Episode Transcript:

APRIL: On this episode of Fanatical DreamHer, I’m so excited to finally be sitting down with Stephanie Kannady at the Hotel at Avalon here in Alpharetta, Georgia. It’s a collection—boutique, magical place.

APRIL: Welcome to Fanatical DreamHer, the podcast that celebrates the unstoppable spirit of women who dare to dream big and make those dreams a reality. I’m your host, April Kemp, and each week I have the honor of sitting down with incredible women of all ages who have faced challenges head-on and emerged victorious.

APRIL: Through their stories of resilience, passion, and triumph, I hope you’ll find the spark to ignite your own journey. This is your time. Let’s dream, believe, and achieve together. Stephanie, welcome.

STEPHANIE: Thank you so much, April. I’m excited to have this opportunity. We’ve been talking about it for a long time.

APRIL: You are very well respected in the Southeast and within Atlanta—the best of the best in what you do. I couldn’t interview anyone else in your space, and I’m really glad I asked.

STEPHANIE: Thank you so much. Wow—you really know how to build people up. Thank you.

APRIL: When did your dream start within hospitality—this world of service to others?

STEPHANIE: It started in my early 20s. One of my very first jobs was in the hospitality industry, and I knew right away that serving others and creating fun, magical moments was what I wanted to spend my life doing.

STEPHANIE: It started there and has grown and grown and grown—until here I am at the Hotel at Avalon.

APRIL: Tell me about when you were younger as a kid—some of the things you did that, looking back, helped get you here.

STEPHANIE: My family was big on being part of the community—helping people and being there for each other. In hotels, a lot of what we do is about helping the community and the “family” you work with.

STEPHANIE: We do a lot for our employees and the local community, because that’s what we consider our family.

APRIL: As you pursued this dream—especially stepping into a big leadership position—how has it changed you personally?

STEPHANIE: What motivates and excites me is taking care of other people and being of service. When I get to see people have their dreams come true—whether it’s a wedding, a big event, or even one of our staff members accomplishing something—it energizes me.

STEPHANIE: My journey is about being there to witness those things with people.

APRIL: That explains why I love the word “magical.” If you took 20 people randomly who have been part of this hotel in different ways, I guarantee that word would come up in almost all of them.

APRIL: It’s the consistency here. Success is a decision.

STEPHANIE: You’re most definitely right.

APRIL: Tell us some of the milestones that have stood out along your path to success.

STEPHANIE: My first role as a sales manager sparked the excitement. My family was in sales when I was growing up—real estate sales, all sorts of sales—so it was in my blood.

STEPHANIE: When I got that first sales manager role, the accomplishment of winning, watching these great events happen, and being part of every detail was the starting point.

STEPHANIE: Then I moved to Atlanta 20 years ago and started at a hotel in Norcross, Georgia. It was a whole new world. I met one of my mentors, and we continued to grow together.

STEPHANIE: Those two moments stand out: the first that got me excited, and then moving here, which pushed me to the next level.

APRIL: I love that you mentioned a mentor. I talk about that all the time—especially with younger people. The younger, the better: you need a mentor.

STEPHANIE: Yes—and you need to be a mentor, too. You need mentors throughout your whole journey, because we’re growing and developing every step of the way.

APRIL: I hear from a lot of students majoring in hospitality, and they ask, “What experiences do I need to do this?”

STEPHANIE: For me, I didn’t graduate from hospitality school. I didn’t even complete a four-year degree.

STEPHANIE: Do I recommend a four-year degree? Absolutely. But you don’t necessarily need a hospitality degree—you need the will and desire to serve.

STEPHANIE: If you don’t have a heart to serve, you’re going to struggle in hospitality, because it’s what we do every day.

STEPHANIE: When it comes to experience, it’s day-to-day learning and hands-on work. And I go back to mentors who guide you along the way—that’s really how I got where I am today.

APRIL: What can people do along the way to gain experience? What would you recommend?

STEPHANIE: If you’re excited about food and beverage, what’s hard for young people today is starting at the bottom and working their way up. Get in, do the work, and learn everything you can.

STEPHANIE: My biggest advice is: do more than what’s expected. Do the job you want.

STEPHANIE: If you’re a front desk agent, do that job—and then do more—so you’re the first person we think of for the next open position.

APRIL: Sometimes people want to jump into a job without having done every part of it—and that’s how you learn.

STEPHANIE: Correct. You learn that position, but you also learn everything there is to know so you can grow people behind you—whether you’re training others or stepping into leadership.

STEPHANIE: And again, you really have to have a heart for service to succeed.

APRIL: And that goes twofold—not just service to the customers, but to the employees.

STEPHANIE: Definitely. I’m speaking even more about the employees, because those are the people you’re with day in and day out. Then the excitement comes from meeting new guests every day.

APRIL: You’re known in this industry for how you’ve built your team. You were here from the ground up for Avalon. What was the moment you realized you could make this happen?

STEPHANIE: Seeing the success I’d had in the 15 years prior gave me the ability to say, “We can do this, and we can make it great.”

STEPHANIE: But honestly, what gave me what I needed was the team around me. Several people on my team and I have been together for 18 or 19 years.

STEPHANIE: I didn’t build this by myself—we built this.

STEPHANIE: These women have been on this journey with me as friends and colleagues. Yes, they report to me, but when you work that well together, it’s not about who reports to whom.

STEPHANIE: It’s about how we all get what we need and get it accomplished.

APRIL: That partnership is something I’ve heard over and over again when people talk about how it’s done here. I don’t think there’s a better gift than that.

STEPHANIE: I’m so fortunate. So many of the team on this property have been here since pre-opening.

STEPHANIE: Turnover in hospitality is typically high, but the leadership here has a special way of making people feel part of the whole—so they want to stay.

APRIL: During COVID, we lived close by and I was going stir-crazy. I called and asked if we could come spend the night, and they let us.

APRIL: We did a scavenger hunt—my husband and I—and even though hardly anyone was here, they made us feel like the king and queen of Avalon. It was special.

STEPHANIE: COVID was a hard time—especially those first five months. There were about 10 or 12 of us working.

STEPHANIE: For me, it wasn’t the amount of work—it was worrying about the people at home.

STEPHANIE: After we realized everything was going to eventually be okay, I was glad they got time to relax. I kept thinking, “I’ll get my turn one day,” but it was hard.

APRIL: Tell us about the major obstacles you faced, and how you overcame them.

STEPHANIE: When I was younger—especially in those first five to ten years—I held myself back because I hadn’t gotten that four-year degree.

STEPHANIE: Looking back, I jumped in and worked. My husband and I traveled and moved a lot, and I never finished that part.

STEPHANIE: That became an obstacle in my own mind. I felt like earlier on I should have accomplished even more.

APRIL: I appreciate you sharing that. That’s a vulnerable moment.

STEPHANIE: I’ll be honest—it’s not something I say often. I keep it inside.

STEPHANIE: I have one daughter, and she’s chosen not to go to college. I push her every day. It’s hard.

APRIL: It is hard. But you’ve done fantastic. I believe winners win.

APRIL: I’ve interviewed hundreds of dreamers—girls, teenagers, women in every chapter of life—and a winner is a winner. We determine what success is, and you certainly have.

APRIL: People within the hotel and the community bring up your name again and again. It’s not the things in life that matter—it’s the moments, and that’s what you’ve created here.

APRIL: That’s why I stopped you, by the way.

STEPHANIE: I need to keep you around for those hard moments.

APRIL: I do a lot of charity work in Atlanta, and I called you once—we needed something for Meals on Wheels—and you said yes without hesitation.

APRIL: That heart for giving stands out.

STEPHANIE: I do. I know how truly blessed I am in so many ways, and I know I have a lot to give.

APRIL: Let’s talk about self-talk. When things get tough—because not every customer is an angel—what do you tell yourself on a hard day?

STEPHANIE: I remind myself the grass is not greener. Everyone has a rough day, and I think about where I was and how much I’ve accomplished.

STEPHANIE: When it’s a tough day with a customer, I remind myself: you don’t know what they’re going through.

STEPHANIE: Giving people grace—that’s my biggest self-talk.

APRIL: That would really help, considering so many details and so many personalities.

APRIL: What emotions do you feel now, day to day, having built what you’ve built with your team? It has to feel very different than the build-up in the beginning.

STEPHANIE: It still feels magical—especially during the holiday season. There are so many people who would love this job.

STEPHANIE: It’s a great hotel, and I work for an amazing company. My general manager leads with service, love, and empathy, and I’m lucky to have her.

STEPHANIE: Yes, there are tough days. You work 14 or 16 hours and think, “I have to be back here at 7 a.m.”

STEPHANIE: But that could be anywhere. What’s different here is feeling appreciated and rewarded—by guests, and by the environment.

STEPHANIE: It’s beautiful here. During the holidays, we do what’s called “Santa Tuck-Ins.” Families can book a room, and Santa comes, knocks on the door, and reads a story.

STEPHANIE: It’s Santa and Mrs. Claus—or Santa and an elf. They read a story, bring cookies and milk, and give a small bear to the child. Then the family takes pictures together.

STEPHANIE: I experienced it this past weekend with my granddaughter. She’s almost four, and now she’s in love with Santa.

STEPHANIE: Those are the moments the Hotel at Avalon creates for people. It’s about family and memories.

APRIL: I did not know that. That is wonderful.

STEPHANIE: It is—and there are so many other great things. That’s just one small thing. That’s what we’re about.

APRIL: Who has supported you the most along the way? This is your dream position—you worked your way into it, and then you built it.

STEPHANIE: Easy one: my husband. Those who know him know he’s a first-class husband.

STEPHANIE: He’s always supported me and built me up: “You can do it. You’re amazing.” He’s one of a kind.

STEPHANIE: Honestly, I could do a whole podcast about my husband. He treats me amazingly, and he treats the sales team the same way—they adore him.

STEPHANIE: And when I first came to Georgia and got my first director of sales position, two women came into my life. They’re very different from me, but we built a bond.

STEPHANIE: They changed me in good ways, and they’ve been by my side no matter what.

APRIL: What advice would you give a young person following a similar dream in hospitality?

STEPHANIE: Push yourself. If you want to grow, do more than you’re asked.

STEPHANIE: Show your coworkers, your boss, and the general manager what you want—and what you can do.

STEPHANIE: Then when a job opens, you’re not competing with everyone else. You’ve already been doing it.

APRIL: We always have listeners who ask, “Can I reach out for advice?” Do you mind if someone contacts you?

STEPHANIE: Not at all. I’d be honored.

STEPHANIE: Helping others in this industry is what brought me a lot of opportunities, and I’d be happy to help.

STEPHANIE: You can email me at stephanie.kannady@hotelatavalon.com. You can also call the hotel and ask for me—they’ll send you right through.

STEPHANIE: The company I work for has about 10 hotels in Atlanta, so there are lots of opportunities. Reach out and I’m happy to help you find a good home.

APRIL: Do you have a favorite quote?

STEPHANIE: The team says the quote I say most is: “Find the yes.”

STEPHANIE: Find the yes. Say yes to the guest. That’s what we use here all the time—because why not? There’s usually a way.

APRIL: Especially after COVID, service standards have gone down in so many places. We need to get back to a culture that says yes to our customers.

STEPHANIE: It’s true. We do a great job here, and it comes from the top. The people we hire have great hearts, and they want to find a way to say yes.

APRIL: What I love about Avalon is you don’t have to worry about advertising because you have so many referrals. People have such a good experience.

APRIL: That’s one way I evaluate whether a business is successful—the referrals.

STEPHANIE: We see it all the time. We have a lot of repeat groups, but with a first-time group, they often hesitate on a longer commitment until they get attendee feedback.

STEPHANIE: And I always chuckle, because I tell them: that’s going to be the easy sale. The attendees love it even more than the planners do.

STEPHANIE: It’s the way we make them feel, and the boulevard, and all of Avalon. Some people call it a dream world—the “Georgia Disney.”

APRIL: Absolutely. I noticed today in the lobby how many guests are here from around the world—and they’re staying here by choice.

APRIL: To close, if someone wants to be in hospitality, yes—detail-oriented and a heart for service. Is there anything else they need within themselves or a skill to do this well?

STEPHANIE: Know what motivates you. Is it food and beverage? Accounting? Events? Every position still has a guest-interaction piece.

STEPHANIE: What’s your end goal? Then take the steps to get there.

STEPHANIE: For example: - Banquet server is a fantastic job—you’re with guests constantly. - Front desk is another great path.

STEPHANIE: If you work hard, you can move all the way up. Most of us in this building started at the front desk, in reservations, or similar roles.

STEPHANIE: Hard work and dedication can get you to the top in this industry more than almost any other.

APRIL: Stephanie, thank you so much for sharing today. It was important to me to have you on this podcast because you support so many women—and that’s a big part of your reputation here.

APRIL: This has been a pleasure. And to our listeners, thank you so much for listening. We’re humbled every day by how much we’re growing.

APRIL: Keep spreading the word, and if you get a chance, leave us a review on Apple Podcasts. Stay safe, be happy, and enjoy the holidays.

APRIL: Thank you so much for joining us. Always remember: keep dreaming, and never forget—the world always makes way for the dreamer. We’ll see you next time.