Exec finds career success through tough personal odds
MARRIOT Hotel’s Marketing Communications Director Mitch Garcia is always looking for growth opportunities. “I don’t want to be stagnant,” she says. Photo By Ma. Esther Salcedo–Posadas, Contributor
The Philippine Marketing Communications Director of one of the world’s leading hotel chains has risen steadily to the top, thanks to a rough start in her personal life that made her determined to gain success.
Mitch Garcia is a single mother and she was an 18-year old college sophomore when things unfolded. “My daughter’s dad is Chinese and they were wealthy. We were high school mates but it was during college when he courted me. Then I got pregnant unexpectedly,” she recalls.
The families started planning for a wedding in Binondo Church but after further discussions and heartaches, the planned union never materialized. After that incident, she didn’t see the father anymore until her daughter’s fourth year.
It was also around the time of her pregnancy in 2000 when her immediate family experienced a reversal of fortune. Previously, her father who was employed at San Miguel Corporation, retired from the company and used his savings to purchase a fishing vessel (200 person capacity) that became a very lucrative family business until 1999 when a big storm ended up sinking the boat. As a consequence, they had to sell their 180 square meter house in Caloocan and moved to a 30 square meter abode that had to fit her parents and their four children. They also had to give up their maids. Her mother maintained a sari-sari store in the premises.
Given the above circumstances, Garcia remembers being the topic for gossip around the barangay. Nevertheless, such desperate times inspired her to do better. “I said to myself that I will rise again and I will prove to everyone that I was once wrong but I will be successful,” she said.
Of course, success didn’t happen overnight. She remembers that after they had to let go of their maids, the task of doing the family laundry (no washing machine then) became hers. She also had to stop schooling for a year because of her pregnancy. She also helped her mother cook and sell in the home store.
During the ordeal, her mother would always remind her to pray the novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help so she can give birth safely. Her parents continued to assist her and didn’t take her condition against her. After giving birth, she returned to school but continued to breastfeed for the next two years.
She remembered a time during her Public Speaking 101 class her classmates laughed at her after they saw that the breast milk was leaking through her white uniform. She simply ignored them.
While finishing her studies, she continued to wake up at 3 a.m. to do her laundry chores and also worked on the side as a promo girl for Lucky Strike and Pillsbury. During her stints promoting pancakes at the Repertory theater in Shangri-La Mall, she would get mesmerized at the plays and would say to herself, “I will bring my family to something like this.” This provided her greater motivation to work harder.
Garcia’s first job after school was as a receptionist at Rockwell Land Corporation (RLC). For three months, she also tried to work on a second job as an agent at a call center. After six months at RLC, however, she was promoted to PR and Events Coordinator for Power Bowl (bowling alley) at the Power Plant Mall.
Garcia’s employment didn’t stop her from exercising entrepreneurial abilities. One day, a celebrity client approached her and asked whether she could recommend a party planner for her son’s 7th birthday.
On the spot, Garcia remembered the numerous trips she had with her mother to Divisoria and knew how she could obtain party materials there. She volunteered herself as the party planner and said that she could also include hosting in the package. The first event led to more parties for other clients.
Aside from helping her family, Garcia also saved whatever extra she could earn for one particular purpose. She wanted to sue the father of her daughter for not providing alimony. In 2005, she did just that and eventually settled with the father at P 4,000 a month sustenance.
After three years at RLC, Garcia moved to Fuego Hotels Inc. as Marketing Communications Assistant and was promoted after three months to Marketing Communications Manager. She stayed with the company for more than two years.
She had a short stint with Thunderbird Resorts until she joined Marriott Hotel in the Philippines in 2009 as Marketing Communications Manager. She has since been promoted to her current position as Marketing Communications Director.
“I’m loving everything about my job. It’s tough but it’s fulfilling working with different types of people,” she affirms.
She further explains that Marriot Hotel has a good tradition of taking care of people. “Take care of your associates (meaning employees) so they can take care of your guests. And your guests will take care of your business.”
Garcia always seeks growth opportunities for herself. So when she heard over the radio that a beauty contest for married women and single mothers was open, a thought entered her mind, “Why not join? This might be another time to level up.”
The Mrs. Philippines—Globe national pageant was held last May 25 at Sofitel Hotel. Garcia received the Life Story Award —a testament to the personal struggles that she has managed to overcome.
When asked whether her early experience in life left her scarred, she doesn’t think so. “I just want to have my own happy family someday,” she quips.
Although Garcia sometimes wonders whether she can go through the hassles of pregnancy again, she continues: “Having a baby is a priceless gift. My daughter is my angel and she is the best blessing that I got.”
