South Beach Living
Miami Summer
This past summer I escaped to the great City of Miami Beach to intern with Dave Grutman, owner and founder of Groot Hospitality, one of the most renowned hospitality groups in the nation.
Going into the internship, I was nervous not because of moving to Miami Beach but the pressure and expectations that the job entailed. Since the beginning of college, I knew I wanted to intern with Groot, not because of the status but because of the opportunities and skills/lessons I would learn. Though the summer went by in a blink of an eye, I could not resist reflecting on my time in South Florida.
Going into the internship, I was nervous not because of moving to Miami Beach but the pressure and expectations that the job entailed. Since the beginning of college, I knew I wanted to intern with Groot, not because of the status but because of the opportunities and skills/lessons I would learn. Though the summer went by in a blink of an eye, I could not resist reflecting on my time in South Florida.
The majority of the internship consisted of me going to Groots’s restaurants ( Komodo, Planta and OTL) and collecting content on the ambiance of each venue, meeting with guests, overlooking management, and creating new ideas and ways to market the experiences.
I would say the biggest takeaway from the summer was not so much the opportunity of meeting influential people in the industry but the employees in the organization I met who were working “their butts off” behind the scenes. Listening to the stories of the men and women who were either making the designs for content, managing the restaurants, working in the kitchen, and waiting tables are those experiences that I will cherish forever. Though I met numerous public figures who I admire and look up to, I realized that EVERYONE has their own path and future. At 22, as I am making choices to advance my career I learned how important it is to be relatable and put your ego aside. As we all work tiredly toward realizing our dreams and goals, it is important to be yourself and not put on a fake persona just because society and it’s norms makes you feel you need to.
For anyone that is searching for their dream job/internship, I know there can be a lot of pressure and anxiety that comes into play. What I can share from my summer experience is that your dream job or gig will come on its own when it’s supposed to happen. However, that does not mean to sit back and watch the sunrise waiting for that opportunity to surface. Do what you can to connect and put yourself out there as much as possible. Most importantly, for every rejection and negative comment that comes your way use it as fuel to conquer your destiny.
P.S. I want to give the biggest shout out to my beautiful sister for letting me live on her couch all summer and supporting me on my journey :)
P.S. I want to give the biggest shout out to my beautiful sister for letting me live on her couch all summer and supporting me on my journey :)
