The environment at KŌMO, a fine-dining Japanese restaurant in the West Loop, connected to a Latin nightclub, is an exciting yet demanding atmosphere that I feel at home in, in many ways. Because of the fact that I was hired and working as a host prior to being offered the internship, I seemed to have an advantage in the position, especially when it comes to operational or logistical management. I was able to gain a general understanding of how the business functions first, including common dynamics, the kind of customers we are marketing to, the way service runs operationally, and so on. As I continue to take on more responsibility and dive deeper into the position, I am learning more and more about the hospitality industry and what it takes to run a successful business, from all aspects.

This past week, I participated in one of the more exciting and impactful projects that I have done thus far. In order to facilitate relationships with local businesses, we conducted a street-marketing outing that would ultimately help to get our name out there, with the end goal of simply increasing business. Excited about the things to come for the KŌMO business, my supervisor (the owner and CEO of Salud Hospitality) began showing me freshly printed business cards and sturdy gift certificates that would be used to promote visits from important clientele. Granted, the gift certificates were between $25 and $50, and those who are dining at the restaurant typically spend at least $200 to $300, so they are more or less equivalent to a cocktail or two. But the point was to simply get people in the door so they might get a “vibe” of the atmosphere and hopefully suggest our business to friends and family.

So, my boss suggests we (me along with a few other managerial staff) get into the car and go out into the world to make connections. As a long-time player in the hospitality industry, I would say the ability to network and make connections is one of my supervisor’s strongest talents and the thing I admire most about him. What I am really taking away from this position is the understanding that who you know is everything and that it’s important to shake hands with whomever you can. Our street team visited high-end retail stores, local fine dining and service businesses, as well as hotel concierges to conduct introductions and drop business cards and gift certificates. One of the things that I learned is that hotel concierges are one of the most important connections to make, as they have pull with Chicago visitors that frequently go to them for restaurant and activity recommendations. Through these interactions, I was also able to learn the best ways to conduct myself in a professional way and provide information about the business in a way that is intriguing and excites others.

Through my social media/marketing position at KŌMO, I have learned a lot more than I had originally intended. Not only am I learning about procedures and responsibilities from a business marketing perspective, but I am also exposing myself to a number of different positions and career paths within the hospitality industry. While I have always worked employee jobs in the restaurant industry, before now I had never considered long-term careers within the field and am now beginning to consider my future. I am looking forward to what is to come in the next few months of my intern position and all that follows.