In Part Two of our series on General Managers across Scotland who are at the top of their game Nicola Walker finds out their stories, what motivates them and what challenges they have faced in their role.
Liam Reid first became a GM at 18 years old after only working for a few months in hospitality!
He says, “The previous GM left unexpectedly, the opportunity presented itself, and I thought what is there to lose? 14 years later and I’m still in a GM role and learning new skills every day. I never had any academic achievements, but my Mum taught me great manners and instilled a strong work ethic in me from a young age.”
He has been in his current role at Scotch & Rye for just over a year and even after working for the NHS during Covid he says he, “missed the excitement and creativity that hospitality offers.”
He adds, “I love all the daily challenges in my role – coming up with new ideas, adding new products to complement our offering, or even just problem solving with rotas. My biggest motivator is my family. I have two kids and a very hard-working fiancé, so providing for their future keeps me pushing myself. Plus, I am quite competitive!
“The lack of people wanting to join the industry and the rising costs of products caused by Brexit and Covid has been the biggest challenge I’ve experienced. However, they have also been great learning opportunities and we’ve been able to change our approach to these things as a company. You constantly need to be spinning a lot of plates to be a great GM!”
Pauline Dallas started her hospitality career with a part-time bar job aged 21 and that was 33 years ago! She says, “I ended up hooked because I really enjoyed the interaction with people, the environment and atmosphere.”
She has spent most of her career with SK & B Inns and has now been General Manager at The Eriskyne for 17 years.
She explains, “The Eriskyne is a community pub so it’s mostly the same faces you see on a daily basis. I love the relationships I have with the customers. You get to know about them and their 
families and I love it when the pub is busy. It motivates me seeing people enjoying themselves and I enjoy the buzz that this creates in the pub.
She adds, “You are always adapting to the ever-changing climate. It’s important to stay current for the younger customers but also to take into account the older customers. You need to cater for everyone. I’m very lucky with my customer base and they know my boundaries.
“For me a great GM leads from the front, especially in a community pub. I wouldn’t ask anyone to do anything I wouldn’t do, plus I can also work in any part of business. Ultimately, it’s about showing the customers that you really do care about them.”
Olivia Wong has an immense passion for the hospitality industry – the photo says it all!
Her parents owned takeaways and restaurants, so she “pretty much grew up around it.” After graduating from university in Aberdeen she worked for the Thai Leisure Group before moving back to Glasgow. She originally joined Stravaigin in 2018 and after a brief hiatus returned two years ago when it was bought over by the Metropolitan Pub Group.
She says, “Stravaigin always felt like a home from home. I was excited to be part of a bigger group where I could develop and learn. The opportunities are endless, and I am surrounded by such great colleagues who share knowledge and help me become a better manager.
“One day I would love to start a business of my own so naturally I want to learn as much as I can. I get joy out of meeting so many different people and I find it interesting looking at the P&L reports to work out how we can improve year on year. I also love being able to share my knowledge and passion about food, drinks and service with my team.
“It motivates me is seeing people leaving with a smile on their face. My mum has always told me that everyone who walks through that door matters. There are so many restaurants and pubs, and the customer choses to come to yours, so you need to make it memorable.”
Originally from Edinburgh, Stephen Adams moved to Glasgow at the age of 20 and has managed some great venues over the years including the Boulevard in Clydebank, Bonkers and Privilege. After working as a manager in Sainsburys for 3 years he was tempted back into the industry and has been at Vienna’s in Paisley since 2021.
Says Stephen, “I still have the same buzz for nightclubs that I had in the 90s. I can’t wait to get my suit on and get into work as I love meeting new people and speaking with them.
“The best parts for me are seeing people having a good time, interacting with staff and developing staff, but mainly it’s the customers. There’s no better feeling than customers leaving at the end of the night and thanking you for a great time.
“There are loads of challenges that come with running a nightclub and it’s our responsibility to look after the customers and make sure everyone gets home safely, I think this has become more apparent to me since I became a father. I’m engaging with an audience that’s a third of my age, but I still love the music and I don’t think I’ll grow out of it now! You also need to be able to come up with quirky new ideas to stay ahead of the pack and keep people engaged.“
My two pieces of advice to a new GM would be don’t be arrogant and look after your customers.”
Marzena Kwiek started her hospitality journey in Warsaw before moving to London and working in 5* venues such as Blakes Hotel and Claridge’s. After moving to Scotland, she worked for Rusk & Rusk Group and Crossbasket Castle Hotel in Blantyre before accepting a role with Bucks Bar as she “missed the hustle and bustle of Glasgow”.
She has been a GM with the group since 2021 and moved to her current role at Thundercat in early 2023. She says,
“Moving to Thundercat was definitely a step forward for me and I still learn on the job every day. I love it and I’m planning to progress within the company one day. If you had asked me five years ago, I would have said there was no chance I would take on a GM role. However, I’ve always dreamed of having my own venue one day and stepping up on the career ladder and being a GM will get me a step closer.
“I’m a people person and the vibe of a busy restaurant is what brings me joy. I enjoy being hands on during service, learning every day and being able to move past any challenges. It is not always easy, but getting good feedback and the team enjoying their work is what motivates me.
“In hospitality every day you will face new challenges. You can’t predict what will go wrong. All this experience makes us who we are and shapes how we will deal with similar situations in the future. You should definitely lead by example, there is no job too small for a great GM.”