“ Leaders aren ’ t born , they are made . And they are made just like anything else , through hard work . And that ’ s the price we ’ ll have to pay to achieve that goal , or any goal .”
— VINCE LOMBARDI , National Football League Coach and Executive
The earlier you can get started on your dreams , the better . At least that was the case for Javier Nuñez- Jusino , who rose to the position of spa supervisor at Pure Spa Pelican Grand Beach Resort at the age of 19 . “ I started to work in the spa industry when I was 19 years old ,” recalls Nuñez-Jusino . “ I had been in the hospitality industry for a little over four years , and when the position of spa supervisor became available , I decided to give it a shot . I researched the industry and was fascinated with all the learning opportunities that I was going to experience throughout the years .”
He started his career at 16 , working as a front desk agent while still in high school . He immediately grew to love the fast-paced customer service environment that the hospitality industry provided . After moving to Florida , he began his career at the Pelican Grand , again at the front desk . When the spa supervisor position opened , he took a leap and applied for the position . “ After interviewing with my spa director , George Powell- Lopez , he gave me the opportunity to work with him and to mentor me . I ’ ve been working under his leadership and guidance for over a year now .”
Nuñez-Jusino does see challenges in being such a young leader , but he has found that listening and working with people more senior than himself can make all the difference . “ Many times , team members who have been in the industry for 10 years or longer do not have the same level of respect { for me ] as they would to someone who has been in the industry an equal amount of time and longer ,” he says . “ I listen to them . I ask for their advice . I learn from their experiences . I do many of the things they do
JAVIER NUÑEZ-JUSINO Spa Supervisor , Pure Spa at the Pelican Grand Beach Resort , Fort Lauderdale , Florida
and lead by example .” Research is Nuñez-
Jusino ’ s key to success . He notes that many young people make the mistake of growing complacent when they get the job they have been striving for . “ Once they learn how things operate in their current place of employment and feel comfortable with their product knowledge , they stop learning . They stop researching and seeing what ’ s out there .” He suggests constantly staying on top of the industry by knowing the latest trends , researching , and networking with other professionals at various levels in their careers . His best advice ? “ Read , read , read and do not stop learning !”
As a young spa supervisor at Pure Spa at the Pelican Grand Resort , Nunez-Jusino calls on the expertise of his staff to drive his success .
38 PULSE ■ March / April 2017