Trupti Wesley owner of Chikoo Tree Project & Cabo Sarai

Trupti Wesley owner of Chikoo Tree Project & Cabo Sarai has been in the trade for 17+ years. In 2002 she went to the Oberoi School after studying Economics and after graduating from there worked with the Oberoi group till 2014.

According to her, as an entrepreneur, there are new challenges every day. However, “since it’s your own baby the blood sweat and tears, give a different energy to do your best”, she says. Another aspect of the trade she learnt as an entrepreneur is Time Management – “Getting the job done without anyone having to tell you, to create a schedule and stick to it.” Today she is able to leverage her experience with the added advantage of a free hand. Constant innovation, staying at par with changing trends and bringing a personalised experience to the table is her mantra and her driving force.

To youngsters wishing to join the Hospitality trade, she says, “It’s not as glamorous as it’s made out to be, but seeing a smile on a guest’s face is what gives satisfaction” The key to success is, “ play to your strengths”. Besides giving guests what they ask for, anticipate their needs and deliver accordingly. That is good service. “Be prepared for long hours, be prepared to deal with people, be patient, learn to work in a team, be a sponge and soak in all feedback. Follow these and you will be a seasoned hotelier where the rewards are many”.

Hiring the right kind of people is important in every industry but more so in the Hospitality trade which is essentially a people centric industry. ‘The Moment of Truth’ has to be developed as a culture and the staff needs to be empowered to take spot decisions to ensure that every experience is a credit into the Emotional Bank Balance. To this end, every member of the staff needs to be appreciated and rewarded, because more than money, this is what motivates them. “Charting out a career path for employees instead of only focusing on what is good for the hotel goes a long way in retaining staff”, she says. A motivated employee will be able to exceed customer expectations which will in turn lead to guests coming back again and again.

Does she have any regrets leaving the Oberoi group? None at all. Her experience with them coupled with following her own advice that she gives to youngsters today have helped her to leverage her experience and create a success of her two enterprises.