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From Growing Up Together to Working Together: Team Member Tracy Recruits the “Cousin Club” to Join Her at Hilton Liverpool

Hilton Careers Team

16 March 2023

Europe, Middle East, AfricaHilton cultureTeam Member stories

Meet Tracy Colley, Sales Director,  Hilton Liverpool, and “The Cousin Club”: Jennah, John, Annie, Maggie, and Kate – family members and Hilton Team Members! How do six family members end up working at the same Hilton hotel? Keep reading to hear the full story of how Tracy’s career in hospitality and Hilton’s contagious culture inspired this whole family to join the Hilton Liverpool team.

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Tracy’s Hospitality Journey

Tracy has worked in hospitality for 25 years! She started as a Front Desk Agent and has worked in many various positions in the industry that led her to eventually join Hilton in September 2021 as a Director of Sales at the Hilton Liverpool.  “Hilton took my breath away from the moment I had my first interview. Every person I have met has made me feel like part of the Hilton family – the Hilton Liverpool team, UK & Ireland team, and the Hilton Global Team. Everyone is so helpful and accommodating.” Tracy loves working on the sales team at Hilton and attributes her positive experience to Hilton’s inclusive and collaborative culture. “Every day is different – you can be working with a football team one minute, then the next you are working on a proposal to help our city win the Eurovision song contest. What truly makes Hilton stand out is the teamwork we have, career opportunities, impactful benefits, and an outstanding travel program!”
How “Cousin Club” Came to the Hilton Liverpool
All five cousins grew up with less than a one-year age difference and loved being together so much that they started calling themselves the Cousin Club. Growing up as a close-knit family, the Cousin Club had a unique childhood where they witnessed all the excitement and experiences that came with Tracy’s career in hospitality. "A lot of the family gatherings and parties were always at hotels, so the kids were familiar with feeling the warmth hotels have to offer," Tracy shares.  When the Hilton Liverpool was hiring and Tracy posted on LinkedIn to share job openings with her network, she was stunned to see that the LinkedIn messages inquiring about working for Hilton came from her own family. “They all messaged me that they would love to work for Hilton! Each of them was so excited to apply, and even had practice interview sessions at home. All the kids supported each other so they could absolutely smash their interviews.” Their applications were reviewed by the hotel, and each cousin was invited to interview at the hotel individually.  “The interviewer was so impressed with each one of their eagerness to join the team. Jennah and Kate started first, followed by Annie, Maggie, and John. They were so excited to tell all their friends that their first job ever was at an amazing Hilton hotel in the city!
I love seeing them all work together and listening to the chatting about work at family gatherings. They all absolutely love it – the smiles never leave their faces and not one of them complains about going to work. They also have the proudest Grandma who tells all her friends about her grandchildren that work for Hilton.”
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Tracy’s 50th and John & Jennah’s 16th Birthday Celebrations with the Whole Family, including Grandma front and center (left photo), Beach Day in West Kirby, England, a family favorite (right photo)

The Impact Working Together at the Hilton Liverpool Has Made
Jennah building her hospitality knowledge and career: “I work in the Food & Beverage department, in both events and the restaurant. Since I am studying Travel and Tourism at college, I told my mom how badly I wanted to work at Hilton to work toward my career goals of being a leader in the hospitality industry!” John loves making memories when he works on unique events: “Growing up, I loved seeing the amazing pictures Mum showed me of the events that happen at the hotel. Now I get to work in Conferences and Events with my family! I love how we collaborate well, have fun, and get to be part of memorable events together.” Annie remembers the magic of visiting hotels from her childhood and is proud to bring these memories to life: “When I was little, I always looked up to my Aunties working in hotels and loved going to the hotel for events and dinner. Now I get to live the magic every time I go to work, and still spend time with my awesome family!”  Maggie loves recapping every shift with her family: “One of my favorite parts of working with my family is when we take the train home together and talk the whole way home as we reflect on everything that happened during our shifts.” Kate is working towards her professional goals: “I am a lover of the business world, and it is my dream to work at a large successful company. I love working toward my career goals while also getting to work with my family. It is so much fun and motivating because my cousins drive me to be my best and always wear a smile!”
Tracy’s Love for her Family and Hilton
Hospitality is Tracy’s passion, and she dedicates her free time to spreading awareness of the opportunities the industry offers. “When I am not at the hotel, I work with local schools and further education colleges to teach the next generation the endless opportunities hospitality has to offer. You do not always have to be the top student because hospitality is all about your personality and values – I am in fact dyslexic and took my math exam seven times before getting into university. Hilton gives each Team Member the opportunity to achieve your goals and have fun along the way, and I cannot wait to see where the Cousin Clubs kickstart their career with Hilton takes them next.” Tracy’s career led her to share a love of hospitality with the world, inspiring even her own family to join her to work at Hilton. Whether it is a kickstart to a career or growing into a leadership role, there is a place for everyone to join the Hilton family.  *While we're aware that familial relationships in the workplace can be a conflict of interest, these relationships have been vetted and none of the Team Members featured supervise one another. 
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