Introduce yourself in three words.
Positive problem solver.
What do you like most about your job?
I think, for me, it’s that I do something that I wholeheartedly believe in. Most people have heard of the whole Simon Cynic thing – fulfil your why and you’ll be happy. I think I do that through what we do at Jenza because it’s something I know firsthand, as a person who’s done working holidays, and the positive impact that that can have.
Knowing that there are now thousands of people that are going and having that same wonderful experience, life fills me with joy. Also, it’s the industry at large. Just about everybody I’ve ever met in it is in it for the same reason – nobody’s doing this job just for the sake of it.
What’s your proudest career moment?
It’s a time that none of us like to think about in the travel industry, but, the dark days of Covid – and I’m extremely proud that we didn’t close for a single day. At the time, I was working with with BUNAC, which is actually one of the JENZA group’s now-legacy brands.
We kept operating – I didn’t stop working at all. We actually managed to come out the other side, bigger and better, with more energy and passion for what we’re doing today as [the current] JENZA group than we were before.
Best work trip?
My best was probably a road trip around Canada. I did a work-my-way to-holiday in Canada, starting on the west coast. But I actually got to spend time on my road trip through Quebec and, into the untouched national park in Ontario.
It’s amazing how much of Canada is just wilderness. I went there to meet with people, but I think probably one of the biggest takeaways was how few people, in some places, I actually saw.
What’s the biggest challenge in your profession?
I think it is access. I think most governments have really positive intentions when it comes to helping young people travel and work in their respective countries. But no government that I’ve seen yet has nailed making processes and routes easy enough – or available enough.
What’s a memorable cultural exchange you’ve experienced?
It doesn’t feel like there should be as big a clashing culture between the UK and the US as perhaps there is when you actually experience it. And I’ve spent a lot of my career in the US now, so I’m used to it. But I remember my very first few weeks, living and being at summer camp in the US – I’m thinking, like, are these people for real? Is this real life or is it genuine?
Everyone had the this energy and enthusiasm for a standard conversation that I just hadn’t experienced. We send thousands of young people off to work at summer camps in the US and it’s one of my favourite things now when we do pre-departure orientations, to get big groups of students into the room and I get them to play American summer camp games with each other. The look on their faces!
What language would you like to learn instantly and why?
It would be French. Mainly because I can really convincingly introduce myself and ask where the disco is, but it all falls apart after that.
What’s the most important trait that someone in your profession should possess?
I think flexibility is definitely a huge one. Things change all the time. The nature of what we do means everything is almost always in some form of of flux. But then also I think it’s about being able of being flexible in how you’re approaching every single different person that you speak to.
When you’re working with people who are going on planning adventures and going abroad, every single person has different level of needs and support. So you have to be someone that can constantly change how you’re communicating.
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