Profile: Stephanie Brolli 

Type of school & final school year: Secondary School for Tourism, 2012 

 

Dear Stephanie, how did you become who you are now? What were your most important career steps? 

 

First, let me thank you for the interview and let me begin with a few words about myself: I am 27 years old and have been working in tourism for almost 20 years. Even as a child, I loved entertaining our guests and serving the original platters to them. That is how my love for my profession developed. 

 

The five-year education at the Bad Gleichenberg Tourism School shaped me and laid the foundation for my career. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree from the ITM Private College in Bad Vöslau, I had the tools I needed to work in the field. I also completed the sommelier training at the WIFI. But in my opinion, practice is the key. For example, I first worked in Vienna at the Parkhotel Schönbrunn and then at the Marriott, both in the back-office area. At the weekends, I worked at home in our family business being always in direct contact with the guests. 

 

During this time, I quickly realised that Southern Styria is the place where my roots are and that this is exactly what I was looking for. For me, there is nothing more beautiful than making people happy. 

 

What are your 3 most important ToDo’s? 

Build a dynamic and passionate team 

Inspire our guests about Southern Styria 

Develop new ideas for the business 

 

What do you love most about your job? 

I myself travel a lot to get inspiration for our business from around the world. My network of colleagues helps me enormously in this regard. It is a cohesion that does not exist in any other industry. 

 

There is nothing better than seeing a guest happy, it is the small attentions that you can offer as a host that make a difference. Another aspect I love about this job is meeting new and fascinating people. 

 

We have been living with Corona for over a year now. How have you and the Weinrefugium Brolli managed during this time? Were you able to use the time for new things, for change? 

Our industry is facing completely new challenges. Already in 2020, it became apparent how adaptable, changeable and creative we were in responding to new challenges. While many industries were still in a state of shock, restaurant owners started with delivery and pick-up services and focused on prevention measures early on. We are a very dynamic industry. Flexibility is in our blood. That is why I am also positive about the future and I am convinced that we will see a big upswing in 2021. What gastronomy and the hotel industry can bring in terms of service is a great commodity that people are yearning for more and more again. We were able to experience this ourselves in Southern Styria last summer and autumn. Our region experienced one of the strongest seasons ever. People appreciate the real thing again. And this is where we in tourism can show our strengths to the full. 

 

The Weinrefugium Brolli is a family business in which three generations are now involved. That is certainly not always easy. How is that organised in your company? Are decisions made jointly, or does everyone decide in their own area? 

 

The Weinrefugium Brolli is a classic family business with about 15 employees; in the high season and at harvest time, the number increases to up to 35. There is a very familiar atmosphere here, everyone gets on with everyone else and the hierarchies are very flat. This inspires the creativity of the employees because ideas can be implemented very quickly. 

In general, for a family business it is important to find a good solution between the traditional way and new ideas and to decide with each other. Both opinions should be united in a common denominator. 

 

Your business is not only a hotel and wine tavern, but also a successful winery. And as a winery, you live from and with nature. How important is the issue of sustainability, and where and in what form is it visible to your guests? 

 

As the saying goes, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and that is exactly what we offer our guests. Fantastic wines from classic to vineyard verified wines. 

My father cultivates and refines these in a sustainable viticulture, so we only use sustainably labelled products in our house. 

In autumn 2021, we will replant a large part of our vines and move towards organic wine in the future, in order to support nature even better. 

 

As a committed and successful entrepreneur, you also have to be a visionary and have the energy to make it happen. Can you tell us one of your visions for your career and for your business? Where is your big journey heading to? 

 

For me, the overall concept only works if we, as businesses in Southern Styria, always remain real and work together. Real wines, real people, real hospitality and of course a landscape that is second to none. In addition, culinary delights ranging from an award-winning cuisine to wine taverns, and the best products from Southern Styria, offer a paradise for connoisseurs. 

 

Thus, my plan is to create a refuge for all delights in our house. But as my grandmother taught me as one of her wisdoms, it is important not to talk too much about plans, but to amaze people with new matters of facts. 

 

As we all know, the best way to learn is from the mistakes and successes of others.  

Do you have an example of your personal career do’s and don’ts for our TSBG family? 

 

In my opinion, we should try to make better use of our network to design and implement joint professional projects.