WONDERFUL things happen when people empower each other. This sentiment is a refrain that has been sung by Tommy-Ann Smith since the onset of her journey at Beaches Negril. She commenced her tenure as a casual worker on November 7, 2017 and quickly learnt that the support from her team would be pivotal on her path to success.

Although Smith thoroughly enjoys her current role as a wedding planner, she admits that she has tackled numerous challenges along the way. In retrospect, she credits her ability to overcome these obstacles to the unstinting support of close colleagues who embraced her strengths and nurtured her weaknesses.

“My immediate team members played a very important part in my growth,” she shared. “I lacked experience but they saw my potential and they believed in me.”

Smith’s debut as a member of the weddings team came on the heels of a brief stint in the food and beverage department. The transition to wedding captain proved to be a significant achievement in her career at that time. Not only did the promotion position her to explore her various professional interests, but she was also able to develop meaningful relationships along the way.

“During that period, I became more familiar with the team and with Giselle [Bradshaw], the then weddings manager,” Smith commented. “She was very accommodating and I learnt a lot from her.”

As Smith continued to learn from her community of managers, wedding planners, coordinators, servers and stewards, new and exciting opportunities began to unfold before her. Never the one to confine her growth within the margins of a job title, she set her sights on promising prospects beyond the position of wedding captain. Sure enough, mere months later, she earned the role of events coordinator and was excited to collaborate even more closely with her tight-knit web of co-workers.

“The new challenge was nerve-wracking but I felt prepared,” she offered. “My team had already taught me most of what I needed to know about being an events coordinator. I knew about functions, documentation and my general duties long before I officially transitioned.”

Undaunted by the possibility of even greater challenges ahead, Smith continued to assimilate and excel in weddings. In her events coordinator capacity, she was able to hone her skills and talents, all while cultivating integral bonds between her and the support system that she had come to truly appreciate. Two years and many milestones later, another attractive opportunity presented itself within the department. Once again, Smith willed herself to rise to the test.

“Tommy expressed an interest in the wedding planner position when it became available,” explained Yanique Hyman, the assistant manager of the weddings and romance department. “There were still areas for growth but we had faith in what she could accomplish.”

Maintaining that she chose to be a part of the weddings team in order to improve her skills, Smith challenged her naturally introverted tendencies and demonstrated a concerted attempt to be more assertive in her new role. This novel display of boldness inspired her circle to intensify their efforts to expose her to higher heights. Gradually, both Smith and her team began to see and experience the fruits of their labour. Even then, during her evident evolution, Smith was insistent on expanding her scope of knowledge and improving her performance.

She set her sights on daring goals and, with the support of the team that motivated her from the start, she has grown leaps and bounds. Now approaching her sixth year with Beaches Negril, Smith often reflects fondly on the strides that she has made within the company.

“I love how invested Beaches has been in my professional development and I am even more grateful for the ways in which this community of really genuine people has poured into my personal progress,” she mused. “My younger self would be in awe of me now — I have grown so much.”

Smith’s advice to others who are pursuing growth is to build a strong support system, work smart and be open to boundless possibilities. “Always remember that your starting point doesn’t have to be your ending point,” she encouraged. “Aim for the sky and when you get there, don’t stop soaring.”