This is the story of ‘the captain’ (or general manager) of Australia’s first Moxy hotel. It’s the story of how she got to where she is and what excites her about where she’s going. This is the story of a girl from Newcastle who moved to New York and didn’t follow the usual route to becoming the GM of a hotel. This is the story of Michelle Scott.
When Karryon first talks to Michelle the now open Moxy Sydney Airport was then a flurry ahead of opening its doors. And Michelle would go from hard hat to heels at any given day.
“It’s an exciting time,” she told us.
“Moxy is such a cool brand from Marriott International.
“It’s the company’s experiential brand that came to life nine years ago, but it’s grown up. It’s gone through a grow up/glow up phase to become more global and inclusive yet still stay true to the playful and spirited mindset.”
Moxy is the kind of hotel you’d expect in a hipster Melbourne-type hood.
But Michelle says, “We’ve tried not to take it through the lens of an airport hotel vibe”.
“Instead, the design intent was to create an urban lifestyle hotel with an industrial chic and art deco edge that is simply in the airport precinct.”
But how do you tell that story when the hotel’s name literally has Sydney Airport in it?
Michelle the storyteller
This is Michelle’s third opening with Marriott. So she knows how important the hotel’s story is.
“It’s my job is to give the hotel a soul, to give it that energy and to be that storyteller,” she says.
And it’s not just to tell those stories to the guests, it’s to share them with her team (or, in Moxy speak, ‘crew’). Because it’s these people who will “bring those stories to life for the guests”.
The hospitality landscape has changed over the years and even more so since the pandemic, Michelle tells Karryon.
The personality of a hotel, from its people to its design has to cut through expectations and exceed them.
“It should be more than just a place to crash. Yes, before or after a long flight it is functional and fits that purpose, but it’s all about those guest experiences. We want to be a fun place to stay that’s inclusive and gives our guests permission to play.”
Michelle from Newcastle
Michelle grew up in Newcastle in New South Wales.
“I was a very sporty kid with an older brother. I’ve always had to keep up with him. So from a young age, I was always a bit competitive.”
As Michelle got older, that competitive streak morphed into being driven. And it’s that drive that she has tapped into not just in the roles she’s taken on but also as a person and as a leader.
“I’ve always tried to step outside my comfort zone.”
I ask her when she first left her comfort zone.
“I went from Newcastle to New York at 21,” she says.
“Newcastle, as vibrant and cosmopolitan as it is now, is not New York.”
It was a time when Australians looking to be seriously considered in the hotel industry went to London and worked at places like The Savoy. But Michelle travelled and worked through the States and found inspiration there.
On her return to Australia, she moved to Hamilton Island for three years.
“That was where I got to grow my career from food and beverage into the hotel front office and duty manager and front office manager… and take on leadership roles as a young person in a very dynamic environment.”
Michelle was keen to get into event management and sales. And so began her career with Marriott International.
“In true Moxy spirit, she thrives on challenging the status quo,” Marriott says of Michelle.
“And her unwavering belief that ‘success is never final’ has fuelled her journey across various aspects of the business, including hotel operations, sales, marketing and revenue generation.
“With her savvy approach, she has played a key role in the success of renowned properties like Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort & Spa, and Brisbane Marriott Hotel.”
Michelle the mother
“Working at the Brisbane Marriott was another pivotal step in my career,” Michelle tells Karryon.
It was the first time Michelle was stepping up from senior management into a Director of Sales position. And she did that while having a toddler and studying digital marketing.
Her mindset at this point was to “just jump and grow your wings on the way down”.
Michelle then spearheaded the highly acclaimed opening of Fiji Marriott Resort Momi Bay as the Director of Sales and Marketing.
By this point she had two kids. Her husband had taken a sabbatical and was the primary caregiver for their children.
“It was hopefully inspirational to see not just a woman but a mother of two in that kind of role in Fiji and certainly challenged the status quo.”
Michelle is still in touch with a lot of the women she worked with in Fiji and is proud to see them flourish and achieve career success.
“Sometimes you just need somebody to give you a little nudge or to believe in you,” she says.
“My time in Fiji was an amazing, unique opportunity. And to open that hotel showed me how important passion and belief is. And how you can achieve great things, still be a mum and bring your kids on the journey with you.”
Michelle really credits part of this to Marriott International’s flexible working conditions.
“Back at what’s now the JW Marriott Gold Coast, they allowed me to work from home one day a week. This was pre-pandemic and thought-leading at that time for the hotel industry!”
But we all have to make sacrifices.
Michelle’s son was in kindergarten and it was a Mother’s Day event at the school.
“They were reading things about the kids’ mums. They got to my son and one of the questions was, ‘What’s your favourite thing that Mummy cooks?’ His answer was, ‘I love it when Mum orders room service’. All the other kids are talking about cupcakes and pizza but he’d just spent so much time in hotels.
“He was absolutely right!”
Michelle the captain
At Moxy, the general manager is called The Captain. And it’s Michelle’s first time at the helm of a hotel.
GMs normally come up the ranks through operations rather than sales and marketing backgrounds, Michelle says.
“We are strategic drivers of business with a focus on building awareness, creating partnerships
and collaborations. These are key aspects to launching any new brand or hotel.
“The collaboration ethos extends from external partners to the many different aspects of hotel operation – from housekeeping, engineering, front office, food and beverage, culinary all working together in unison. The guest shouldn’t know about the different departments, it should be one seamless experience.”
But GMs usually have a go at all the parts. One minute they’ll be clearing tables or at the front desk, and then they’re budgeting and forecasting the next.
“The ‘general’ part of my job title is not lost on me,” Michelle says.
People in the hotel industry, and general managers in particular, are notoriously nimble. But they’re more so after having survived the worst of the pandemic. Opening a hotel in the current climate is a whole other ballgame.
I asked Michelle about how she’s assembled a team at a time when staff shortages are such a huge issue. It was a massive focus during pre-opening, she says and one of her first hires was Moxy Sydney Airport’s HR Manager, Domenic Torrisi.
“He took a fresh approach to Moxy recruitment, engaging and collaborating with the hotel management schools and using social media to build the Moxy Crew team.”
Michelle takes all this in her stride. Moxy is defined as having force of character, determination, or nerve. It’s about taking risks, pushing boundaries, and not being afraid to stand out. Michelle embodies all these traits. From that girl in Newcastle who dared to dream beyond her hometown, to the powerhouse who maneuvered through New York, to the leader she’s become, Michelle’s moxy is evident.
Bookings at Moxy Sydney Airport are now open.
Find out more at moxysydneyairport.com.
