“ 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