Lauren Sheppard
Already firmly along on her professional career, Lauren Sheppard found hospitality fresh after having twins. Now serving as Managing Director at Moo Brew, Lauren is passionate about building a legacy for herself and other women that her children will be proud of.
In Hobart, you can’t use the words Hospitality and Tourism in the same sentence, without thinking of MONA, one of the true leaders in the industry. So when Lauren Sheppard took on the role of Managing Director at Moo Brew, she was thrilled to project her passion for Tasmanian produce, and contribute her skills toward Mona’s affiliate brewery.
“I came into hospitality from a business point of view. I was hired in the wine industry as a business manager.” She adds, “And then five years ago my business journey landed me at Mona. So that's straight in the deep end of Hospitality and Tourism in Tasmania I think, and I'm really lucky that that's where I landed.”
“I accidentally fell into hospitality later in my career. I went into it after being at home with two babies – I had twins and I'd been at home for two years” she says. “The joy of stepping into hospitality when I had been starved of human interaction, it was the perfect thing to go back to. It was that warmth and that consumer engagement that made everything a little bit more special.”
Continuously striving to reach the next level, Lauren is excited for Moo Brew’s newest venture - the opening of a new tap house / luxury dive bar along Salamanca in Hobart called Manky Sally’s. “As Moo Brew got more commercially viable, we became less culturally impactful and from something born from MONA, it's really important to me that we re-engage with that. For us it was about finding ways to bring back that direct to consumer engagement.” She says,“So our foray into this new hospitality and retail space is to create a beautiful tap-house and a place where we can interact directly with our customers and tell our story again.”
Reflecting on this journey and other projects she has led, Lauren recognises that it has always been her business acumen pulling her in management directions, however it is her personable skills and passion for people that make her excel in these roles. “I'm really passionate about people, mentorship, and about coaching diversity in the workplace” she says. “I think one of the reasons I'm passionate about providing that to my team, is that unfortunately there have not been as many female role models in my career as I would like. And some of that is because I've typically worked in really male dominated spaces.”
As a mother of three, two of whom are daughters, this message hits home for Lauren, where she is adamant that “It's important that (my kids) see me pushing and striving and thriving in business - Being a good leader of people and celebrating other people as well as myself. And I think it's important to me at least, that my children see me as a really positive female role model for them.”
“I've worked with some outstanding brands and producers, especially in Tassie, and was lucky enough to be custodian of that legacy for a little while and strengthen it, and be sure that it continues – and I'm really proud of that. I'm really proud that maybe one day my kids will say that (this) business has been around for a really long time, and my mum was pretty integral in making sure it had solid foundations. I love that idea.”
“Many of the opportunities that have come my way have been because I've stuck my hand up and said, "I want” and there's no shame in that. Don't wait to be asked. Say it loud. And if you have to, say it lots. There's no shame in being ambitious.”
Not only does Lauren want to be a role model for staff and her children, but also speaks passionately about the value women have within the industry.
“It's unequivocally been proven that boards are much more effective when there is an appropriate number of women at the table.” She adds, “None of us want to be a quota. None of us want to be a box tick. It's really important that the right women are at the table, to bring empathy and understanding to all areas of hospitality. In transition periods, in growth, in change and in management, those traits are so important.”
In Tasmania, hospitality and tourism go hand in hand, and as Lauren predicts, industry growth and rewarding career opportunities lie in both areas. For women considering the change or pursuing leadership roles she encourages them, “For me, what the right women bring to the table particularly is empathy. The State Government needs appropriate advisors and we need industry advocates. And those are huge opportunities for women in our industry.”
“Many of the opportunities that have come my way have been because I've stuck my hand up and said, "I want” and there's no shame in that.” She explains, “People don’t know what you want, if you don’t tell them.” Her advice, “Don't wait to be asked. Say it loud. And if you have to, say it lots. There's no shame in being ambitious.”
