Meet Maria Mwangi | Vice President of Warehouse215

We had the good fortune of connecting with Maria Mwangi and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Maria, what do you attribute your success to?
I think the most important factor behind the success of our band has been to treat everyone from clients to employees and colleagues how I would want to be treated. We are the venue that vendors want to work with because it is a great experiance with our beautiful venue, our amenities and our customer experience.

I lead my team with resect for them as valuable assets that have a personal life outside of work. If my team is happy with their job, how they are appreciated and valued, it will have a direct reflection on the customer and client experience. I empower my team to make decisions with the understanding that the most valuable lessons come with making mistakes.

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
I was 14 years in the Mortgage industry. I learned early on that if you were top sales, you were pretty much left alone. This allowed me to do what fulfilled my soul on the side and that was plan events. I was the event coordinator for my church and just was my happiest when planning events. I eventually started doing events on the side as a hobby that made money. When the housing crisis happened, my husband and I moved to San Antonio Texas to start new lives. I then went into the event industry full time. It was not easy, I started making $10 per hour as a wedding coordinator at a venue that ran at least 4 weddings a weekend. I then moved into catering, I started as the owners assistant and after a week, she moved me into sales. The only catering training I had, was getting yelled at or laughed at when I made mistakes. I learned by being thrown into the deep end with no life jacket. It was the best education but I had never worked so hard in my life. I was then recruited to work as Director of Catering for a rival company. We were a smaller company but did some pretty big events. I was asked to be on the board of ILEA (international Live Events Association) I was new to Texas and this was the best way for people to know who I was. I was pushed to do so by Gary Jones. He believed in me way more than I did. I sat on the board with big names in the industry. Names that I did not think would answer my cold call. We became life family. Planning monthly events for people in the event industry not only helped create a name for myself, but it made me a better event producer.
I learned to play nice in the sandbox, to help as much as I would want to be helped and to never burn a bridge or connection as they may be your boss one day! I genuinely want to see people win. I will always refer a client rather than just say I am booked. I treat people like I want to be treated and will go above and beyond to help someone just starting off in the industry. We all just needed that one break to help lift our career!
I am now a City, State and International award Winner that has had events published in magazines as well as have a wedding e on the cover of a magazine. I pride myself on exceeding sales exceptions at every job I have ever had.

My standards are high and I am also a laid back kind of leader. I lead my team with the kind of guidance and grace I wish I had. I take the times that I cried driving home to heart and vow to never make my team feel like working for me was a mistake. I encourage initiative and decision making that may result in a learning experience. I point out issues as learning experiences and we talk about how to come across this situation differently if it occurs again. How you fix and react or act on a mistake is the best education you could get.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My favorite spots change constantly. I love mom and pop places, hole in the wall kinda places that are unexpected. You will almost never find me at a major chain place to eat. I love live music and love me some Jazz.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Gary Jones recommended me to sit on the ILEA (International Live Events Association) board for the San Antonio, Chapter. I believe that this is what thrust my event career forward. Sitting on the board as the Event and Education director gave me the opportunity to have relationships with event professionals that would have not answered my cold call. I have relationships over 10 years later from the years I spent on the ILEA board that are more like family than colleagues. Gary believed in me and pushed me into a roll that I would have never believed I could be in. The education and connections were priceless and I believe was the foundation to my success in the event industry.

My late husband, Kenneth Mwangi was my biggest cheerleader with my decision to turn my hobby into a full time career in my mid thirties. Without his support with our two boys, I could not have worked the long nights and weekends that this industries requires. After my husbands passing, it has taken my mother and a village to step in with my boys so I could continue in a career path that fulfills my soul.

Website: www.warehouse215.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mrsmwangi/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maria-mwangi-155a833/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maria.nena.mwangi

Image Credits
Harley Bonham Photography Lauren Simmons of Warehouse215