Meet Leith, General Manager at Varsity Morley
Sep 11, 2023
Meet Leith Crooks, the General Manager at Varsity Morley and this month's Employee of Choice as nominated by the Varsity Group.
About You
Tell us a bit about yourself – how did you get into hospitality?
I had recently returned from a year abroad in South America, and needed to reline my pockets quickly! I’d previously done some bar work and heard Varsity Joondalup had just opened nearby. I used to love going to the Nedlands venue before I left, so it seemed like the perfect gig when I decided on my next career. 5 years later I’m still with the group.
How did you find yourself in your current role?
I accepted the opportunity to be a part of the grand project in Morley, and with so much happening with the venue over the past few years, opportunities kept presenting themselves and I kept taking them. Recently the Group decided to trial a new structure within the venues, so I became the first General Manager of a Varsity venue.
About your venue
What do you love most about working in your venue?
Our venue presents a lot of unique challenges, from adapting to building works, playing around with our backyard extension, and special events such as Live Wrestling. Each week seems to bring something completely new to work on, which prevents the job from becoming repetitive and helps me to stay motivated.
What skills have you developed since working in this role?
Obviously, man management & people skills, financial & reporting skills, marketing & business skills, and little trade skills need to be developed or you will sink. For me, the most interesting part is the business side, X’s & O’s, and how the sausage is made if you like. I’m fortunate to have some good brains to pick above me!
What advice would you give to someone considering a career in hospitality with Varsity Group?
Put your head down, outwork your peers and you will inevitably get opportunities thrown at you.
About the industry
What changes in the hospo environment/culture have you noticed over time?
Flexibility in general has probably always been a strength, but I feel flexibility to keep people in the industry, especially when starting a family, is getting better.
What do you love most about working in hospitality?
All the good stuff: working with your mates, fresh challenges, iconic sports moments in a bumping venue. Launching staff you mentor into their careers is also very rewarding.
A big thanks to Leith for his hospitality insights! If you want to start your hospitality journey, Barcats is the place to start! Create your staff profile here.
