More than two and a half years ago, Mars left a 13-year career, moved her family halfway around the world and started again. Not because she had to—but because she still had a dream.
Some of Mars’s fondest childhood memories are family trips. Her parents took the family on getaways to hotels and resorts, and she still remembers the thrill of walking into a grand lobby, opening the door to a hotel room and seeing it through the eyes of a six-year-old. She remembers the people, the hallways, the pools and days that felt endless.
Without realizing it, those experiences planted a seed. Mars wanted to become part of the team behind the magic children feel when they walk through a hotel’s doors.
Years later, while studying in the Philippines, Mars dreamed of becoming a hotel director of sales and marketing. Life took her in a different direction. For 13 years, she built a career in credit card marketing while learning, growing, building thingsand leaving a legacy she was genuinely proud of. But the hospitality dream never left her, and eventually she began to ask herself: What if?
In 2023, Mars enrolled in the Hospitality Management diploma program at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. Starting over was humbling, but she reminded herself that she was not starting from scratch. She brought 13 years of marketing experience, a genuine passion for service, and her own perspective, skills and curiosity. Most importantly, she brought the courage to begin again.
Mars’s first hands-on step into hospitality was a 400-hour internship at Sheraton Suites Calgary Eau Claire, where she was hired as a Club Lounge Attendant. What began as a part-time contract became a permanent part-time position, and then a permanent full-time role. The dream she had carried since childhood was becoming real.
Then, two bags of popcorn gave Mars her first opportunity to create something special.
One evening, a father came to the Club Lounge hoping to get popcorn for a movie night with his kids. Unfortunately, the hotel only offered popcorn in the afternoon. Mars asked for his room number and told him, “Let me see what I can do.”
A few minutes later, Mars was at the family’s door with two bags of popcorn and a handwritten card:
“Because what is a movie night without popcorn, right?? Enjoy! :) — Mars”
The father was incredibly grateful. As the door closed, Mars heard the children gasp with excitement.
Something clicked. Mars felt a different kind of fulfillment.
She had always believed hospitality was about far more than buildings. It is about the memories you help create: the firsts, the lasts and everything in between. Sometimes, making a stay special means simply deciding to do a little more.
The Sheraton gave Mars the trust and freedom to “Make Special Happen,” and that made all the difference. Two years into her journey, Mars has an even deeper appreciation for the people behind the scenes, and for the patience, resilience, relationships and grit that hospitality requires.
“I believe in humble beginnings. I believe there is no expiration date on a dream,” Mars shares. “To anyone who has immigrated to Canada, left behind an established career or is wondering whether it is too late to start again: it isn’t. You are not starting from zero. You are starting from experience. And sometimes, the biggest career move you can make is simply having the courage to begin.”
“Somewhere, I think six-year-old Mars—the little girl excited to walk into another hotel with her family—would be very proud. I know I am proud of her. And I’m just getting started.”