Team Spotlight: Emmerica Smith
Emmerica Smith – Private Events Coordinator and Floor Supervisor, Politan Row at Colony Square
Thank you so much for thinking of me for this interview!!!
What is your hometown? Atlanta, GA since I’m 5 years old
Childhood Nickname: Oldest nickname in the world; Sugar Mama
Favorite childhood meal: my mom can cook really well – she’s from Alabama so you know she can throw down – I like collard greens, fresh yams, and hog maws which is like chitlins. Growing up when my mom would make that, you knew it was holiday time. I also love her cakes that she makes with applesauce so they’re super moist.
Favorite meal at Politan Row: That’s tough because we have so much good stuff, but here’s what I like to do. Bun Mi seasons their meat so well and does a great job with the broth for the pho. I like to get Bun Mi broth and meat and sub in the rice from Gekko. From Zaddy’s, I like the cheesecake with the caramel. Then Belli has a bacon gouda pizza, but I sub in pepperoni for the bacon.
Customers will always ask you when they come in “what do you recommend?”. I like to have a favorite from each vendor and I love to upsell. I can tell people at least one thing I love at each stall.
Great strategy. Instead of recommending one vendor or one dish, you recommend something from each of them.
Now that we’ve been around for a little under a year, how is everything going?
When I first came into Politan Row, I didn’t know what to expect but when I came for my interview, I met a group of amazing people while I was waiting for it to start. I liked the people immediately. Everyone is open and has great energy. Then, after my first week, I really loved the concept too. It wasn’t restricting. You have room to really bring what you want to the table. Paris made it really clear what she was looking for and how I could fit it and do the things I like best. The work isn’t hard, you just have to care.
What are you most proud of so far?
I’m really proud and happy about my new position working in the Private Events. I love décor, I love planning, etc. Everything I like to do. Then, knowing that I have the support of my team for something I wanted to do and care about. I like the Operations Supervisor part too because I like being part of a team. I like adding something that’s already great and knowing that I was a part of it. Leaving my mark right there like, “Emmerica. She did that”. When I go in that Blue Room for events, I like to think I make magic there and we’re helping people make real memories.
Your positivity is both impressive and contagious. You really have a gift for staying upbeat and positive. How do you keep that positivity up all the time?
I strive for life work balance. I try to not hold in the things that can drag you down. If you keep everything bottled up, then it’s going to slip out sometimes. People want to be happy. People don’t want to be down. But if you carry those with you instead of dealing with it, it will slip out sometimes. So, I just try to deal with things as possible and think to myself, “you’re here, you woke up this morning, let’s go.” That’s what I do. My mom is the type of person who lets nothing get her down. Because of her strength it also keeps me strong. When I come to work, I don’t care what happened before, I’m here to do this, and I enjoy it.
What would you say is your ultimate goal?
I don’t have a title for it, but if I could continue to make magic and then throw in a couple of business trips that let me go to places like Japan. I’d love to do event planning for international clients where there is some travel involved. I think I’d really like to just be able to do and enjoy my favorite things; eat, travel, dance, and fashion. I don’t know what job that is.
I think it sounds like you need your own show on the Travel Channel where you take people to your favorite places and show them your favorite things.
That sounds good, but I also would like to make sure I’m always helping people. So, something with travel and food, but also helping people.
Who knows? I’m just really enjoying this right now and really so happy to be doing what I’m doing.