Room for All

Room for All - Season 1 Episode 0

• Andrea Comastri

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Embracing Inclusion: The Journey and Mission of Hotel Etico

In this series, hosts Andrea Comastri and Saraya O'Connell introduce listeners to 'Room for All,' a podcast dedicated to sharing the mission and vision behind Hotel Etico, Australia's first not-for-profit social enterprise hotel. They explore the origins of Hotel Etico, its Italian roots, and how it serves as a pathway to independence for young adults with disabilities through employment and training programs. The hosts also delve into the broader objective of creating the most inclusive tourism and hospitality industry in the world, emphasizing the importance of training for both trainees and employers. Personal stories highlight their diverse backgrounds, extensive experience in social impact, and commitment to fostering inclusivity. Interviews with key figures, such as Tracylee Arestides and Alex Toselli, provide insights into the operational and emotional aspects of running the hotel. The podcast outlines future topics on disability employment and industry insights, ultimately aiming to inspire and educate listeners about the transformative power of inclusive employment and social enterprise.

00:00 Introduction to Room for All

01:39 The Vision Behind Hotel Etico

02:00 Starting the Podcast Journey

02:33 The NoVacancy Event

03:16 The Birth of the Podcast Idea

08:32 Hotel Etico: Australia's First Social Enterprise Hotel

12:13 The Training Program for Young People with Disabilities

19:19 The Social Enterprise Model

22:14 Meet Andrea Comastri

24:13 Starting Out at Grace Brothers

25:48 A New Opportunity in Non-Profit

26:53 Journey in Philanthropy and Social Enterprises

28:09 Personal Life and Family

29:38 Soraya's Background and Early Life

31:37 Soraya's Career in Disability Services

35:04 Andrea and Soraya's Partnership

40:33 Introduction to the Podcast

42:16 Future Episodes and Guests

44:12 The Significance of Hotel California

46:07 Wrapping Up

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Andrea:

Welcome to the very first episode of Room for All.

Saraya:

We've called today's episode, episode zero.

Andrea:

Yep.

Saraya:

So we're going to talk more about the vision and the mission behind Hotel Etico. We're going to talk about ourselves and introduce ourselves so people can get to know us. And we're really going to focus on what Hotel Etico does in this episode. episode.

Andrea:

And talk a little bit about the podcast and

Saraya:

And the podcast and

Andrea:

What it would sound like, look like. like. Yes, so let's get started.

Saraya:

Straight into it. it.

Andrea:

How excited are we?

Saraya:

Pretty excited. It's nerve wracking starting a new project.

Andrea:

It is actually pretty

Saraya:

Stressful?

Andrea:

um, Stressful, yes. Uh, I won't hide that been at each other's throats for the last couple of hours. But, um, we're live.

Saraya:

We're live. And the reason for us being at each other's throats is because this geeky stuff is not my thing.

Andrea:

Yeah, detail is important when it comes to these things. But we'll see where it goes. And, um, Yeah, anyway, let's get going.

Saraya:

Let's get started. Um, so let's talk about how it all came about because it's kind of a funny story.

Andrea:

Yes, if I,

IMG_5658:

if I think I came about, it's just, uh, it's, pretty unbelievable. We were at NoVacancy.

Saraya:

We were, yeah. A few weeks ago now, I think it was about a month ago, yeah.

Andrea:

Great, great event, by the way. Uh, great event for the hospitality industry.

Saraya:

Yeah.

Andrea:

We've been going for the last few years and, um.

Saraya:

We always learn something new wherever we, like, every year.

Andrea:

Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I was, I was talking on a couple panels around HR, around access and inclusion, and we were visiting all the exhibitors. We had a few of our colleagues from the hotel come, and, uh, yeah, got lots of ideas. But most importantly, I

Saraya:

importantly,

Andrea:

I got invited to speak. Unplanned.

Saraya:

Unplanned, yep.

Andrea:

By Scott Boyes and Grant Alchin from, A Room with A View, an amazing podcast.

Saraya:

Yes, I've been listening to it. I listen to it, um, on my way to work.

Andrea:

Yeah, so we've been working with Scott, on a number of different things, and there will be lots in the future, but, Yeah, Scott told me in the morning, we're recording podcasts live uh, it would be great to have a chat, so yeah, of course, put a microphone in front of me, and then

Saraya:

And you don't stop talking, so perfect for a podcast. for a podcast, but afterwards, you like, you kind of had like this, um, kick in your step.

Andrea:

I loved it,

Saraya:

You were beaming, like the smile on your face, and, yeah.

Andrea:

It was a great experience, first of all. Scott and Grant are great interviewers, you know, during that podcast they go into philosophy, they go into to all sorts of things, they're great sort of lovers of music and um, yeah, so they do a great job and they've been doing this now for two or three years so they've got a lot of episodes under their belt and they know what they're, they're doing. we don't, clearly.

Saraya:

No, clearly, we've been on each other's throats a lot.

Andrea:

But as a guest, I loved it. And I came to you and you said

Saraya:

I think we should do a Hotel Etico Podcast and you said, said, in very choice words, might I add,

Andrea:

You're crazy. I said no. No way in hell. It's complicated. Too much work. We're too busy.

Saraya:

There's a lot of tech.

Andrea:

There's a lot of technology involved.

Saraya:

We have a lot on our plate.

Andrea:

Yes, and basically, no, there was nothing. Categorical, no. And I think you just went along with it, so yeah, okay, fine.

Saraya:

Yeah. I know not to push if you say no.

Andrea:

Well, and then, um, fast track to breakfast the following morning.

Saraya:

Yeah, so breakfast was delightful. I hadn't had coffee yet, and you came down again with a kick in your step and I was just sitting there and you said, all right, we're doing a podcast.

Andrea:

Yes. And I don't know what happened that night. I had some sort of epiphany. I had some sort of,

Saraya:

you were pretty against it.

Andrea:

Yeah, but I don't know what happened that night. Like, uh, true, I think that night brings counsel. Like, I woke up in the morning and I had complete clarity of vision. I knew what I wanted to achieve with it, what we should cover, who we should invite, the contents, the already thinking about the technology. And I, I think I probably spent the night looking at videos and Googling stuff. So yeah, I came up, I was digging into my breakfast. I came up in the morning and, yeah, I had it all in my head and, uh, even before you had coffee, which was very brave of me.

Saraya:

Very, very brave.

Andrea:

Yes. So yeah, it was amazing and I think I shocked you, I surprised you.

Saraya:

You surprised me because, like, I know that, like, we've been working together for now nearly three years. So I know when you, when you're passionate about something, you'll give it your all. And I think it was just like, it was, it was no. And I was like, okay, I'll approach it. First I was like, I'll just broach it in a month's time, like I'll slowly start planting the seed, but I didn't even have to wait that long, 12 hours.

Andrea:

You obviously pushed the right button and I, yeah, and I, yeah, I was, I was sold. I was definitely sold.

Saraya:

So by the end of breakfast, I think we had like, Uh, every episode, every person we wanted to interview for the first the first 12 episodes. The schedule of when we're going to drop the episodes. Um, it was a good breakfast.

Andrea:

Yeah, and then, then the weekend happened.

Saraya:

Oh my god. And I got bombarded email after email after the andrea shared this Canva with you and he's done the artwork and he's done Everything. You had literally done it within the weekend bombarded.

Andrea:

Yes.

Saraya:

But when you set your mind to something, you, there's no holding back.

Andrea:

Yes.

Saraya:

It didn't surprise me.

Andrea:

Yeah. I was, I really, you know, I mean, I don't have a life to some extent, so

Saraya:

Hotel Etico is your life,

Andrea:

spent spent hours and hours and hours on it. And, uh, yeah, it became clear that things could be done. Uh, and uh, and that's where we are today. So, you know, we, we came up with the title.

Saraya:

Pretty quickly

Andrea:

on the same day. Yeah, same at NoVacancy

Saraya:

Yeah.

Andrea:

We were talking to Sophia, our employment manager, and we were sort of bouncing around some ideas and, uh, and we thought, well,

Saraya:

Room for all

Andrea:

it's all about inclusion. So it needs to be to about everyone. It needs to be about hotels. So Room for all sounded, like yeah. The, the right title and then the subtitle being the inclusion in hospitality podcast.

Saraya:

Yeah.

Andrea:

so that's what then informed the, the, the playing around with the logo, with the artwork and, uh, yeah, and I've been back and forth there. Oh no, that mic is too big. That mic is too small. Yeah, go black to it.

Saraya:

I think this brings out another level of passion inside of you, of the geek side.

Andrea:

Yeah, something else to argue with each other about. but so yeah, but anyway, very, very exciting. And, uh, we have lots of ideas, but. I think we need to sort of step back a little bit and, um, tell our listeners.

Saraya:

Well, yeah. What is Hotel Etico?

Andrea:

Yeah. What is Hotel Etico?

Saraya:

Why should people even listen to us? What do we do?

Andrea:

Yes. So Hotel Etico is Australia's first not for profit social enterprise hotel. We are based in the Blue Mountains in Mount Victoria, a heritage listed town of Mount Victoria, in a beautiful, beautiful historical building.

Saraya:

Freezing cold building.

Andrea:

Yeah, we can heat it up as much as possible. Some days it's really tricky. But, uh, we've got fireplaces, we've got electric blankets, we've got heaters, um, and

Saraya:

So we've got 15 rooms,

Andrea:

All with en suite. It's, um, a combination of family and, uh, queen rooms, we've got a beautiful garden. We have lots of different meeting rooms, our library where we're sitting here now today.

Saraya:

This is definitely my favorite room.

Andrea:

Yeah, it's a nice room. We've messed up today, but yes, uh,

Saraya:

People can't see behind scenes

Andrea:

We have private private dining areas. We have a restaurant that seats up to 150 people. We have a beautiful bar. It's um, we a beer garden.

Saraya:

Great wine list.

Andrea:

Yes. Uh,

Saraya:

Great menu.

Andrea:

The feedback we get consistently about the food and the bar, the music. We have live music every Friday night.

Saraya:

Every Friday. And soon to be more events.

Andrea:

Yeah, and the music brings not only the guests in the hotel but lots of locals to to the, to the restaurant. So that's, uh, it's a it's a great, it's a great little venue. And, um,

Saraya:

So why, why are we a hotel? What are we doing?

Andrea:

Well, the other thing I wanted to say is that the building is a beautiful historical building that was built in, 1876 by John Fairfax. So part of the Fairfax family, the founders of, of the, um, Sydney Morning Herald, which ended up also supporting us serendipitously meeting with them, during our initial phases and, um, they were a great supporter of our, uh, of our social enterprise and, um, and then it got passed on through different people throughout the centuries.

Saraya:

It's been lots of different things over the years.

Andrea:

Yes, the yes. And, uh, we were very lucky to find it when we were looking for a property in the Blue Mountains. But Hotel Etico is, is a model that was actually born in Italy about 10 years ago. Mm hmm. A model that, uh, has now expanded in Italy significantly. There are five hotels at the moment, as far as I know. There are hotels overseas and we are the first one in Australia. We opened in November, 2020, right in the peak of COVID.

Saraya:

It's a great time to open a hotel. I see no problem.

Andrea:

Yes. Um, it was definitely, it brought some challenges, but I also say often that. We were lucky that we were so small at the moment, at that time, that the metaphor I often use is that, imagine a big storm, And you're a little twig. Um, a little twig bends really easily in a storm and it doesn't get affected. And it can easily bend and adapt and then after the storm grow and become stronger. If we were a big established tree, we would have been taken down by the storm.

Saraya:

Yeah.

Andrea:

And so I think that's a, you know, might be a bit of a cheesy metaphor, but I think it actually, it's a great representation of of, we're at.

Saraya:

You're good with metaphors. I really stuff them up. So I won't be the one on this podcast that says

Andrea:

Well, you've only recently learned how to spell the word metaphor probably, so

Saraya:

Jesus! Insult!

Andrea:

It's a little advance, um, advance preview of, um, of the relationship, yeah. But, um what else? So, that's the business.

Saraya:

That's the business.

Andrea:

But what's behind the business, or the purpose of the business, is that we run a training program, an employment and training program, for young people with disability.

Saraya:

Yeah. So the first year is the independence program. So our trainees our trainees live on site three days a week. They swap their days every second week. On site, they not only work in the hotel where they're paid full award wage, they train within the hotel, so we have our own curricula, we break down a lot of learning styles, we adapt a lot of our training, they learn on the job and formal training, we do workshops and so on, but the thing that makes the model so unique is the live in component.

Andrea:

Yes, they live in the Academy of Independence, which is a supported accommodation effectively. With support workers with disability expertise that, supervise, support, guide, coach, mentor the

Saraya:

coach,

Andrea:

trainees, in their independent living skills.

Saraya:

Yeah, so they learn all aspects of it. So, making your bed, cooking, cleaning, budgeting.

Andrea:

Spending time together, getting under each others skin, argue interact be friends.

Saraya:

Yeah. It's hard, I think, for people with a disability when you move out of home for the first time. And this is I think, where you can really learn. And it's only three days a week. So you learn to live with other people. Because, I mean, when you first moved out of home, did you live with other people? or

Andrea:

Well, my story is probably a little bit different actually.

Saraya:

We'll go into that later.

Andrea:

Yes.

Saraya:

But it's hard to live with people. I think. They learn to live with other people, they learn the skills to be able to be independent, to cook for themselves. They they literally in charge of their own life here. So they have to do everything with support, but without that support.

Andrea:

And they travel here by themselves, right?

Saraya:

Yeah, mostly. Yep. Mostly they will, or they organize it. They travel on the train. I think a few of them meet up.

Andrea:

Where do they come from?

Saraya:

Generally two hours. Uh, actually this cohort though, we have two from Canberra. So that's. That's a big commitment. Three, three and a half hours.

Andrea:

It is a big commitment.

Saraya:

That's a big commitment. But there's nothing like us in Australia.

Andrea:

Previously we had someone from Newcastle, we had people from the Sutherland Shire,

Saraya:

Bathurst,

Andrea:

Northern Beaches, Bathurst, Golbourn so yes, definitely two or three hours away seems to be the feasible distance in a way. And the group is a group of 15. So we started in 2020 with six trainees. Then at the end of the first 12 months we double the intake to 12.

Saraya:

Yeah.

Andrea:

Then we extended it to 13 and this current group is 15.

Saraya:

Yeah. And so after the 12 months they graduate, they get a Hotel Etico certificate. We hold a big graduation ceremony, which is amazing. And I babble and cry the entire time. So that's always fun. In front of a lot of people.

Andrea:

Yes. and so they graduate both from the independent living program and from the hospitality employment program.

Saraya:

So while they are doing the program, so for the first three months, they work in all areas of the hotel, they train in all areas.

Andrea:

We say that they work front and center.

Saraya:

They do, they are front and center. Reception, we've got kitchen, we've got bar, we've got housekeeping. you name it, they do it. Yeah, dish bay restaurant floor. Absolutely everything. Um, and then, they, for the further nine months after that, they've tried everything, they know what they want to do, that's when we really focus on what we call their, they specialise.

Andrea:

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Saraya:

So they'll specialise in, say, restaurant, for example. So we work really hard and we do our specific training within the restaurant, if that's what they pick. And then that then sets them up for what comes next.

Andrea:

Yes.

Saraya:

So then we look for employment for them within our industry partners. And we will talk a lot more about it in future episodes. But, um, we're not a destination, we're a pathway. So we're a pathway to their career in hospitality.

Andrea:

And that's quite unique, in the sector. Yeah. Because We, we're not a place where you're here for life, from a point of view of work. There's other reasons why you're here for life. We'll talk about that a little bit later, but, yes, it's a pathway to employment. If we, we really truly believe that, um, independence and dignity. It comes from paid work, in open employment, so when they're with us from day one, they're paid full award wages.

Saraya:

Yes, they are.

Andrea:

So that's another very unique feature. it was a big decision by us to go down that path. An expensive

Saraya:

the right decision,

Andrea:

but it's a, yeah, it was definitely the right decision. And, uh, we haven't looked back. And so they. They find employment either before they graduate or just after they graduate or a little bit later. Some of them takes a bit longer. We'll be talking about this with, with Sophia, our Employment Manager, in one of the next few episodes. But there's also a transition phase that we've just implemented actually.

Saraya:

Yeah. Because it's, it's a big transition, right like you are going from living with 15 people to then moving.

Andrea:

Yes.

Saraya:

You know, moving again. So we really do build the capabilities and the skills for them to be able to transition. And we want to transition them. Well,

Andrea:

yeah.

Saraya:

Because we don't want, you know. you know, we don't want them to just go into a job and last 12 weeks weeks.

Andrea:

And then we work with, as you say, we industry, so we work with the tourism and hospitality industry, other businesses, customer facing roles, and find jobs for, for our graduates and then keep supporting them.

Saraya:

Yes. And the employer. So I think that's another thing that's really unique with us is like we will train the employer because we don't want to be there. We, we want to, um, We want to make the hospitality industry more inclusive.

Andrea:

That's right. So our vision is to not only work with the trainees and their families, not only to transform, transform the the perception of every single guest that comes through the doors of the hotel in terms of what they know and think and understand about disability and employment, but then transform the industry. We want to make, literally we want to make. Australia's tourism and hospitality industry, the most inclusive tourism and hospitality industry in the world.

Saraya:

Absolutely.

Andrea:

There is great appetite out there. Things are moving a bit slow, slower than we would love, but we are really encouraged by the great interest, the great appetite that we've picked up and we're experiencing with our partners, to employ, to learn, to be inclusive and, and transform their, their culture, their own culture.

Saraya:

Yeah. Yeah. And like, the biggest thing, um, with our employers is like, the training that we offer, like, we've had feedback to say that they're, the, the uptake for that training is the biggest they've ever had.

Andrea:

Yes, yes, yeah.

Saraya:

So, it's, it's amazing.

Andrea:

It's fantastic. And, you know, what's going on in, in, in corporate Australia around, uh, diversity and inclusion is, is, is very important for us because it creates the right environment for us to sort of. of introduce ourselves and, and, and contribute and add value to the industry. So, it's almost like the perfect storm to some extent. Um, and so going back to another storm metaphor and, um, but we also refer to us as a social enterprise.

Saraya:

Yes. Um, so I will confess that when I started I didn't even know what a social enterprise was. Um, I probably just googled it. I didn't find much. I didn't really understand it until I heard you say this.

Andrea:

Hmm. Yeah, I, I'm borrowing this quote from a, leader in the social enterprise sector, Kylie Clement, who's the CEO of SECNA, the social enterprise council of, New South Wales and ACT. ACT. And I don't even know if it's an original quote, but I definitely heard her saying it. I've been using it. I think you've been using it as well.

Saraya:

I do because it's the best way to explain it.

Andrea:

Yeah. Yeah. it often brings smile to the audience and, and sort of nod and acknowledgement. And it's a simple, simple way. Basically. A for profit business and a not for profit, a traditional charity, have a baby. This baby is a social enterprise. So what does that mean? It means that we bring forward at the same time, concurrently, profit and purpose. And these two Ps, profit and purpose, are in tension with each other.

Saraya:

Yes.

Andrea:

Right? Are in conflict with each other.

Saraya:

All the time.

Andrea:

Yes, and so our job is to understand how to achieve the purpose, which is the ultimate aim, through profit. And sometimes decisions have to be made, that purpose comes first, other times profit needs to come first because it's a means to an end.

Saraya:

It is.

Andrea:

Obviously ideally. We, want to bring them forward at the same time with the same level of passion and the same level of energy and dedication and focus. But sometimes that tension exists. And that is, in my opinion, a beautiful, beautiful environment to work in in. because

Saraya:

It is magical.

Andrea:

What gets you you out of bed in the morning, right?

Saraya:

Well, it definitely keeps us up on our toes.

Andrea:

Yeah, it keeps us awake at night as well.

Saraya:

There's no day that's ever the same here.

Andrea:

Yeah, so I think I'm a great, I'm a great advocate, great sort of supporter of the social enterprise movement. Yeah, and agree. I've worked in social enterprises before and I know that is the new way of making a difference in the world in a way that is sustainable.

Saraya:

Yes, it, it, the most important thing is that it needs to be sustainable.

Andrea:

Yeah, hard work, very hard work because, you end up complicating your business in a way that no, other for profit business would ever do that.

Saraya:

Yeah, absolutely. Um, worth it. Yeah, absolutely worth

Andrea:

but that's, yeah, that's, that's what it's all about. And so that's, that's what a social enterprise is. so we should probably pause for a second and introduce ourselves personally.

Saraya:

I think you should go first. first. Yes

Andrea:

Yeah, sure.

Saraya:

Give you a mic and you won't stop talking.

Andrea:

Yes.

Saraya:

So, who is Andrea Comastri?

Andrea:

I'm just I'm just laughing at your pronunciation.

Saraya:

Why? I can't say it. it. You say it properly.

Andrea:

Yeah, you need to roll. So, yes, my name is Andrea Comastri and I am the I and CEO and co-founder of Hotel Etico in Australia. I was born in Italy nearly nearly 54 years ago in 1970. and after growing up in Italy in a very, socially conscious and engaged and politically engaged family, I went to school, went to university, did a degree in political science and international studies, did a bit of traveling, learned English and started sort of developing a little bit of a passion about travel, until, through a personal, personal journey, I ended up migrating to Australia. And so in 1995, at the tender age of 24 years of age, I came to Australia and I moved. and

Saraya:

That's a big move.

Andrea:

It's a big move. Um, but I had a partner, I had a house, I spoke English, relatively well. well.

Saraya:

I'll be the judge of that.

Andrea:

Oh, big, well, well, I spoke well enough to be able to secure a job pretty much straight away. So interestingly. The very first job that I applied for was probably a couple of days after I landed in August And it with an organization working within the Italian community

Saraya:

So you didn't need to speak English much?

Andrea:

I didn't need to speak English, in that job as much as in other jobs, but they were a bit slower coming back to me. And so I ended up getting another job first at what was known as Grace Brothers or Meyer nowadays.

Saraya:

Meyer, I know Meyer, I don't know Grace Brothers.

Andrea:

Yeah, so I did a couple of interviews. They thought that because I was Italian, I would want a job in the, Men's fashion. I remember doing an interview at the Chatwood store and and I was like,

Saraya:

I can't picture you in sales for men's for fashion.

Andrea:

It was, it was ridiculous. but then, so I didn't get that job. I was looking for anything at that point, but. but, and, but straight away they offered me a job in the home office, uh, department.

Saraya:

So you could give out?

Andrea:

Yeah. Like we were selling typewriters. Oh. We had a couple of computers. We had some electronic stuff. I remember we still had to authorize credit card payments by going at the back, picking up the phone, calling the phone number. Listening to the code, reading the credit card on the phone and listening to the approval from the other side.

Saraya:

You're really showing your age here.

Andrea:

I thought my English was great, it was so bad. It was so difficult. I remember going home and after standing up for like 12 hours in a day and speaking in another language that wasn't mine It was so tiring. Like it was really, really tiring. So really great respect to people that work in retail and hospitality, because at the start, especially in another language, it was really, really hard, but it only took about a month and a month after. I got a call from this other organization.

Saraya:

And that was a not for profit?

Andrea:

Not for profit, it a bit of a growing path as well. And, was small at the time and I straight away basically got employed in a a relatively junior role, but because it was so flat, I was effectively the second in charge. And so after a number of years, I became the CEO. And, within there, you know, established, we established a school, for example, of a kitchen Italian man. We established the first Italian bilingual school in the country.

Saraya:

I think I really need to learn it though italian.

Andrea:

Yeah, well, we can work on that. Um, so that, that actually, I drew a lot of lessons from that experience because we started from scratch. We started from a group of six, really,

Saraya:

Really?

Andrea:

Started with a group of six students. it it was, look, we'll probably can go into this another time, but it was amazing parallels in that experience. And then after that I, I was there for 17 17 years up and then I worked in other than not for profits, and consultant, as a director, I worked in philanthropy for five years and there was another

Saraya:

Grateful for that. I'm grateful for that.

Andrea:

Yes, because working in philanthropy just opened up another world for me that when we started Hotel Etico, gave us access to people, language, methodologies. contacts, just different way of thinking, which was really, really useful for us. And so, yes, that was fantastic. And within that job, I also ran a couple of social enterprises. So, I was running a, cafe, which again, great parallel, like a group of cafes on work sites employing with challenges to employment, training them, finding them jobs. So very, very similar. and a lot of those learnings got sort of transferred in here personally. And we were also running a, a social enterprise farm, a blueberry farm in Coffs Harbour, that was running a, drug and alcohol rehab program in it. So, again, huge learnings there. I felt like Andrea the farmer. It was really fascinating journey. And now I am Andrea the hotelier. According to Scott and Grant, I'm now a hotelier.

Saraya:

You you did get called a hotelier. I haven't been called one yet, so I need to, I need to

Andrea:

Well, tell us, tell us, tell us your journey.

Saraya:

Well, let's talk about, so we'll see whether you personally though, personally.

Andrea:

Personally, me. Okay. Well, personally, me, as I said, I'm 54. I have two grown up children, 25 and 26. I have, Martina, who's 26. Matteo, who is, 25, almost 25 next month, and, they have their own passions. Martina lives overseas in Panama. She runs a a, community development, community engagement groups and, in Panama. and she's doing an amazing job. Like, I mean, I talk with her regularly. I see photos online of all the, she recently built a house for a family, like I saw her with like a drill in her hand and big smile. And, and, and then, But then she has sloth pets, you know, like she's

Saraya:

Like an actual slot slots.

Andrea:

Yes. Like, is the national animal there in Panama.

Saraya:

Are you allowed to have a sloth as a pet?

Andrea:

I don't know, but they get rescued. So it's it's a a rescue thing. So, so amazing, amazing life, amazing life. And Matteo, who's a bit of an IT geek like me. he does a lot of work in, does lots of work in hospitality as well, actually, but, He works in project management IT it and, um, yeah, he's, he's developing as a, as a very well rounded individual and, and both of them have got a great heart and a great passion for, social impact in life. And so that, I think that's, I think that's coming down through generations in our family, which is fantastic. And, yeah, and then, that's, that's about it. but I'm sure other personal things will come up in, in future, but tell us about you. Who is Soraya O'Connell?

Saraya:

Very complex question.

Andrea:

Yeah, let's give a simple answer to the complex question

Saraya:

Simple. Uh, so I grew up in North north Queensland, so not Italy, but North Queensland.

Andrea:

Beautiful beautiful part of the country. Where about?

Saraya:

Hamilton Island.

Andrea:

Wow.

Saraya:

I grew up on Hamilton Island. The Whitsundays, Arlie Beach. yes, it was great. Um, it's funny because you live in such, like, you've got so much freedom when you live on an island. So I could do whatever I want.

Andrea:

We actually worked out that I came, um, to Hamilton Island on holiday with my little kids.

Saraya:

Did you?

Andrea:

You were just a little kid yourself.

Saraya:

So there's a, there's a primary school in Hamilton Island but there's no high school.

Andrea:

Right.

Saraya:

So we did have to move eventually. I went, I did go to an all girls catholic boarding school um, for a few years and then we had to move off the island to go to the high school which was quite a distance away.

Andrea:

Right.

Saraya:

so that's why I complain about the cold non stop.

Andrea:

Um,

Saraya:

I came to Sydney when I was 15.

Andrea:

So you moved out of home out of home when you were 15?

Saraya:

Yes. Thanks. Yes.

Andrea:

Wow.

Saraya:

I did, you know, I was very, I, well, I'm sure everybody will get to know me in the podcast, but I'm very stubborn. if I set my mind to something, if I set my mind to something, I'd do it. so yes, I moved out of home home when I was 15. I rented well. well, my dad, like, rented the apartment for me because 15 year olds can't get a lease, but he didn't live there. I, you know, had three or four jobs within the hospitality space to be able to afford rent.

Andrea:

So you have a background in hospitality?

Saraya:

Yes, yeah. I was a restaurant manager by 17.

Andrea:

Wow.

Saraya:

Yeah. Back then, um, you could actually

Andrea:

A Chinese restaurant, right?

Saraya:

Yeah, that was a Chinese restaurant, but I did, I did move from a Chinese restaurant.

Andrea:

And you still can't use chopsticks?

Saraya:

Shut up! But I can do the, the spoon thing to serve.

Andrea:

Yes I saw you do that.

Saraya:

I can do that, but no, I can't use chopsticks to save my life. You can stab them and then it will do. but can't use chopsticks. and then I went to, you know, fine dining and so on. I went into disability when I was 19. Okay.

Andrea:

Okay.

Saraya:

I started in disability, uh, at 19 and I worked my way up. Um, I became a manager at 23 24 of a community service. So that would be like, um, in the old days, it's, it's. the old ADAHC days, it's called, uh, respite. But community access, NDIS, I had, as a manager, at I think participants, I'm not quite sure, because we did the transition from that actually.

Andrea:

So we still we had great room for, great great capacity in your book here. It yeah,

Saraya:

It was all of Western Sydney, from I think Cumberland to the Blue Mountains. It was massive, it was massive. Um, I have a wonderful 10 year old daughter. So when I was 24, 24, I had Lylah, she's 10 and she's, she's amazing.

Andrea:

10 going for 35.

Saraya:

Oh my goodness. God. I was talking to my sister this morning because she's got a toddler and I said, oh, I kind of miss the toddler age But I don't really miss the toddler age, but 10 is hard work. Girls in school are hard work.

Andrea:

Yeah, they start getting opinions at that age.

Saraya:

Oh, she's had opinions for years. It's not now, she's had them for ages, but she's still She's actually like, she's got a lot of good, so like I see a lot of myself in her.

Andrea:

Yeah, she's a lovely soul. Yeah.

Saraya:

Yeah. Well, I mean, she spends all school holidays here, so how can you not but she, yeah, she's just amazing. So that's me. Disability, out of. a a little bit determined. Moved outta home very early on. Had to learn a lot of life skills really quickly like I was. Fifteen, I think you know the world. You do not know anything.

Andrea:

And so definitely, definitely you have background in the two areas that we work in mostly. Uh, that's very different from me because as I said, I'm much more of a generalist in the not for profit and and management area. I don't have a background in hospitality at all. all. So, I've been on a very steep learning curve, but

Saraya:

You do okay. I've seen you work the restaurant floor.

Andrea:

Oh, yeah. No, I enjoy it. Don't put me behind a bar.

Saraya:

No, you are actually terrible. Once, I was on the floor and you were behind the bar. It was a function and we were just so short staffed.

Andrea:

So flustered.

Saraya:

And you literally ran to me and said, I need to swap.

Andrea:

I freeze.

Saraya:

I need to swap.

Andrea:

Yeah. I freeze. I just freeze. I can't do it. I can be in front of the bar, but not behind the bar.

Saraya:

I love the bar. I love working behind the bar.

Andrea:

I can be, I can be in the kitchen. I can, you know, we, we don't do that necessarily here, but we've actually, we actually,

Saraya:

we have to, sometimes you have to get down and,

Andrea:

well, last year we actually did New Year's Eve,

Saraya:

we did, you cooked the entire meal,

Andrea:

A function, we had a communal table, set up in the restaurant for all the guests, that were here for New Year's Eve, and for staff, we invited staff. And we did the CEO New Year's Eve dinner, which we're actually going to repeat this year. and I cooked, uh, very Italian food, um, in Italy, because it's winter, it's cold. You do very, you know, hot stuff.

Saraya:

It's not winter or cold here.

Andrea:

Well, the good thing is that it's not in Victoria. I think it would be cold here as well.

Saraya:

It's 10 degrees different.

Andrea:

But, um, yeah. Yeah, and then, you know, so it was, it was great. So I can, I can, I can get on the, on the tools, and restaurant, I do okay. and

Saraya:

I think that's a sign of a great leader. leader. Not that I want to give you a compliment.

Andrea:

Thank you.

Saraya:

But it is a sign of a great leader when you you can. you.

Andrea:

No, I think you definitely need to experience the, uh, the, the, the, the frontline, no doubt, no doubt. So one thing I wanted to share with the with the listeners is how your job came about because yes, we will go there because you actually came very very close

Saraya:

To not getting the job

Andrea:

to not getting the job

Saraya:

not getting the job. I did

Andrea:

tell us what happened while you drink your coffee from your lady boss cup

Saraya:

Well, look I was at a time in my life life where I was really losing my passion for disability. I had been in two jobs and you know, it was just after COVID. anyway, so I, I was on Seek. Seek. I accidentally typed in the wrong wrong postcode. So,

Andrea:

Fate?

Saraya:

Mm. Fat. fingers, yeah. So I typed in the wrong postcode,

Andrea:

Fat fingers. It could be the nails.

Saraya:

It could be the nails. It could be the nails. So I typed in the wrong postcode and I saw this job for Blue Mountains. So I must have typed in Blue Mountains. which is it's not that far from here, it's like an hour and a half. So, I saw her turning around and I was like, what is this? Like, it doesn't exist. so I did a quick apply, you know, and see how you can just do the The Quick apply. Yeah, and I got the job. Perfect. That's the end of the story.

Andrea:

No, there's something in between those two lines that we need to sort of dig into a little bit. So

Saraya:

Mr attention to detail

Andrea:

Stepping back a little bit, it was a very difficult time for us. We were coming out of lockdown. we had just lost some key people within the hotel. As I said, we were small, we could adapt, but we had to rebuild. And so we were relatively desperate,

Saraya:

uh, Jesus

Andrea:

to find the right person. No, no, no, no.

Saraya:

The right person, okay.

Andrea:

To find the right person. We, we knew that we, we had to find the right person and we couldn't fail. So, lots of work. I was actually in between jobs. Like I had just started a new job and I was still a volunteer because I started it on a a voluntary basis. and we, we had a few applicants and when I saw your application, I must have obviously looked at the CV and liked what I read. But. I got put off by the fact that you had not put in a cover letter.

Saraya:

And, um, as you get to know know andrea, he has a few pet peeves that really irritate him, one of which is not a cover letter. letter.

Andrea:

One of which is not to read the instructions in the ad, because I understand that there are some roles, um, that don't necessarily require a cover letter, letter, more sort of immediate transactions type of things. But for a role that was so important, so consequential as this one, probably you didn't appreciate that at your end, I suppose. But anyway, for me it was very important. It was very important that you digested the ad, the organization, your background, put them into a mixer, Came I back with some sort of, you know, like thought through, approach that explained a little bit more about you. So I actually called you or emailed you.

Saraya:

You emailed and it actually went to my junk, so I didn't see it for three days. I don't know why I checked my junk that day, but I checked my junk and you had requested a cover letter, and I did, and that was before ChatGPT.

Andrea:

Yeah, amazing. You must have penned the letter by yourself, or or got some help, called a friend, or something like that.

Saraya:

Probably called a friend.

Andrea:

Somehow, that got you an interview.

Saraya:

It did.

Andrea:

And how was the interview?

Saraya:

Well, I mean, There wasn't just one interview. So the first interview was great. You had warned me, that there was two people, but I was freaking out before the interview because you had left me a voicemail and I was away camping. So I didn't have any, reception.

Andrea:

Yeah. We had to change the time or something.

Saraya:

Yeah. You had to change the time, but I had given myself enough time to get home, shower, you know, know, makeup, all of that sort of stuff.

Andrea:

It was online.

Saraya:

So you had tried to move it two hours prior and I was freaking out. freaking out. The first voicemail said, Hey, we need to change the time. And I was like, crap. and then the second voicemail luckily was, okay, we're keeping it.

Andrea:

And apparently I'm intimidating.

Saraya:

You're very intimidating. What's the most intimidating is you have a poker face, so you can't tell what you're thinking. And I um, was by you and Tracy Lee, who's our co chair, who we'll talk to in another episode. So intimidating, but it was when I got called back for the second interview that I really started to panic because I was like, okay, second interview, that's a good sign usually. but you failed to mention that it was going to be a five on one interview. Yeah. Online.

Andrea:

Worldwide.

Saraya:

Worldwide.

Andrea:

Because we had colleagues from Italy.

Saraya:

You had the entire board. Yeah. Five people.

Andrea:

As I said, it was a very important position that we had to test out. out really and you weren't the only one who got interviewed, so you got

Saraya:

Was I the Actually, this is a good time to ask a question. Was I the only one who made it to a second interview?

Andrea:

Uh, no, I don't remember. I actually don't remember that. But you were definitely the, the, the leading applicant. and um, Tracy and I sort of, you know, fell in love with you straight away and, and we knew that you were the right person. And so yeah, we, but it was,

Saraya:

that's a compliment.

Andrea:

Yeah, no, it was, it was, it was clear that you had the, the X factor and and then it became clear when, when we first met, and you know, the moment I shook your hand, realized that. that. We were going to be a great, a great team. And so, yeah, it's been,

Saraya:

we are a really good team. Like, um, yeah, we, we get a lot done. I don't, I don't think we would have gotten where we are today without you and I being,

Andrea:

it's been, it's been, it's been a good ride. So we've been rambling a lot today, but let's talk a little bit about the podcast podcast itself what do we want to achieve? What's this podcast going to be? be?

Saraya:

So I think the biggest thing we want to achieve is. It's about inclusion. So the thing about us is we don't fit into a box. So we're a social enterprise. We're training. But we're not a training provider. We're not a school. We're an NDIS provider. We're a disability provider.

Andrea:

That could have been another good title for the podcast. Out of the box. Outside the box. Outside the box.

Saraya:

Outside the box. That would have been a good one. but we don't fit into it, so yes, uh, you know, we're a business, we're a hotel, so there's a lot of topics that we can cover, and I think, you know, the biggest one is, is. it's about how to make the hospitality space more include, like it needs to be more, everybody needs to be more included, and, you know. We are leading that change.

Andrea:

And I think, I mean, I think we have a list of guests already either booked in or sort of planned for the next three years, I think enough episodes for, uh, you for that. So, because we don't fit into a specific lane. And so we sort of got so many different layers.

Saraya:

I think, yeah, we're really going to take a really big, deep dive into inclusion. Um, you know, obviously we're going to feature our trainees.

Andrea:

That's right. So we're going to have also people from within.

Saraya:

Trainees, guests, um, but there's a lot we can cover.

Andrea:

Staff.

Saraya:

Staff, absolutely. employment, employment partners, industry leaders. and not just within the hospitality space, but customer service.

Andrea:

so, what, what, what are the next first few episodes going to feature?

Saraya:

I think, uh, if I remember correctly, which I do because we did it yesterday, but, it's going to be, first we're going to talk to Tracy Lee. Okay. We're we're going to talk to Alex.

Andrea:

Tracylee Arestides, who's one of our co founders and co chair

Saraya:

co-chair on of the board. also who interviewed me, so I guess.

Andrea:

And Tracylee has got a great background in disability, in marketing. She's a mum, she's, she's, uh, so great.

Saraya:

I think yes, it will take a deep deep dive into how you became the CEO. And how you became on board? Considering that everybody knows all my baggage about how I got my job um, then never gonna talk to Alex We're gonna talk to Alex about Italy. So I think it's really important to understand the model in Italy

Andrea:

yes, so Alex Toselli is the founder of the movement in Italy and has a professional background in banking and but he is also a He's a great visionary and a great leader leader and, and, and someone that is. It's literally taking, Italy and Europe and the world by storm with a model and we've adopted the model and adapted it to the, to the, to Australia.

Saraya:

So, so episode one and two will feature them. episode three, we're going to really take a big dive into, employment of people with a disability and how our employment partners actually hire, recruit, train, our trainees, our graduates.

Andrea:

So we'll have, Sophia Ballone, employment manager. Yeah, uh, who was there at the outset when we originally came up with the idea for for the podcast,

Saraya:

so it's actually great. She, she's good because she just, she knows like when we're bouncing ideas, like we bounce a lot of ideas, ideas. we, we're very big on this. She's on the great, great. And she's very good at her job, yeah.

Andrea:

And then we're going to have people from the industry. We're going to have, our uh, trainees, our graduates, and so, anyway, we won't bore you with a list at the moment, but we'll definitely give you some advanced previews of, of, uh, episodes in each, in each, in each episode that comes.

Saraya:

Something that we haven't spoken about, about the song choice.

Andrea:

Yes.

Saraya:

So, this is, um, it's

Andrea:

Love it, love it, love it.

Saraya:

And it gets me in the mood all the time.

Andrea:

Um, and we've chosen the remastered live version of their piece. So obviously it's a song, it's about a hotel. Uh, so that's quite fitting for us. But, it's actually because, apart from being a great song, it's I've come up, I've come up with, uh, the reference to Hotel California on the fly as I often do do a at a presentation presentation for, at the Funding Network. Which is, an organization that we will actually have as guests as well in future hopefully, that does crowdfunding for charities, not-for-profit social Enterprises. And I was talking about how Hotel Etico is really the Hotel California for the heart. So if you know the words of the song, once you check in, you can never, never leave. Transfer it to Hotel Etico. Once your heart checks in,

Saraya:

you never, leave.

Andrea:

your heart never, never leaves. So we'll, we'll let you check out and go home, but your heart will remain here engaged won over you'll become an ambassador and

Saraya:

Absolutely it's a magical, magical place.

Andrea:

You just have to read our reviews, our comments in the visitor's book. have the conversations on a Friday night here with guests and just it's we tear up every night, every day.

Saraya:

Yeah, but that's not unusual for you and I, like we bawl our eyes.

Andrea:

Yeah. we do something that is really meaningful and so Hotel California was the perfect choice for the song and we love it and it will have it at the beginning, at the end of the, of the podcast will be our ongoing theme. So, thank you to the Eagles because, uh, you've definitely uh, done a masterpiece. a masterpiece. And so with that, I think we can probably wrap it up.

Saraya:

Wrap up. We didn't have the timer on this time.

Andrea:

Oh, I've got a timer on the screen here, so it's telling me that we've spoken for 47 minutes, but by the time we edit this episode we'll probably be trying out a few ums and silences and pauses.

Saraya:

You can cut, cut, you can cut me out

Andrea:

I think we sort of stuck to the time relatively well, so I think we can say goodbye. So, until next time, from Andrea Comastri

Saraya:

and Saraya O'Connell,

Andrea:

let's make room for all

Saraya:

and keep fighting for inclusion.

People on this episode

Head Shot

Andrea Comastri

Host
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Saraya O'Connell

Co-host