But the Gate Bar and Bistro venue manager said an aim to lead by example and do the “nitty gritty” things had ultimately proved successful.
That attitude earned the 24-year-old a gong at the Australian Hotels Association’s National Awards for Excellence on the Gold Coast last week.
The Kensington resident scored the Hotel Industry Rising Star award.
The win came thanks to his understanding of the hospitality industry’s expectations and trends, high standard of customer service and a thirst for knowledge, giving him “respect in the industry far beyond his years”. “My goal from the start was to improve myself on a day-to- day basis,” he said.
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READ NOW“Coming in as a young manager wasn’t easy, so I wanted to show I was a team player who could help do the nitty gritty. I wanted to lead by example.”
Mr Strom said the next aim was to see renovations at the popular venue completed before Christmas.