When people think about hospitality, they see paradise—beautiful resorts, stunning beaches, smiling guests and exceptional service.

But behind every beautiful guest experience are people.

Employees who arrive early, work long hours, solve problems, serve guests, support one another and deal with challenges that guests may never see. They are the people behind the paradise.

My journey in Human Resources has allowed me to experience both the rewarding and difficult sides of hospitality—recruitment, leadership, payroll, employee relations, HR systems, workplace conflicts, employee wellbeing and many unexpected situations.

This book is not intended to be a theoretical HR textbook. It is a practical, experience-based journey through Human Resources and leadership in hospitality, sharing lessons learned from real situations, mistakes, successes and difficult decisions.

If I could speak to myself on my first day in HR, I would simply say:

“Man, you are in for a ride. You don’t know what is coming for you.”

This book is about that ride—and the people who make hospitality possible.

Welcome to People Behind the Paradise.