V. M. Salgaocar Institute of International Hospitality Education (VMSIIHE), one of the leading hospitality institutions, recently had Shawn Mendes, an entrepreneur and founder of Big Blue Road, interact with its students as a part of the hotel management institute’s industry connect series ‘Bridging The Gap: Industry Connect’. The series is an attempt to bridge the gap between students of hospitality and the industry that they will eventually step into.

A number of students posed questions to Shawn which he answered frankly, pushing students in the right direction to gain clarity on certain topics whenever he could not cover something in its entirety.

Chiara Pereira – 

What was your first job as you entered into this industry and how has your journey been so far?

My first job was when I was still studying. I was doing my Bachelor’s Degree in Physics and Electronics when I took up an internship doing market research for foreign companies. I had to put together a hundred and fifty page document for the tourism board on how we could get more Indians to travel abroad. To answer the latter part of your question, I’d say that the journey has definitely been interesting. I’ve performed a variety of roles in different fields. Once I even worked at a car dealership and I’ve definitely come a long way from there.

Adwait Kelkar –

What made you get into entrepreneurship? Not many choose this path. Tell us what inspired you to take the plunge. 

My personal career graph has been all over the place. I’ve always done multiple things at the same time and have never limited myself. I’d say my entrepreneurial path began while I was studying and I discovered the bricks and clicks pattern. When I worked in marketing and sales I realised that for companies to sell in India, technology needed to be developed. A brand new ecosystem had to be created and I started exploring my options in that arena.

Azriel Gracias – 

Which is the one most important quality that you think is critical to succeed in this industry?

According to me the most critical quality to succeed in this industry are your communication skills, how you interact with people is extremely important. One of the biggest barriers in the field is people’s mindset and you need to be able to connect with them on some level and then coax them into exploring different options. To be able to excel you need to be able to connect is what I’d say.

Blandon Moraes – 

You have experience and understanding of global business dynamics having worked with individuals and teams in multiple markets across the globe. Throughout your journey so far, which is the one lesson that you learned and would like to share with us today, which you think would help us in the future?

Fail as much as possible. Right now you are young so this is the perfect time to make mistakes and learn from them. You should never make the same mistake twice, continue to learn and upskill yourself no matter what age you are. Do as many things as possible and never limit yourself in any way. 

Emerald Monteiro – 

Goa has stood out as a solid market in the Travel & Tourism sector. What do you feel is the reason behind this?

Goa has a lot of legacy in the travel and tourism industry. The people here are very friendly making it a very tourist friendly destination. A little bit of everything is available here so you never run out of options.

Tahira Rodrigues – 

What do you like to do when you are not at work?

I spend as much time as I can with my family, especially my 2-year-old son. Exploring the outdoors is also something I enjoy doing and I use this time to better myself as well. I read a lot and end up doing this sort of ‘rabbit hole’ research. I like learning about things that interest me like drones and blockchain technologies.

Ryan Correia – 

When you were in college, did you have any memory with your teachers/friends which you will never forget?

Something that I’ll always remember is getting thrown out of class quite often. Mischief aside, my college offered us with a lot of extracurricular activities. I used to manage festivals in college where I had to interact with big companies like Honda and Hyundai to get sponsorships. I was incharge of nearly 2,500 volunteers and we ensured that events went off without a hitch. 

Pooja Muley – 

The travel industry is powered by the exploring millennial. Travellers want increasingly personalised services and products, more choices, and quick responses. This is only possible with integration of the digital into the industry. What do you think about this change in the hospitality sector?

Change has always been a part of the hospitality industry. The covid-19 pandemic has only accelerated development in the industry. You need to be thinking about how you can get through to the millennial audience, old school methods like brochures and checklists will not work. Instagram is something that you need to take up but even that is only one layer to it. Data has to be collected, behavioral patterns studied and technology invested in. It’s all about learning how to get customers to spend more. 

Zoë Rodrigues – 

According to you, will this change affect the hospitality sector or can the hotels take advantage of this digital opportunity and turn into a huge success?

Technology is inexpensive and it makes this easier and more accessible to clients. The adoption of technology is definitely very important and hotels should and must definitely take advantage of this digital opportunity.

Kevin Raj Silas – 

Due to our current technological advancements do you think the demand for professionals in the industry will decrease?

No, definitely not in the end it comes down to value. Sure, people will need to constantly upskill themselves to be able to perform roles in the future but as long as you keep growing and learning new things you will be able to keep up. If you do this it will be very unlikely that you won’t have a job in the future.