Keep moving no matter what, Laura tells fellow women

Having been raised by parents who had business operations in the hospitality industry, Laura Minde witnessed firsthand the challenges they went through in terms of human capital, often having to dismiss employees due to poor work ethics and deficiencies in skills.

Her father was a tour operator and owned some hotels.

Her deep understanding of the critical importance of cultivating a skilled and ethical labour force in sustaining business operations motivated her to form Laura Minde founder and managing director of Outstanding Solutions Ltd, a hospitality consulting firm that specialises in training, development, recruitment, team building facilitation, cv writing, and career coaching.

She currently serves as the founder and managing director of the company she founded in 2015.

“I noticed a significant skills gap in the sector, with many individuals lacking formal education. The majority entered the industry as a fallback option after they failed their examinations,” said Laura.

Her passion for the hospitality industry turned out to be a mission to elevate service standards in the sector through innovative solutions.

Soon after establishing her company, she went to France to pursue a dual Master's Degree specializing in international hospitality management from both the Emlyon Business School and the Institut Paul Bocuse, now known as Institut Lyfe.

 “I sought an academic foundation to enhance my ability to provide essential services to the industry and elevate local standards to meet international benchmarks. This equipped me with a comprehensive understanding of the complexities of the global hospitality landscape,” said Laura.

Growing up, she envisioned her career journey, which was never supported by her father, who wanted her to study food science and technology, which she did but ended up pursuing her dreams.

“After being employed by several companies and serving as a sales and marketing manager, I made the decision to step back, reevaluate my path, and pursue further studies in the field I am currently immersed in,” she said.

She explained that her company trains individuals in both technical and soft skills.

The skills include leadership, communication, problem-solving, emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and time management.

The aim is to enhance their character and ensure their long-term sustainability within their respective sectors.

In the technical aspect, they provide training for various roles, including waiters, housekeepers, front office staff, sales and marketing teams, revenue managers, and lodge managers.

Essentially, every position within the hospitality hierarchy is addressed and supported by their training programs.

“As our business progressed, we began receiving requests for assistance with staff recruitment. Recognising this growing need, we decided to incorporate recruitment services along with team-building activities as integral parts of our business offerings,” she noted.

To date, the company has successfully trained over 2,000 staff members and facilitated the placement of over 200 individuals into various positions within the job market,” she added.

She highlighted how her work empowers women to unlock their full potential within the hospitality industry, which notably employs a significant number of women, both formally and informally.

Her company's training equips women with the skills needed to feel empowered and build their confidence.

It also fosters an environment where women are encouraged to speak up, understand their rights, and pursue career growth opportunities.

The training aims to motivate women to aspire to leadership positions within the sector, akin to other successful women who have achieved top positions.

Empowering women with knowledge of their rights enables them to openly address various challenges they may encounter, including issues such as sexual assault, which unfortunately is prevalent within the sector yet often goes unspoken.

By providing training on how to protect themselves and where to report such incidents, our efforts aim to ensure women feel empowered to speak up and seek resolution.

When asked about the type of skills they offer to address gaps in the hospitality industry, she explained that their approach is informed by small-scale research conducted some years ago.

This research revealed significant gaps in areas such as ethics, customer service, and communication skills.

“We employ various training methods that extend beyond traditional lectures. Our approach involves constructing case studies, facilitating group discussions, and incorporating educational games to ensure the information is retained and practically applied. Additionally, we conduct on-the-job observations to gauge behavioural changes and assess the impact of our training on individuals' performance,” said Laura.

Laura does not adhere to a specific leadership style; rather, she is guided by principles of integrity and honesty.

She values working with individuals who demonstrate a high level of integrity and reliability, as she believes this is essential for building trust within her professional relationships.

She challenged the system to create a conducive environment for Tanzanian women to thrive in the tourism sector.

Commenting on the challenges faced by women in the hospitality and tourism sectors, she highlighted the persistent issue of the gender pay gap.

She emphasised the importance of women challenging employers during negotiations for fair compensation, akin to their male counterparts, in order to address this disparity.

Addressing challenges such as sexual harassment in the industry requires a collaborative effort involving various stakeholders, including the government, she said.