A conversation with Agnieszka Dąbrowska – chairing the Board of PI Apartments & Hotels in Krakow, awarded with the title of Charismatic Woman – about the rapid development of the hotel chain and professional career.
As a charismatic woman, you stand out with positive energy and enormous vitality. What makes you stimulated and has it always been this way?
As far as I remember, I have always presided over something: be it a class, a school or organised all the events during academic years, and… well…. also provoked escapes to all sorts of activities not really related to regular classes. I have got lots of positive energy and have always had an optimistic attitude towards the reality around me. Loving my job makes me get up smiling and happy. I try to enjoy every day because in my branch each day is different, which means constantly new challenges and plans. We deal with Hotel Guests on a daily basis, thus hospitality has gradually become our middle name. My way to work gives me time and space to get into a positive frame of mind. I usually start with Aretha Franklin’s ‘Say a Little Prayer’ or Queen’s ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’. Dancing with “Slavianki” and “Children of Krakow” for many years, I learned how to discipline myself for many different things. It also made me vigorous, activated the will to fight, to win. I grew up in Germany for a while, sort of living out of a suitcase, which forced me to adapt to different cultures and nationalities. I’m strongly stimulated and motivated by the people around me, crazy over looking for creative new ideas, and the word “can’t” slightly demotivates me.
Are you of Krakow origins?
Yes, I am a native-born Cracovian. Actually, I’m a Bronovian from the so-called Bronx, I went to 93 elementary school there and then to X secondary school to a class with a general German-English profile and I remember it very well. Great time, great people and teachers, maybe except for one famous Mrs K, who made high school life a bit miserable. I think this high school prepared me for future career steps, because I didn’t know yet what to do next.
You graduated from AGH University of Science and Technology and the Cracow University of Economics. When exactly did you choose your field of study?
It was a coincidence of several events. I ended up working at the Witek Shopping Centre … long story short that’s how my professional career started. I still remember the time warmly and fondly, because this adventure allowed me to make my mark in the hotel industry. I drive by Witek every day on my way to work, still feeling like I’m part of it.
A drink worth recommendation?
Today I recommend Pornstar Martini, and during the summer – Aperol Sprite. I encourage you to try flavoured Aperols, white and pink, of course, alcoholic :). But, returning to the previous question, I only made the decision to choose a degree course at work. It came from a desire to gain knowledge and competence in hospitality. My adventure started with the Witek Shopping Gallery. At first, I sold wallpaper and gave advice on how to arrange interiors. I remember how fashionable velour wallpapers were at the time, and I won my first wealthy customer – the owner of the most famous kebab chain in Kraków. I was so proud, a huge mansion, wallpapers, fabrics, interior design. The client who trusted me – now I don’t know if he really thought I was a professional or if I talked him to death and he had no turning back the fact is, the result came out great. I have always been looking for extra activities, work, challenges, with a strong urge to look for more projects. I think my employers noticed this, so I was given the opportunity to be transferred to the newly built Witek Hotel. As a young, ambitious person, I wanted to make a name for myself. It was the first such multifunctional place in Małopolska, with conference rooms, a two-storey restaurant and a garden with a barbecue hut. The Witek family built the hotel and gave me the chance to develop. I took advantage of it working hard for the trust. I certainly worked off their investment in me as a member of the hotel team.
I probably went through all the departments and positions and ended up as Hotel Director. I still have a huge fondness for the place. I think I would still be able to sell and promote it,. These were great years spent there with Mrs Anna Witek. I remember I even bought a plot of land and built a house next to the hotel, because I considered it as a lifetime workplace. Anyway, looking at my parents and grandparents, that’s how it used to be – all your professional life devoted to one company.
I was having a hard time making up my mind when another career opportunity occurred: I found a job offer from an international network and entered competition for a GM. I went to Vienna, where the recruitment took place, with a 20%-chance attitude. I spoke German well, I was young and ready to be molded and educated. I think these factors decided on choosing me to be a Director of a branded hotel. I remember the recruitment process as if it were yesterday. It took a couple of hours, which I had never come across before, and to top it all off, I was still given a parking fine for not renewing my parking ticket outside the company’s headquarters, a lucky ticket you could say, because I was offered a job straight away on the same day. I was curious about the job, it was a step into a new world, into an international environment, I felt the doors were opening with the huge opportunity. I signed the contract, but on the other hand I felt shattered, because I had no idea how to share this great news with my current employers, whom I felt so connected with.
How did your career progress?
I gained experience in private and branded hotel chains: Vienna International, Arłamów, Czarny Potok in Krynica Górska, Sobieski in Warsaw, Bristol in Rzeszów… Each of the hotels gave me different perspectives on the business. They were resort, conference, leisure, medical facilities, each with different characteristics in accordance to expectations of the guests. Each of these hotels had different marketing strategies, revenue management and sales. I took in all the knowledge, learned new things and step by step fulfilled my professional life concept.
How did your professional development continue?
In 2017, I was invited to join a newly emerging apartment and hotel project and joined the Board of the PI Apartments & Hotels Group in Krakow. I was responsible for developing the short-term apartment rental and the hotels. We built apartments and hotels, finished them turnkey and made available. We are now a certified operator of Marriott and Accor chains. Our portfolio includes: AC Hotel by Marriott Cracow, Renaissance Gdansk, Garamond a Tribute Portfolio Cracow, The Bridge Suites Cracow, The Crown Handwritten Collecion Accor, 1891 Garni Hotel. We have apartments in various locations, 2 apartment buildings in Zakopane. We’re completing hotels in Międzyzdroje and Ustronie Morskie as well as a Marriott on Spichrzów Island in Gdańsk. We’re also involved in hotel consultancy services, pre-opening, management, fit-out and building administration.
How many people do you employ?
About 400, and we create an international environment: in addition to Poles, we employ people of Jewish origin, people from Germany, Jordan, England, Ukraine, Bali, the Philippines, Vietnam and one person from Russia. The hotels are managed by managers, but many of our services are centralised, i.e.: marketing, sales, revenue, accounting, controlling, legal department.
Apart from its high standards, what else may your chain boast about?
In my opinion, we are the only operator in Poland managing so extensively in several areas: consultancy, turnkey hotel finishing, pre-opening and opening, facility management and administration, restructuring. We offer complexity, but we are also distinguished by the fact that for key positions we employ hoteliers with a minimum of 10 years’ experience in private and international chains. Our industry is specific, we work 365 days a year, we don’t have holidays or New Year’s Eve so working for us is not for everyone.
How your employees integrate?
I can proudly say that I am probably the best organiser of team-building events, they are always unexpected and a surprise for the employees. I run these events separately for different groups: hotel managers, head office, employees of individual hotels. In December we had a big party with a Party Bus, a DJ and a disco in the snow. A fortnight ago, the integration for the managers started at 10am with gongs, Balinese massages, and choosing fragrances. Then, there was the best mulled wine served in Krakow, followed by business photos and finally a party.
What is your biggest source of pride?
Surely, my 22-year-old daughter.
What are your plans?
Big ones: I’d like to open a foundation that would fund children from small towns, who come from poor families, stay in Krakow. Children who would like to be affected by the passion for hospitality. I want to ensure education, a start into adulthood and open a post-secondary hotel school. The lecturers will be my managers with practical knowledge. But I need time and financial resources to complete it. I plan to devote the coming year to women and emphasise their important role in our organisation. In fact, we have a lot of ‘super babes’ at our company who are great at managing and supporting us on a daily basis. I would like to join the breast cancer prevention campaign. I’m also thinking of supporting some orphanage. I will continue supporting the Grand Orchestra of Christmas Charity, Noble Parcels and the SIEMACHA Association. We’re planning to publish a cookbook with recipes from our chefs. I’m also collecting material for a book entitled. “HoteLOVE manoeuvres”. During these 24 years of working in the hotel industry, I have experienced many situations, from anecdotal, through cool, cabaret to unpleasant, which inspired me to write down these stories.
How do you relax?
My work is my passion, I take great pleasure in it, I meet wonderful people and I enjoy it. I get up at 6.30 a.m., and get home at 9 p.m. Music is always my companion. It positively calms me down and gets me going. I don’t need coffee to function. I force to move myself so I’m not stuck at the computer. I surround myself with cool people who want to do something and make their lives meaningful, whom I can joke with and complete challenging tasks. This is what regenerates me. I’m not the type who needs to go on holiday twice a year to relax. I feel more recharged after weekend trips or meetings.
Dorota Kolano
Beata Sekuła
