Career Moments

A few things to know about Stephanie Leger, the Chief Excellence Officer of First Rate Hospitality, a Miami-based hospitality training consultancy.

• Being an “enthusiastic tourist” and observing and appreciating Miami-Dade’s vibrant tourism industry resulted in her transition from sometime visitor from Naples, Fla., to a resident/entrepreneur.
• Her tourism career journey spans almost 20 years working for some of the biggest brands and has included everything from performing “incognito guest verifications” to “training employees on service excellence.”
• Little-known hospitality industry fact, Stephanie helped launch and planned Miami’s version of the first annual Housekeeping Olympics which celebrates and recognizes housekeeping departments.
• She’s a hospitality training podcaster as well as a prolific trainer of hospitality employees -- 20,000 and counting -- representing organizations in hotel and restaurant operations worldwide.
• The Brickell area resident relocated her small business to Miami in 2019. “I love Brickell because it reminds me of my days living in NYC and having the convenience of public transportation without owning a car.”
• She attributes Miami’s openness and appeal as a visitor destination during the pandemic for the recent success of her business.

Stephanie has shared her story, please share yours.