Laura Wiltshire
Caldicot
Summary
Experienced professional with a strong background in operations management, team leadership and customer service. Proven expertise in staff recruitment and supervision and brand development. Demonstrates innovation-driven strategies and interpersonal leadership skills to enhance organisational performance. Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, committed to continuous professional growth, and dedicated to achieving excellence in all endeavours.
Overview
21
21
years of professional experience
Work History
Owner
Moo Moo’s Coffee & Catering
Cardiff, Cardiff
04.2018 - 03.2025
- Created concept, brand and business model for own business, focusing on Coffee Shop business primarily and diversifying into Catering Business within three months.
- Established and successfully managed business, demonstrating exceptional entrepreneurial skills and business acumen. Total revenue £150k FY23 with £5k profit delivered, projected TR £220k for FY24 with an additional coffee shop opening.
- Currently operating two coffee shops and a catering unit.
- Devised and delivered menus for social and corporate catering growing a solid corporate catering base.
- Total revenue £152k FY23/24 with £5k profit delivered, projected TR £220k for FY24/25.
- Fostered relationships with key stakeholders, leading to valuable partnerships. Negotiated contracts with suppliers, continually looking to reduce overall running costs of business.
- Recruited and led a team of 10 people, embedded our brand, concepts, menus and offering across the coffee shops to ensure consistency delivered for our customer base.
- Provided exceptional customer service and high quality products, resulting in repeat business in both corporate catering and coffee shop footfall.
- Built ethos of creating memorable experiences for customers through innovative means in catering and delivering exceptional personable service in the coffee shops.
- Created a strong brand identity through innovative marketing strategies, designed Website as selling platform for both coffee shop and catering business.
- Developed new business opportunities for increased market reach, diversified business model in Pandemic by offering “takeaway” catering boxes, focused heavily on afternoon tea, grazing and cake boxes as a means of turning the business revenue over.
- Developed company's Health & Safety, food management and sustainability toolkits and ensured compliance driven throughout.
- Created training toolkits and delivered high standards of service by consistent training and management of team. Delivered regular one to one's, team meetings and team building opportunities to drive consistency and team buy-in.
- Coordinated special events, enhancing brand awareness in the local community. Worked closely alongside community supporting local schools, community centres, football clubs and continued work with AP Cymru from work experience opportunities, raffle prizes and sponsorships.
General Manager
Holiday Inn Cardiff North
Cardiff, Cardiff
06.2015 - 12.2018
- Devised and delivered overall hotel strategy, achieved hotel opening Year 3 forecast in Year 2 of trading.
- Total revenue 16/17 over delivered YOY by 10.9% £282k, REVPAR growth of 12.3% and profit growth of 13.4%
- Ability to execute overall hotel strategy through team, developed Heads of Department to become pro-active rather than reactive in delivering departmental strategies, established clear expectations and reaffirmed areas of accountability.
- Ability to operate in diverse market conditions, strengthened hotels RGI positioning overall and particularly for all city events moving RGI from 98.4 to 101.2 in 2017
- Consistently monitoring and challenging rooms segmentation to enable hotel to drive midweek rate premium, Dec 17 rate growth midweek £5.11 YOY
- Proactive focus on customer satisfaction, driving overall Heartbeat score through implementation of Out in Front principles which concentrate in particular on service recovery and management presence
- Overall experience score moved from 66.46% Dec 16, 74.36% Dec 17, 7.9% growth
- Driven Employee Satisfaction scores, implemented basic standards and ensured consistency throughout all departments, delivered 100% engagement in 2017 and 2018
- Focus on driving hotel conversion (EBITDA), in particular management of overall hotel payroll, implemented and supported Heads of Department with weekly payroll activity and hourly analysis to ensure productive
- Ability to manage owner, Management company and Brand expectations whilst delivering results, hotel successfully delivered all hotel targets and metrics for two consecutive years
- Supported local Autism Puzzles charity, received training to become first hotel in Cardiff perceived as Autism Friendly, worked alongside charity to place young individuals with Autism into workplace as well as offering work experience
- Achieved accreditation through training all hotel team 2018
- Partnered with Clink Charity within Cardiff to offer employment to rehabilitated prisoners with particular focus on Chef’s
- Awarded Hotel of Year within Division 2 years running, 2016 and 2017
- Hotel finalist for Cardiff Business Growth Awards in 2017
Operations Manager
Holiday Inn Cardiff City Centre
01.2013 - 06.2015
Operations Manager
Holiday Inn Gloucester – Cheltenham
03.2011 - 12.2012
- Maternity Leave May 2012 – December 2012
Food & Beverage/Operations Manager
Holiday Inn Swindon
01.2010 - 03.2011
Food & Beverage Manager, Front Office Manager
Holiday Inn Bristol Filton
09.2004 - 01.2010
- Various Roles
Education
Bachelor of Arts - Business Studies
University West Of England
Bristol 09/2001 - 06/2005
Skills
- Mixture of computer based systems including OPERA Version 40
- DPS Licence Holder
- IHG - Advanced Leadership Development Programme
- GM Pathway
- Innovation driven
- Interpersonal leadership
- Staff recruitment and supervision
- Operations management
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Team Leadership
- Brand development
Affiliations
- Passionate about food and menu creation and presentation.
- Travelling
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Owner
Moo Moo’s Coffee & Catering
04.2018 - 03.2025
General Manager
Holiday Inn Cardiff North
06.2015 - 12.2018
Operations Manager
Holiday Inn Cardiff City Centre
01.2013 - 06.2015
Operations Manager
Holiday Inn Gloucester – Cheltenham
03.2011 - 12.2012
Food & Beverage/Operations Manager
Holiday Inn Swindon
01.2010 - 03.2011
Food & Beverage Manager, Front Office Manager
Holiday Inn Bristol Filton
09.2004 - 01.2010
Bachelor of Arts - Business Studies
University West Of England
09/2001 - 06/2005
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