When Meals Become Memories Ep: 45

Lisa Flores knows something about building long-term relationships, creating powerful memories with food and environment, and making people feel included, welcome, and special.  She is the Sales and Marketing Manager for the Columbus Hospitality Group in Boston, which owns and operates seven dining establishments.   While the menus and designs of the various spaces might be quite different, what doesn't waver is the intentional building of warm, welcome spaces and delectable meals, created with the diners in mind.    "While it may appear we are serving meals, what we're really doing is creating memories," Lisa explains. Whether it's a dinner for two or an intimate wedding for 60, Flores and her team strive to create an all-encompassing experience – as close to perfect as possible – in keeping with the spirit and essence the clients want to share with each other and their guests.    And if repeat business is any measure, they do their job quite well. "We created a really memorable wedding for one of our couples several years ago, and every year they dine with us on their anniversary. Our chef prepares them a mini-replica of their wedding cake each year, and it's a lot of fun for all of us," she says.    Our conversation today covers a lot of ground. Like building a healthy and family-style culture, which isn't easy to do in most businesses, let alone the restaurant and event industry; many of the Group's employees have been with them for 20 or more years.    If you want to discover their secrets – and maybe apply them in your own work – settle in and have some fun eavesdropping on my conversation with Lisa today! And the next time you visit Boston, look her up at one of their restaurants.   Lisa's Bio A passionate connector, entrepreneur, and hospitality marketing leader, Lisa Flores has spent close to two decades building one of Boston's most celebrated hospitality groups, Columbus Hospitality Group. Today, CHG includes seven premier restaurants; Mistral, Teatro, Sorellina, Mooo, Ostra, Bar Lyon, and L'Andana, as well as two hotel properties: XV Beacon Hotel and the Inn at St. Botolph.  A graduate of Boston University with a degree in Business Management, Lisa has parlayed her insightful and meticulous style into a career dedicated to delivering unforgettable events and dining experiences. From concept to design to flawless project management, every experience Lisa leads and executes is a true marriage of the brand's promise and the guest's vision. As Director of Sales and Marketing for CHG, Lisa also spearheads all brand and communications strategy and execution.  Her approach to marketing strategy, on and offline engagement including media relations, influencer engagement, and social media, as well as brand management has its foundation in her deep commitment to personal connections and relevance in the market. Lisa ensures she is not only trend-watching and responding, but at the forefront of a constantly evolving market that demands highly personalized experiences for each guest. Her commitment to putting the guest at the center of her strategic vision has helped to drive the growth and performance of the Columbus Hospitality Group since 2001.  In 2016, Lisa founded the for-profit organization, SERV (Society for Event Planners: Restaurant Venues) where she serves as President and Founder. The organization is dedicated to creating a network for hospitality professionals to knowledge-share in an effort to grow and develop their respective businesses and further the development of the industry. SERV, which now has chapters in Boston and New York, has been featured in The Boston Globe and Boston Common Magazine.  Since leaving Texas for Boston in 1998, Lisa has devoted her personal time to supporting causes that connect to her community and inspire others. For more than a decade, Lisa has volunteered and fundraised for Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers for the Disabled, a national non-profit serving quadriplegics and people with mobility impairment where she helped raised close to one million dollars. Her commitment to serve others and build connections in the community has also driven her to commit time to The Women's Lunch Place and other local Boston charities. In spring 2019, Lisa joined the Board of Overseers for the Boston Ballet.  Connect with Lisa www.chgboston.com www.mistralbistro.com www.servsociety.com