The hospitality business has never been an easy route to success…there are so many things beyond one’s control. The hours are horrendous and if you operate your own restaurants as well, you’ve got the formula for a labor-intensive, high-risk business. Perhaps this is why the hotel and restaurant business has traditionally been a man’s world.
Of course there have been some notable exceptions of highly successful women in the field: the late Leona Helmsley married into it and created a legend; Lydia Bastianich of Felidia’s is a creative force in an Italian restaurant dynasty; and Jan Martin and Stephanie Snyder of Martin Hospitality have quietly been building on the mini-empire (founded by mother Jan and her late husband Steve Smith) and operated by Jan, daughter Stephanie and her husband, Ryan Snyder) in Portland Oregon. We met them a few months ago, along with their fabulous team of chefs, at an all-Oregon dinner held at The James Beard Foundation in NYC. And they were so impressive. So this month, Martin and Smith are in the Spotlight, as they share the secrets of their success with WomensBiz.us and you.
Why do you think you have succeeded?
Jan: Steve and I didn’t really think about succeeding, more about doing a good job. But we had a lot of fun. We worked our brains out.
Stephanie: Because I grew up since I was seven years old in the hospitality industry. I was involved in everything, from folding towels to stuffing envelopes. My parents loved the business and the people. They never said we want you to run the business, it was a choice. I think my success came about because they didn’t push me.
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What experiences or forces in you life shaped that success?
Jan: Being raised on a farm in North Dakota, you learn a good lesson about work ethic.
Stephanie: My parents never said that I had to work, but they did ask me to help out on the busiest day of the week, Sunday, which is usually check-out day. They also taught me that there is no job beneath me and so I helped out with everything.
What do you cherish most in your life?
Jan: My deep faith and strong life force. Life is really good.
Stephanie: My relationship with my parents and my family. Mom and dad supported me and took me on business trips, exposing me to the hospitality and restaurant industry. I also cherish opening the Stephanie Inn because we did it as a family.
What’s a typical day or week like?
Jan: I am semi-retired and live in California during the winter. During the summer I’m in Cannon Beach and I work daily, checking in on guests, seeing if they need anything, helping out if the staff is short-handed. I buy new things to update and accessorize and I also play a lot of golf.
Stephanie: Because I have two kids (2 & 5 year old), I only work hands-on for a couple of days a week. I am so busy with swim lessons, school projects, etc., that Ryan handles the day-to-day business. My main responsibility (and passion) at Martin Hospitality is new-hire training.
What motivates you?
Jan: My faith and my family.
Stephanie: Ryan and I try to carry on what mom and dad have built and hopefully we will exceed in their expectations. What also motivates me is taking care of the people that have worked with us for so long and keeping our name recognition. I‘m passionate about what my dad was passionate about.
What do you consider your greatest accomplishments?
Jan: Raising my daughter. I am so proud of her, so blessed to have been given the chance to raise her.
Stephanie: My kids. Ryan and I have been together for 12 years and we are both devoted to family… we don’t let the business interfere and we have a good balance.
Biggest turning point?
Jan: The biggest turning point for me was when the Stephanie Inn was up and running well. It turned out better than we anticipated and it was a lot of fun and hard work.
Stephanie: My biggest turning point was when my dad passed away. Our leader was gone, how do we go on? But we decided to go for it and we dove in head first. We’ve done some things wrong, but we learned.
Goals on job for the next 2, or 5 years?
Jan: The Stephanie Inn is the business I’m involved with day-to-day. We are strategizing several new ideas, one of which is a spa-type environment.
Stephanie: We would like to finish the Surfsand, which is a huge project. We want to finish the ballroom and since we added more rooms, we’d like to concentrate on keeping them full. We would also like to recruit large groups to come to this area, develop a retreat progam, and possibly purchase another project (hotel, restaurant, property to develop). The sky’s the limit.
Biggest problems you face?
Jan: None. There is nothing that I feel I can’t handle.
Stephanie: Because Cannon Beach is such a small community, it is hard to find good employees and make sure that they have affordable housing. One of our most important priorities is to take care of our people, our employees.
Biggest success or most proud or…and what you learned from it?
Jan: Stephanie Inn professionally and Stephanie, my daughter, personally. The original Surfsand was the granddaddy that made it possible to open the Stephanie Inn.
Stephanie: Opening the Stephanie Inn. It is one of Oregon’s preeminent vacation hotels on the coast and has been recognized by Conde Nast Traveler, appearing in their Gold List.
Biggest mistake and what you learned from it?
Jan: There were small things that we stubbed our toes on, but nothing catastrophic. Things seemed big at the time but doable. I realized that you have to go forward and take care of it.
Stephanie: Leaving the Stephanie Inn to go to Portland and work at a different job. My folks wanted me to experience other types of work situations, work for other people but I didn’t like what I was doing in Portland and felt it was a poor choice.
What you like most/least about your work?
Jan: Most: enjoy the day to day mix of people that you work with and guests – people. It’s been fun to see people develop and grow with your company. The General Manager at the Stephanie Inn started out as a housekeeper. Least: dealing with an unhappy guest. We realized that we can’t please every one, but we really try hard to accommodate them as best we can.
Stephanie: Seeing the employees, saying hi to everyone, jumping in to help out and thanking them for their time and commitment. The least favorite part of my work is when someone who has worked for us for a long time decides to move on. It makes me sad, but at least we feel confident in the friendship that was created.
How did you fund your venture?
Jan: We were working in the hospitality business for years and wanted to get out on our own. A dear friend in The Dalles, Oregon, Mr. Shelton, helped us by putting up the money for the Surfsand. We worked hard and paid him back right away, but without his help, we never would have been able to buy the hotel.
Stephanie: Mom & Dad started with a loan from a close family friend and then I just grew into the business. My father hired Ryan and we eventually transitioned into ownership of the company.
Did you do a business plan?
Jan: No business plan. We didn’t realize that we needed one back then. We didn’t have brains enough to know we could have failed. So our naiveté was a blessing.
Stephanie: Ryan and I have devised a formal plan, but I am not involved in day-to-day hands-on financial operations.
How long did it take to feel that you were on a sound financial track?
Jan: We still don’t feel that we are on a sound financial track. I think you are unsafe if you do. You have to realize that tomorrow it could all go bye-bye and I think that makes you work harder.
Stephanie: I think that happened with my mother and father before I took over the business.
How long did it take to break even?
Jan: Once we paid back our investor, we started breaking even.
Did you develop a banking relationship?
Jan: Over the years we have had relationships with all kinds of banks. Maybe it’s because we live in Oregon, but our bankers have taken a personal interest in our business and we consider them friends.
What did that teach you?
Jan: Not to be afraid of your bankers, include them emotionally in the business so they feel like they have a personal stake in the outcome. I never felt advantaged or disadvantaged by being a woman.
If you had to start over again, what would you do differently?
Jan: Nothing, not one thing.
Stephanie: Really don’t think anything. I feel blessed to be able to live in Cannon Beach; everything would be the same in terms of work.
Advice for women interested in a career in your industry?
Jan: There are so many opportunities and aspects of hospitality that really anyone could find something to like about it. You need to have a good hard work ethic, good attitude and personality and really like people.
Stephanie: Dad used to say if you can smile and genuinely like people, then you should be in the hospitality business. You have to want to make your customer’s experience the most amazing one. We are creating memories for our guests.
Is being a woman an advantage or disadvantage in your work?
Jan: It’s an even playing field in my opinion. What leads to success is hard work, good instinct, and good people skills.
Stephanie: Being a woman never was an either way, not one way or another. Both sexes at our company do everything.
What is one thing that most people would be surprised to learn about you?
Jan: I secretly like to gamble…slot machines.
Stephanie: I love cooking. People think that with three restaurants we would never have to cook for ourselves, but I love to cook and Ryan and I cook together, often.
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