Office & Admin
Alice Cheng
Founder & CEO | Culinary Agents
Experience
2018 - Present
Advisor
Food XNew York, NY
2010 - 2012
Global Innovation Executive - Strategy & Transformation
IBMNew York, NY
2008 - 2010
Economic Stimulus Strategy & Sales Leader
IBMNew York, NY
2004 - 2008
North America Infrastructure Strategy & Sales
IBMNew York, NY
2002 - 2004
Digital Media Solutions Sales - Convergence Media
IBMNew York, NY
2000 - 2002
Digital Media Specialist - Music and Video
IBMNew York, NY
1999 - 2000
Office Manager - Advertising and Sports
IBMNew York, NY
1999 - 1999
Office Assistant
IBMNew York, NY
1996 - 1999
Hostess / Server
La Maisonette - Pearl River Hilton Pearl River, NY
1997 - 1999
Home Server for Catering
Munno's DeliPearl River, NY
Education
BS Advertising, Marketing & Communications
Fashion Institute of TechnologyNew York, NY
Advice from Alice Cheng
Quotes about career path, skills, and teamwork from an industry leader.
I find inspiration from the people in the hospitality industry.
When I am at a restaurant, and a team member comes up to thank me / Culinary Agents for “changing their lives” and for “helping them progress their career in hospitality” it gets me to the core and drives me to work harder and faster for them. My collective team at Culinary Agents also inspires me daily. We are a small but mighty team serving this wonderfully diverse industry with evolving needs and expectations.
I’ve always had a desire to run my own business.
So I sought out jobs that would help me build the skills that I needed to be confident enough to move forward and take the plunge. There is never a perfect time to dive in and take the risk, just a series of gut feels that gives you enough encouragement to overcome the doubt.
Having my personal "feel great" baseline and knowing how to readjust based on current priorities is the formula for my version of work/life balance.
Everyone has their own method; find what works, and keep doing it. Once that no longer feels right, readjust the formula. This industry can wear on you from all directions. There are countless events, restaurants, parties, and late nights. I say "no thanks" when I feel like I need to rebalance. Also, know your quirks and use them to your advantage. I travel a lot, and I'm a minimalist packer, so I always bring gym clothes to ensure I'll get a workout in. I can't stand bringing unnecessary items with me!
It's essential to keep up with industry news and trends.
Also, following and reading blogs of influential leaders can be inspiring and informative. A friend gave me the book "Strengths Finder" years ago, and it's been impactful to both better hone in on my strengths but also to best understand how to play to others' strengths. Starting and growing a business is an ongoing learning experience; it is also a great way to learn about yourself.
There are two pieces of advice that I have received from past mentors that have stuck with me.
The first is from Mike Osier, the Former head of IT at Netflix. "There are hundreds of things that come at you in a day, deflect the things that you can't change and focus on the things that you can have a high impact on." The second piece of advice was from Jon Iwata, the Former SVP Marketing & Communications at IBM. He told me to "find a few people who have the job that you want and research how they got there; it will help you map out your course."
When hiring, I look for a positive attitude, willingness to learn, ability to problem solve, and to collaborate and work well with others.
Trust and loyalty is also vital to build a foundation for success. Having an empathetic and hospitable approach to interactions is also essential for us to be able to serve this industry to the best of our ability.
Two jobs that had the most significant impact on my career are working as host and busser at the Pearl River Hilton and working at IBM, specifically my time spent with Netflix and other startups from 2003 - 2008.
Working at the Pearl River Hilton introduced me to the hospitality industry, working brunch service and holidays for the restaurant and catering department gave me a wide range of exposure across positions and teams. The second job, with IBM, gave me insights into the startup world. Watching and being a part of Netflix defying the odds (at the time) to transform the video industry was exceptionally inspiring and motivating.
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