On International Women’s Day every year, the voices and stories of women across the world are celebrated, as we address the issues that cause gender inequality and diversity. But despite these issues remaining, such voices and stories take a backseat once the day is done.
We think it’s worth doing the opposite and actively challenging the issues that create these gaps in our industry. So, we’ve launched this weekly series, Wednesday Women, where we’ll profile the stories of the inspiring women in this great and wide industry.
Today we speak with Harriet Leigh, Head of Hospitality at Archie Rose Distilling Co. In her role, Leigh manages all elements of hospitality at Archie Rose – the venue, events, partnerships and retail activations. In addition to that, she says her role is quite unusual in that she also oversees creative for the brand.
“I have a hybrid portfolio of overseeing the creative requirements for the brand, I oversee our content team on the creative for new products and campaigns, and the design team on the look and feel of new product development. It’s obviously unusual – but that’s really due to the fact that I was there at the beginning, I love a challenge, and getting to try new things,” she told The Shout.
Leigh has almost hit a decade at Archie Rose, and in that time her role has evolved massively. Starting out as the venue manager, she says the growth of the distillery meant that content and events naturally landed in her portfolio.
“Thank goodness for the ever-changing landscape – I’d get so bored if my day wasn’t different every day. Archie Rose is unrecognisable from the small independent distillery I joined a decade ago. Back in the day there were four of us in a bunker behind the boiler room, now there are around 120.
“Seeing the way our tech, systems and teams have focused and developed over the ten years has been incredibly rewarding. I work with some absolute geniuses. And then there is me – making sure that lemon really looks lemony in that photo,” she joked.
Throughout her 10-year career with Archie Rose, Leigh says it’s been a rollercoaster of a journey and she’s grateful to have been along for the ride. In particular, Leigh takes great joy from her involvement in Archie Rose’s cultural partnerships and the access they provide to Australian arts events each year – including Mardi Gras sponsorship and partnerships with Sydney Opera House.
While such experiences are especially memorable, she still finds enjoyment in the smaller things.
“The feeling of releasing a product into the wild after working on it for 18 months is still exciting. Knowing the passion and dedication of the people in the company in so many different areas all come together and result in something that exists – you hold it in your hand – and other people get pleasure from enjoying it – it feels like a very real and valid thing,” she explains.
Creating a rich world
According to Leigh, hospitality at its core is about giving yourself to others. “Most of the time the people who have chosen to do that are good eggs,” she explains.
As a career, the hospitality industry asks a lot of its workforce. Hospitality workers have typically faced anti-social working hours and a poor work-life balance – they’re faced with demands and high expectations from guests, and the requirement to be “always on”. But over the last decade, Leigh has observed changes in the industry and its expectations, for the better.
“In so many ways, when I came up in the ranks it was normal to have to work 60 hours for your salary – uncapped overtime was the norm for hospitality – now people work 38-hour weeks. And that change is fundamental to a better work-life balance. People are prioritising mental and physical health, and that’s also fantastic.”
But of course, the industry isn’t without its challenges either.
“This year hospitality has had its own Me Too moment. Of course, it’s not a hospitality-only problem, but it is rife in hospitality and those changes and reforms are long overdue. These three things mean people are happier and healthier and naturally will succeed more,” Leigh added.
As the hospitality industry navigates these challenges, Leigh believes it is more important than ever to curate an inclusive space and celebrate diversity.
“Diversity in a room means more insight. It means a greater breadth of knowledge – and that means more wisdom. I think this is just such an obvious fact, and people who don’t get it are missing out on so much richness in the world,” Leigh concluded.