A Q&A WITH KATIE FLANAGAN
Katie was born and raised in South Bend, Ind. and has three older brothers. She moved to Nashville 3 years ago to be close to her nieces and nephews.
Katie graduated from Ball State University with a bachelor’s in organizational communication but got into hospitality after graduating because of her love of weddings. She was the little girl who always dreamed about her wedding day. The movie “The Wedding Planner” sealed her destiny. After several years of being an event coordinator, Katie decided to move behind the scenes on the operational side.
She is a true dog mom to Brody and Gracie, and it is rare to see her without them!
Read on to learn more about Katie for July's Employee Spotlight.
How long have you been in the hospitality industry?
I have been in the business for over 15 years!
What does company culture mean to you?
Company culture means an environment where people are free to express ideas and opinions, and where everyone collaborates instead of competes.
Who do you think influences company culture and how?
Every single employee from the top to the bottom - both new and old employees. When one or two employees aren't happy, it spreads through the organization like wildfire making a toxic environment.
How do you stay on top of everything? Any organizational tips or tricks?
To-do lists and reminders! I use the My Tasks in my email to keep me organized and remind me of things that need to be done. I also make lists in my head of things that need to be done before I leave for the day.
Describe the average work day.
Wow this is a tough one as my days are never the same. I go by the hour and what hat I am wearing! From HR and onboarding, to project management of the office construction, to making sure the events are staffed. My days are crazy, but I love that my days are not repetitive. Some days I feel as though I can write a book with the items that I tackle.
What factors do you consider when staffing an event?
The staff itself. Making sure each event has an equal number of Infinity staff and strong workers!
What are some of the work challenges you face and how do you overcome them?
Staffing is definitely a challenge, especially with COVID. Making sure staff shows up and always having a plan B, C, D and E. Without backup plans, I wouldn't be able to overcome the staffing challenges.
What’s your favorite part about your job and why?
I love that I get a new challenge every day to help me grow professionally. One of the first conversations I had with the CEO when [I was] hired was, "Your job is to just figure it out," so that's what I do. I just figure it out and have learned so much about myself in the process.
Photos by Grace Pumpelly
