Dahlia Nardone

[Laughs] Being chosen for this feature! My true proudest moment is being able to actually see my employees learn from what I do.

I feel that I learn from my seasoned colleagues, but a few of them may be set in their ways. I refuse to be. I like to take a fresh outlook on work and remember the purpose. We are here for the customers; if it wasn’t for them then we would have no purpose.

A few years back my boss at the time told me to always write down my accomplishments—be it classes I took or something someone told me that was profound. Since that day I have a file on my computer with all my updated trainings, classes and important conversations. When it is review time or when I give out reviews I always like to share those with people.

I was 22 when I became a supervisor of the Food Court at Montclair State University, so I had to overcome giving direction to employees who had worked at the university longer and were much older than myself. It was difficult. I literally would go home and cry almost every day for a year because of the challenges and pressures that I faced.

Nothing can replace the memories of laughter, tears and hard work that go into working in the hospitality industry. Besides that, the most rewarding is watching an employee figure out a how to solve a problem on their own.

I would like to continue my education and receive my MBA.

I was helping stock an open-air cooler full of premade yogurt parfaits, Jell-Os, puddings, sandwiches and salads. I dropped a full tray of strawberry Jell-0 on my brand new khaki pants. I didn’t have a spare set of pants and I couldn’t leave work because I would lose my prime parking spot.