Meet Leona Lawlor

Today we’d like to introduce you to Leona Lawlor.

Hi Leona, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am originally from County Limerick, Ireland and grew up in a very small village in the countryside. And when I say small, I mean small!

Growing up, I was the only girl in a primary class of three students. Even at this young age, it was always my dream to visit America. While studying Social Care in college, I was finally given the opportunity when I applied for a J1 Visa to work and travel in America for a three months period. I worked hard, saved up as much money as I could with the help of my family, and made my way to Huntington Beach, California in May of 2015. It was on this trip where my life took its first unexpected turn when I met my now husband, Andrew.

After returning to Ireland, I decided to pursue different interests and soon found a job as a sales consultant in a jewelry store. I loved what I was doing there and quickly realized that I had a passion for sales. During this time, Andrew and I continued to date long-distance, flying back and forth across the Atlantic to see one another. After several trips and difficult goodbyes, we got engaged, applied for a fiance visa and within three years, I was back living in America full-time.

My first job in America was at none other than The Hampton Social as a Lead Host in April 2019 in our Streeterville Chicago location. Within six months, I had been offered the position of Event Sales Manager in Nashville. I was absolutely thrilled! I was now back in a sales role doing what I loved most.

My husband also works with The Hampton Social so we made the decision to move to Nashville and start a new chapter in our lives. The Hampton Social opened in December 2019 and has been quite popular from the get go. I’m so grateful for the team we have there and the community that we call home!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I don’t think anything in life goes smoothly, lol. From living in a small village in Ireland, navigating a long-distance relationship, moving to a different country, and being away from my home and family, it has definitely been an eventful journey. The arrival of Covid also brought many additional challenges as I lost my events position in August 2020 after the Events Department in my company was put on hold. Fortunately, I was still able to stay on as a part of the team and continue working as a host during that difficult period when so many others lost their jobs completely. I am now back in my events role doing what I love. It is crazy to think that a little over a year ago, the whole world was put on shut down with no end in sight and now things are on the up and up. Events have been booming and July has definitely been the busiest month so far.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am now back in my role as the Events Sales Manager at The Hampton Social doing what I love. I manage private event sales and bookings here at The Hampton Social. We are fortunate that events have been booming and July has definitely been the busiest month so far.

What are your plans for the future?
My husband and I have dreams of owning our own restaurant in the future. We love working in the hospitality industry and want to hopefully build our own brand one day. Before we get around to doing that though, I would love to travel a bit more. We both have a passion for travel and taking some time to see the world is at the top of our list.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thehamptonsocial.com/nashville
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thehamptonsocial/

Image Credits
The Hampton Social