always like two to three options. Like it's not like there's a chicken and that's it, because that's boring.

SPEAKER_01:

All right. So like what time do you like normally start? Like, so when like when do you start getting ready? And then like what's like a typical Monday look like? Um and and also then do you then once it's cooked, are you like I done? And then other people clean up, like and like do they kind of take the reins? Like have they learned, or or are you also like it's still my kitchen, you clean up everything.

SPEAKER_00:

If I'm hosting, nobody better wash a dish. Like I'm taking care of you for the night, do not. Like last Monday, I had to go down in the basement and do a finance meeting, and I came up and my mother-in-law was at the sink, and I was like, Are you washing my dishes?

SPEAKER_01:

Like, you better not be she turns around, drops it, shatters, like basically.

SPEAKER_00:

Even when I host like a holiday, it's the same thing. Like, if I'm hosting, I'm all in. Enjoy yourself. Again, going back to the people pleaser. I want to make people happy, and that brings me joy.

SPEAKER_01:

So so no, is that also part of is that also part of your like leadership style? Would you say? Is that like transfer over?

SPEAKER_00:

I think so. I think even you know, in recent situations, I've used the words like I'll fall on the sword for any of you, like before you have to be exposed to some nonsense, you know. Um because people work really hard and people deserve their time when they're not at work.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

And I think because I was blessed with that while I was raising my kids, I find that really, really important that people get to have their time. Like gone are the days where people are working six, 12 hour days. Like it's you're not gonna be able to retain people, they're not gonna be happy. And you know, I know because I give that, not that I know, but I've learned that I give that to them and they give it to me when I need it.

SPEAKER_01:

And and this in in some of like this is like me just like off the cuff, just like asking. So in my understanding it by if someone's, hey, something's happening, I can only work two hours Thursday, Friday, Saturday from five to seven, because I got things or whatever it is, you would just rather instead of like whereas some people in you know, big assumptions, pointing fingers like uh uh you know, give them like demerits on their record or like you know, not punish or like fire them, or just be like, well, don't even come in. You're almost like, okay, just give me the two hours, or like, you know, it's almost like okay, hey, like we'll like make it work because then okay, I know I got you for two hours, so so and so she can come in later. You know, you like figure it out, or like you just like work around it and it's like uh all right.

SPEAKER_00:

Uh absolutely. I mean, if the person is a quality person and they're doing their work, yeah, why not why not accommodate them?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. Well, I I feel like sometimes too, like I'm in the mindset of, hey, that person for two hours probably gets more done. You know, if you put them in like you know, the right person, the right bus or the right seat in the right bus, like hey, you you get the max out of your two hours. So whether it's if they're a fast bartender and it's the beginning of an event and they can fly, you know, whatever it is, they're if they're good at running food, who knows, cooking. But like, you know, you find where they're you know excelling at and let them let them shine and use it for what you can instead of no time and no people. I was just talking to uh uh GM and he was saying how he uh he came from hotels and conference centers and something happened, it snowed, and for a like 300-person dinner, only like there was four servers. Because like it got like snowed in, nobody can make it in. So he's like, I buckled up, like, here we go. Like you just like Yeah, no, you just do it.

SPEAKER_00:

And and I honestly like I I definitely have high expectations, um, on top of being reasonable. But even when we have like our big tournaments or big club events where I'm more in the throw of the actual event happening, I'm not gonna not pick up a plate. I'm not gonna not do this. But if I'm picking up a plate and there's three other people standing there doing nothing, there's gonna be an issue.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. Yep. No, I mean, I I've I've I see it. I mean, I go to a lot of I've go to I've been to a lot of clubs, and uh you can you you can you can see like I don't know, you can just see culture and vibe and just how people and you know you've you can see when people are swamped, and like I've seen in like you know the GMs who buck, you know, I've you know so many GMs that I know, just hey, I gotta go, man. Like I just realized the kitchen's but or they just came out or just realized they're struggling. It's like, hey, you know, straight in. Or there's others who just like meh. Like, right wow, really? I thought they you're not gonna go pick up a plate or something. Like, you know, Phyllis is walking by all the plates, and like he's like, Can you grab that? You're like, bro, hell like yeah. There's been times I've like grabbed a plate to have like uh I I was actually doing a club somewhere, and it there was like a a you know, buffet for dinner, and there was this really old dude that was like trying to stand and like hold his like no one's like a couple hundred people, like no, so I walked over. I was like, let me help you, like I'll help you out, bud. I took his plate and he like held and I got and like I didn't realize someone I went like mini viral in their little community because someone snapped a picture, which I was like, Oh, you snapped the picture, but didn't help. Like, oh, okay, I see how it is. Yeah, great, great, great club culture. But they were all like, Oh, that's so nice. I'm like, the dude was struggling, like, no one thought to just go like lend a hand. Like, I don't know.

SPEAKER_00:

No, like the other Wednesday, I'm like, I'm I was just walking through the kitchen to go talk to Chef about like kitchen renovation, and I see up on the line there's like 12 tickets, the food and beverage managers trying to expedite. I like just jumped in, like, we did it, got it cleared, and like even like the you know, the line cooks and everything, they're just like, wow, okay. And I'm like, well, no, like we're here to provide an experience, and whatever it takes to get there, like I'm gonna help if I can help.

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_00:

Another thought as I was doing that, but it went out of my head.

SPEAKER_01:

Story of my life.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, I know what I was gonna say. Like, I was at the our annual family uh fall festival, and I was there with my family, like I was there for the setup and everything, but then we were attending, but I'm never really like actually attending. But I'm just like walking past and I hear this like mom talking to her daughter, and she's like, Oh, you need ketchup? Okay, give me a minute, let me cut up your brother's food. And I was like, Oh, like I'll go get you ketchup. And she's like, Wait, what? You heard that? No, no, it's okay. I'm like, no, like I'll get you ketchup. Like, why not?

SPEAKER_01:

Yeah. So what I do.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01:

That's what I do. When when you know, you you what's what's one lesson you hope staff learns from working with you, even if they don't like realize it? Like, like, what do you hope people take away from working under your regime?

SPEAKER_00:

Regime? Sounds very nasty. I'm not a tyrant.

SPEAKER_01:

No, no.

SPEAKER_00:

I only play one on TV. Um, no, I I I think just some of my biggest things are are just like like be kind, be aware, and and what I kind of started out with was, you know, we're in the business of making people happy. We're creating memories that people will have, and that's a blessing in life. I'll also say, if you don't notice, I say blessed and blessing a lot because some people say lucky, and I don't think it's luck.

unknown:

Okay.

SPEAKER_00:

I don't know. I think you put out and you get back.

SPEAKER_01:

If that's that probably wasn't very eloquent, but you you earn what you keep, you you reap what you sow, yeah. But uh whate whatever the whatever the little jingles are.

SPEAKER_00:

I don't know why my shoulders are going, but it's No, you put out you put out the good vibes and and hopefully they come back to you.

SPEAKER_01:

No, the more, you know, the more you help other people, the more, you know, it all just it all just hopefully the karma works. The karma works. Um but no, yeah, I I that's Amen. I'm not even amen. I don't even know. Hallelujah. Good good Shabbos. I don't know. That's all all the things. All the things.

SPEAKER_00:

Honestly, thank you for the opportunity. I really appreciate it. Um, I was with my director of golf this afternoon and I said, Oh, I have to go, you know, record this podcast. He's like, What podcast? And I was like, um, Private Club Radio. He's like, Oh, Denny? He's like, I listen to that all the time.

SPEAKER_01:

You realize now I'm not gonna put you on. I'm gonna hold this for so long. And he's gonna be like, when did this? She was lying.

SPEAKER_00:

That's actually hilarious. I was like, I swear I did it. That's why I had to leave our meeting. I swear.

SPEAKER_01:

Oh yeah. No, thank you for coming. It's always always great when you and I talk. But no, thank thanks for coming on and sharing it. I know it's it's such a cool story, just uh, you know, the it's very unique.

SPEAKER_00:

Awesome. Well, thank you.

SPEAKER_01:

Hope you all enjoyed that episode. I know I did. Jen, thank you so much for coming on. Thanks for sharing your story. Thanks for being open and all you do for the industry and your club. What a great journey you've you've had. So cool. Well, that's this episode. Until next time, I'm your host, Danny Corby.

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Denny Corby

Host