What does it take to create an exceptional customer experience, build a strong team, and make every event memorable?

On this episode of Get the Manager, Al DeBerry and Raluca Leibowitz welcome Monica Leibowitz, a sales and events expert with more than 20 years of experience in hospitality and event planning.

Monica shares how growing up around hospitality shaped her career, from managing a bed and breakfast to working in catering, events, and large-scale experiences. She discusses her servant leadership approach, the importance of hiring the right people, building a strong workplace culture, and why communication and empathy are essential when working with both employees and customers.

The conversation also covers networking and professional associations, learning from mistakes, handling customer complaints, creating memorable experiences, and the importance of staying calm when things go wrong behind the scenes.

Plus, the team takes on another “Spotlight Karen” moment, breaking down a viral customer-service encounter and discussing how employees and managers can navigate difficult situations with professionalism and empathy.

Tune in for practical lessons on leadership, hospitality, customer service, event planning, and creating experiences people remember.

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Welcome to the very first episode of Get the Manager, hosted by Al DeBerry and Raluca Leibowitz!

With decades of combined experience in hospitality, management, customer service, and employee relations, Al and Raluca kick off the podcast by sharing their personal career journeys, the mentors who shaped them, and the lessons they've learned along the way.

In this episode, they explore what really makes a great customer and employee experience—and why exceptional service is about more than simply completing a transaction. They introduce the idea of the “Service Champion,” discuss the importance of leadership, culture, kindness, and accountability, and share their approach to handling difficult customers and supporting employees.

Whether you've worked in hospitality, managed a team, or simply been a customer, Get the Manager is a conversation about the experiences we all share—and how we can make them better.