Thriving As A Woman In a Male-Dominated Industry: Sinem Kaya Of Novotel Miami Brickell On The Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman In a Male-Dominated Industry

An Interview With Kelly Reeves

Surround yourself with individuals who uplift you.

In the United States in 2022, fields such as Aircraft piloting, Agriculture, Architecture, Construction, Finance, and Information technology, are still male-dominated industries. For a woman who is working in a male-dominated environment, what exactly does it take to thrive and succeed? In this interview series, we are talking to successful women who work in a Male-Dominated Industry who can share their stories and experiences about navigating work and life as strong women in a male-dominated industry Sinem Kaya.

Sinem brings twenty years of hospitality experience, starting her career as a Customer Relations Manager in Istanbul, Turkey, followed by guest experience leadership roles in Maimi with Conrad, Four Points by Sheraton, and W South Beach. Sinem joined SLS (Accor) in 2012, overseeing Guest Services at the new SLS South Beach, Rebury, as the opening General Manager, and SLS Brickell as Director of Operations. In 2017, Sinem took a corporate role of pre-opening support — Director of Operations for SBE Global and was directly involved in the openings of SLS Baha Mar, SLS LUX, and Hyde Midtown. In June 2019, I became the General Manager of the Kimpton Hotel — The Anglers Hotel South Beach and returned to Accor in 2023 as Complex General Manager at SLS Brickell Miami & SLS LUX Brickell Miami.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood “backstory”?

I grew up in a small town in Turkey surrounded by abundant nature and an incredible community that has shaped who I am today, embracing the diversity within me. It was not easy to create a new life in the United States on my own, but in 2007 I made the move to advance my career back in Istanbul. Little did I know life had different plans, and here I am after 16 years — Miami is now where I call home.

The hospitality industry has been incredibly rewarding for me, but I want to emphasize that in order to reach any goal in life, you have to show up for the cause. I approached every opportunity with lots of love and care. There were many challenges along the way, but I viewed them as chances to expand my knowledge and invest on things that I was most fearful of.

I am extremely grateful for the outstanding professionals who have grown to be like family, extending their support, trust, and investment in my growth throughout my journey.

Can you tell us the story about what led you to this particular career path?

I was already working in the F&B/Nightlife industry back home in Istanbul and I was interested in a particular job promotion. Unfortunately, I wasn’t selected because the other candidate had USA experience. That’s when I decided to go abroad, gain experience, and return to advance my career. Fast forward, my career awaited me here in the United States after all.

You are a successful business leader. Which three character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?

Patience: Success often requires persistence and resilience when facing challenges or any setbacks. It’s important to stay focused on your goals, even when progress is slow or obstacles arise. I always like to view the long-term perspective to avoid becoming discouraged by temporary setbacks.

Self-Reflection: In my opinion, self-reflection is crucial for personal growth and development. By being self-aware, this allows you to make better choices, learn from any mistakes, and continually strive for self-improvement.

Humor: Humor is important because it helps us see things in a different light, reduces stress, and strengthens our relationships with others. It allows us to approach challenges with a positive attitude and helps us connect with people, which is crucial for success in all areas of life.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Can you help articulate a few of the biggest obstacles or challenges you’ve had to overcome while working in a male-dominated industry?

It might seem cliché, but when women demonstrate strength, decisiveness, and assertiveness, it’s often perceived negatively, whereas these traits are typically expected in men. Female leaders often face harsher judgment, even when they outperform their male counterparts.

Can you share a few of the things you have done to gain acceptance among your male peers and the general work community? What did your female co-workers do? Can you share some stories or examples?

The first thing I did was to challenge the stigma around female leadership was recognizing that I also deserve a seat at the table, and my voice does count. It was important for me to focus on myself first to break free from the societal constraints placed upon us.

Secondly, I consistently showed up and tackled every task, recognizing that every contribution, no matter how small, moves the organization forward. I prioritized diversity, ensuring that female leaders, individuals from diverse backgrounds, and various areas of expertise were represented. My previous leader, a female executive, often emphasized “We are General Managers who happen to be women,” highlighting the importance of creating a diverse and inclusive environment where individuals of all genders can thrive and fulfill their potential.

What do you think male-oriented organizations can do to enhance their recruiting efforts to attract more women?

Definitely — Increasing recruitment efforts will be crucial in maintaining a healthy balance between male and female representation. Setting yearly goals to foster diversity in the workforce will also play an important role in reshaping organizational perspectives on diversity across all backgrounds.

Ok thank you for all of that. Here is the main question of our interview. Based on your opinion and experience, what are the “Five Things You Need To Thrive and Succeed as a Woman In a Male-dominated Industry?”

• Overcome the stigma that states success is solely achieved by men.
• Be confident in the work you do and take risks.
• Surround yourself with individuals who uplift you.
• Prioritize earning respect over seeking approval.
• Learn how to handle conflict.

Have you seen things change for women working in male-dominated industries, over the past ten years? How do you anticipate that it might improve in the future? Can you please explain what you mean?

Yes — I see great progress, especially within my industry with more women in leadership positions and companies actively working to ensure this trend continues.

Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.