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S3:EP1: Apprentice to CEO: A podcast to my younger self
102 Plays2 months ago
At BaxterStorey we’re BIG on apprenticeships. We don’t just offer them. We champion them!
In this latest episode, our host and Chartered Management Degree Apprentice, Harry Rickard sits down with none other than our CEO, Ronan Harte to talk about the defining moments, lessons learned, and challenges along the way. Ronan’s story started as a chef apprentice in Ireland, learning the ropes in fast-paced kitchens, cruise ships and several leadership roles before stepping up as Chief Executive. Now, he’s sharing the insights and game-changing advice he wishes he’d known when starting out.
Together, they dive into the realities of career progression, the importance of resilience, and what it really takes to put yourself out there to succeed. And because no conversation is complete without a little fun – stick around for the quick-fire ‘This or That’ round to get to know Ronan beyond the boardroom.
Tune in now!
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Transcript
Introduction
00:00:00
Speaker
Welcome to FYI, the Baxter Story Podcast.
Meet the Host: Harry Richard
00:00:03
Speaker
I'm Harry Richard, Business Development Apprentice here at Baxter Story, and your host for today's episode.
National Apprenticeship Week and Hospitality
00:00:08
Speaker
This week, we're excited to celebrate National Apprenticeship Week, exploring the importance of apprenticeships and why they are a game changer in hospitality.
Guest Introduction: Ronan Hart
00:00:16
Speaker
We're joined by a very special guest today, our chief executive, Ronan Hart.
Ronan Hart's Career Journey
00:00:20
Speaker
Ronan has been with WSH for 13 years and started his journey in Chef White's as a young chef apprentice in Ireland.
00:00:27
Speaker
Very nice to see you. How long have you been in your apprenticeship now? A year and a half. Tell me about that. How's that going for you? Absolutely fantastic. Genuinely, the the opportunities that I've had even just within a year and a half have been extraordinary. I started off with operations and it was really just getting to know the roots of the business and sort of getting involved in what goes on day to day from a client's perspective, from our perspective, just getting involved in that and that. That was really insightful and then I've moved through the business, had different opportunities, got involved in finance a little bit here and there.
00:00:58
Speaker
done a lot of the audits that we do from a health and safety point of view and then now obviously moving into the business development role that I'm in. It's been extraordinary. I've met so many people within the business. I'm sat here with you today doing this podcast. It's fantastic. Not this bit for the rest. So so ah genuinely I couldn't have asked for more from this experience. I think you look at some companies and I know we spoke about it previously but You can sometimes feel as though it might be a bit daunting, but I've come into this apprenticeship and I've felt supported every step of the way. It's just been a great experience so far and along may it continue. Good. It's always been good to see you. I'm delighted to you and you are getting on brilliantly in it, so well done to you for that.
Why Choose Apprenticeships?
00:01:40
Speaker
Did you know you wanted to do an apprenticeship? So, originally, when I was in college, I actually wanted to do sports science, so I'm really into my football. Absolutely love it. Big, lovable supporter.
00:01:52
Speaker
and I actually applied at Loughborough University. And it turns out that the A levels I took, I couldn't actually get onto the degree course that I wanted to get onto. So then I chose a different degree course, but still around sports science, but it wasn't quite the same degree that I wanted. And I never got into Loughborough. And I had my eyes on Loughborough the whole time. I really wanted to get in. I was desperate to go there. I went around the campus with one with that. It was the only place I visited and I didn't get in. And this was about February time.
00:02:21
Speaker
bearing in mind that uni was starting in september so that i spoke to my mom and dad and they're both in the business world and i was like what can i do i'm i ah love money i like the thought of getting paid and i thought Why don't I look at apprenticeships? And I must have applied to 15 to 20 different apprenticeships. I had an interview with Louise Denton in June. And so from there, it kicked it off. I did site visits at Nat West, which is where I first worked. And then, yeah, the rest is history.
00:02:54
Speaker
So, Ronan, tell us about your first apprenticeship. How did you find it?
Ronan's Culinary Beginnings
00:02:58
Speaker
I think that's the thing about apprenticeships, particularly degree apprenticeships. Not everybody would know it's an opportunity. Not everyone would know it's a door that opens into businesses like ours and many, many others. And your question is a good question. that In my particular case, it was probably slightly different. I left school when I was 15. I dropped out for various different reasons. And at at that time,
00:03:23
Speaker
But apprenticeship, if you were 15 years of age, 16 years of age, an apprenticeship was the only route you really could go then. And it was a craft-based apprenticeship, whether you became a carpenter or an electrician or a chef, in my case. That was the route you went when you were 15 or 16. So I tried a few different things very, very briefly. And then I found myself starting on a chef apprenticeship when I was coming up to about 16.
00:03:47
Speaker
um I was lucky enough to find a very nice place to do that. I got in as a young chef, and then I aligned that, or it was a aligned for me to, you know, the the college, essentially, so I did my my certification along with that. um And that was the kind of start of my career, really. So I did as a chef, thinking on day one, day two, year one, I'd be a chef until the end of
Travel and Growth with Cunard Line
00:04:12
Speaker
time. Where did that change? I finished the apprenticeship. I did that.
00:04:17
Speaker
in Ireland and in two or three different restaurants of different levels in Ireland. A little bit of time in France in between and then i' and then back. When I was probably coming up on 20 years of age, I hadn't been away. I'd not traveled. Most of my friends who had done uni at this stage were all traveling and doing the thing. yeah I hadn't done that. I'd been working. So I wanted to go traveling, but I didn't want to pay for it myself. I wanted to save my money.
00:04:42
Speaker
So I joined a company called Cunard Line, who were a cruise ship company, cruise liner company. And I joined a ship called the QE2 back in the day, which is quite a well-known cruise transatlantic liner it was at. And I went on there, because that ship was the one that went round the world. It went everywhere. Australia, China, Japan, all these places I wanted to go. nice And I could go in comfort and get paid for it as well at the same time. What a benefit. As a benefit. So I joined them.
00:05:09
Speaker
as a chef's party, I suppose. And I spent quite a number of years there. I was lucky enough to move on quite quickly there. And after not too long, a few years, became the executive chef of that. So at that stage, I was whatever I was, maybe 24, 25, with 150 chefs reporting in of all different nationalities and everything else that goes on with that. And that was, for me, an enlightening view into management.
00:05:40
Speaker
So that was less about being a chef. and That was more about management of how you get 150 people of different nationalities, 40 odd different nationalities, to do something for you when you're in some cases half their age. So that struck a chord in me in terms of management. And I suppose at that point I knew that my days in the kitchen were numbered.
00:06:02
Speaker
and I wanted out, I wanted to go and do management. So I went off from there, I did a number of different things, I then went to the hotel management, I went into the design team for cruise ships, where they were designing these bigger ships that are coming out these days, restaurant concepts, mobilisations, all that kind of stuff. And in all of that, that was kind of driving me.
The Importance of Attitude
00:06:21
Speaker
down a route of management and drive me down a route of entrepreneurialism where I wanted to start my own company, I wanted to start my own business. I knew I wanted to do something, relate to companies and those types of things, but I really wanted to do it for myself actually.
00:06:36
Speaker
And it's interesting how even just starting out, I mean, did you know what you wanted to do before you started the apprenticeship? Never, not a chance. Didn't even know I wanted to be a chef until five minutes before I got a job. It's interesting because even an apprenticeship that you didn't feel like maybe you wanted to do is led into... such a role that you've got now and has led you through those experiences and chucked you into the executive chef, you're managing 150 chefs, seat you just don't expect it to lead into that sort of thing and I think it's really interesting and with that I'd imagine you faced a lot of challenges in your apprenticeship, I'd imagine it not necessarily got everything right all the time. In my case it happened to be a chef apprenticeship but I think in anything your attitude
00:07:21
Speaker
takes you an awful long way. You as a person and your attitude will take you a long way. Now whether that's in hospitality or in any other walk of life, how you treat people, how you interact, all those types of things will take you a very long way. So that's a really important one to remember. The second one is the hospitality industry is an incredible industry.
Opportunities Beyond University
00:07:42
Speaker
It is one of the few industries, sectors that you can still come into today as a commie chef and you could still become the CEO. that There are very few businesses or organisations where you can achieve that. You don't need a university education to get into the business, as you as you well know, and all you need to do is have a really good attitude, you know, get on, listen. Yeah, of course you've got to be able to do it, but if that's achievable then there's no end.
00:08:13
Speaker
you can start off as a chef, you can become a hotel manager, or you can go to Australia, or you can go here. There's this unbelievable amount of of roads you can take in this industry, which is what makes it so good. it ah It can take you so many places. It's so versatile in terms of what you can learn. You can encounter every type of scenario, whether that's at 12 o'clock on a Tuesday night with the Amazon logistics, or yeah whether that's Saturday morning with the with the leave in France. It's amazing. Well, there you go. I mean, just two good examples.
00:08:40
Speaker
You know, from Amazon to the Louvre in Paris or Red Bull or Spurs or depending what you want to law firms here in London. This is a massively diverse business. Sometimes it's very hard to communicate this business out to the wider world. You may well have witnessed this in your time to get in. Yes. You know, we're not a brand that everyone knows, but yet we interact with some fabulous businesses. Absolutely. You know, how we get that message out for National Apprenticeship Week, we're doing this podcast.
00:09:10
Speaker
you know, how we get that message out from the next cohort about who we are, what we are, and the opportunity that exists here in our organisation, I think, is really important.
Networking and Relationships
00:09:19
Speaker
I completely agree. And I think it's such a great way for people to get involved with this business because there's so many opportunities out there and you meet so many people. um I've met so many people already going out and meeting clients and the the network that you build is for life. So what's the biggest challenge you faced in your apprenticeship, Matt?
00:09:35
Speaker
I think for me, in my apprenticeship and in life in general, I've been very lucky to come across great people who have helped me along the way. I've gotten along well, I've built good relationships and and out of those, I've always encountered people who wanted to help me to move on to the next thing.
00:09:51
Speaker
you know, whatever that was, was line managers or people or business owners. And again, you know, that's important. I mean, you come in, you move on through other of people seeing something in you that they think is good and they offer you the next opportunity. yeah you know and I think most people you come across, the majority of people in our industry want help.
00:10:12
Speaker
yeah If you've got the right approach, they will want to help you. And I think that, that for me, as I went through different stages of my career, in particularly my early career, it was on the back of people helping me to go here and there. You often think, how did I end up in this place? you know I hadn't met that person.
00:10:30
Speaker
Back then, I wouldn't have taken that turn in the road, yeah which then led to that and got me to where I am today. You often, when you have a spare few minutes, think, well, where could I have gone? If I met somebody else, would the journey have been massively different? I don't know. The attitude part would still be there, yes but the end point would definitely be different. It is interesting where just little little things lead, and I think the biggest takeaway from that, for from my point of view, is is put yourself out there. Big time. bi is the The worst someone can say is, I can't help you right now. Yeah, but if you don't put yourself out there, that's never going to happen. Exactly. So, go I mean, I've had loads more yeses than I've had noes. I've had loads more replies to emails, replies to phone calls and people offering the help. what What projects can I help you? what what What can I get you involved in? That sort of thing. Well, you do that, and you know, when you ask anybody, listen, would you do me a favour? 99% of people are going to say yes.
00:11:26
Speaker
If there's one piece of advice you could give for your younger self that when you start in your apprenticeship, for those people who've maybe not yet started apprenticeships or want a piece of advice if you're going into it, what's one thing that you would have told yourself when you started out?
00:11:40
Speaker
I could never, when I started out, see myself where I am today, that would be that would have been impossible. Of course, it would have been impossible. I thought, in my early stages, I thought I'd end up in my own business, whether that would be a restaurant or that would be a business. I did have a business before I came into WSH. I sold it and did something else. but what would i I'd probably just say, just be patient.
00:12:04
Speaker
It's an interesting one because I think everyone's journey is different. I think some people may feel like they're not progressing as fast as others, but it's not about progressing as fast. It's about getting that quality experience from what I've experienced so far. Particularly in the early stages of the apprenticeship, you know, you have to be patient.
00:12:24
Speaker
And I think, particularly society these days, there's less patience around. It's very commercial. A lot of it's about money now and things that people want to have. But you have to be patient to get there. Now, if you do an apprenticeship in any business, and even in ours, you know as you're going to that apprenticeship, opportunities will come up. And they may well pay more money, which will be attractive.
00:12:50
Speaker
But in the longer term, that may not be the answer. Taking your time to really learn it before you think you're going to jump because I've got an extra few thousand pounds over here in this opportunity, you throw it all away and then you get cornered and your opportunity to really develop goals. So patience is a very important thing.
00:13:10
Speaker
and taking that time to learn all the input skills. Get the bases in, get the foundations in, build your network around you, you know, and you're doing that really well. That, all of that.
00:13:22
Speaker
is very important. and We see the apprentices to come through the business. We can see the ones who are the most successful. And the ones who are the most successful are the ones who took time to build their foundations, build everyone around, build their relations, get the experience. Make sure that everyone knows who they are, because that's really important too. You've got to get your elbows out and make sure people know who you are. But but just patience is important. Completely agree. I think that's a really valuable piece of information.
00:13:49
Speaker
So in terms of people looking at apprenticeships and maybe people wanting to take on apprenticeships no matter what age they are, what do you think some misconceptions about apprenticeships may be in terms of what what might people think may be the negatives, may not be the negatives, what do you think? I think there was a ah period of time here in the UK over over the last decade or even 15 years where apprenticeships in university was the only way I never believed that. Why would I have given my own background? I think university is definitely a very valuable route for individuals, for certain people who want to do things, you know, what you want to do. Apprenticeships are a brilliant way forward into all manners of careers now, not just to like some WSA jar, those craft-based apprenticeships we talked about, anything you can do in a green apprenticeship. And of course, you don't leave with
00:14:43
Speaker
big loans and bills to pay you leave with the advantage you know when you come through your apprenticeship you haven't got all those bills to pay but also you've built your network you've got real time experience so you know you're not then entering the workplace i don't want to later time I think it's a huge advantage. I agree as well because I think even just my time working in the business, that time spent with people and those interactions and understanding how different people work, how different people want to be managed, yeah that's a massive, that's so valuable. I think there's a huge advantage in doing that.
00:15:18
Speaker
You know, that really drives it forward. I completely agree. I think that's so valuable. And obviously you've worked in many kitchens being a ah chef apprentice and I've worked in kitchens as well with the chefs and stuff. And how does being an apprentice where maybe you feel a little bit nervous at first going in, how how do you approach that dynamic? How do you add to that dynamic in terms of being valuable as an apprentice for someone who might want it to go into that sort of thing? To push yourself out of your comfort zone.
00:15:46
Speaker
Ask questions. Don't be afraid to ask that question that you think is a bit dumb. you know We all do that. I do it every single day of the week. you know You've got a question. You've got to put yourself out there. You've got to put the effort in. You've got to turn up on time. You've got to do all those important things. But then when you're there, you've got to really show the interest and want to learn. If you want to learn, then you will learn.
00:16:08
Speaker
How do you see them developing within the next 10 years, whether that's in the hospitality industry or just apprenticeships in general? or How do you see that going forward in terms of what they'll be coming, how important they'll be coming to people?
Future of Apprenticeships
00:16:18
Speaker
I think apprenticeships over the next 10 years are going to hit the same levels as University of Nohar.
00:16:26
Speaker
Why wouldn't they? I think there's momentum behind this process of degree apprenticeships you know in all different walks of life in different businesses. More and more are going to say, why wouldn't I do that instead of going to uni? I will come out more experienced, perhaps. I'll come out earlier. I'll come out dead free.
00:16:46
Speaker
I'll have bit my built my network, all of those things. Why is that not more attractive? It won't be for everybody. It depends what you want to do. If you want to be a brain surgeon, you probably need to go to uni. I really think there's momentum behind this. I think with people like you and your colleagues here at WSS who are doing the degree apprenticeships and many, many more across the whole of the country,
00:17:08
Speaker
I think this is going to get a lot of momentum. mind I hope it does. I'm totally behind it personally for my own reasons. I just think it's the way forward. I completely agree. I think it adds value to both the company and the apprentice. I think the the apprentice can add values to the company. The company can nurture them, train them, that they can become the managers that the company wants them to be. Definitely. The apprentice gains the experience and life experience. Earlier on, the the people skills, it's so valuable, I think, to both the companies and and the people.
00:17:38
Speaker
and your companies like ours. need that flow of really good talent into our business. It's very important for us that we are nurturing our own talent, to use that phrase, early on. People like you coming in, doing apprenticeships, showing your interest in the business. As we grow our business, we need more and more managers, more and more directors, more and more of all of these positions coming through. And you know you need a balance in everything in life, but the more of those you have internally, the better your business is.
00:18:10
Speaker
You know, that's the nature of it. You know, that's how you get good stable growth. Yeah. um So it's very important to us that we have a ah strong network of people coming through the business all the time. And, you know, we've got a big responsibility to invest and train and develop in that cohort of people coming through. Completely great. It's really interesting to
Fun Q&A with Ronan
00:18:29
Speaker
see that insight. So thank you for that. I really appreciate it.
00:18:32
Speaker
Just moving away from the apprenticeship questions a little bit. This is going to be a little bit of a i get-to-know-you now. yeah So I'm going to ask you 10 questions. It's a this or that. OK. So I just want quick fire. you You give me whichever one you prefer. Is that all right? Go for it. Amazing. Do you prefer sun or snow? As you discover me, nothing is straightforward. I like both in the same portions. I'm not a massive skier. I like it, but I don't do it every year. I'd love to get into it. I've never done it. Likewise,
00:19:00
Speaker
The sun. I like the sun, but I don't like it too hot. That's my Irish roots. So a perfect 25 degrees is nice for me. Anything more than that is too much. Coffee or tea? Coffee until 10 o'clock. And the main line in tea after that for the rest of the day.
00:19:15
Speaker
cheese or bread or both? Bread all day long which is not good. Bread all the time and in front of my home I make my own. Running or cycling? Cycling always. My knees wouldn't take the running. I'm a mountain biker. Oh nice. We're not cyclists, we're mountain bikers. Yeah, it's different. they where like we don't We don't wear like grey. Just the ah cargo shorts. That's it. Cats or dogs? We have both.
00:19:41
Speaker
We also have hamsters. How do they all get along with each other? So we'll just keep the hamsters away from the catnare, all right? I'm a dog person. Spaniels. I've always said Spaniels. Nice. I like Spaniels.
00:19:52
Speaker
TV or books? Books. I watch TV, not masters of it, but I'd prefer books. Great. Starter or dessert? Depends on the mood. It really depends on the mood. I'm going to have to agree with you there. Yeah, it depends on the mood. And if I'm really hungry, I'll have both. You're more than likely both. Yeah, more than likely both. I completely agree with that. Are you an early bird or a night owl? Early. I'm up every single morning by quarter past five.
00:20:21
Speaker
I'm not an evening person. I can survive in the evening. I've got a dinner some tonight to go to. i I can do it. But every morning I'm up by a quarter plus five. Nice. Lovely. Football or rugby? Rugby. All day long. honey I need the answers to that. All day. Having this podcast.
00:20:36
Speaker
but Coming off a successful weekend for Irish rugby. I know. It started in the Six Nations. Good first half for England. Good first half. Couldn't keep it up in the second. Guinness or Murphy's? Guinness. Well, Kilderma, but close to Dublin. So Guinness. Murphy's is more of a cork.
00:20:53
Speaker
south ireland Yeah, that is the last question, but just on the back of that, where is the best pint of Guinness that you've ever had? Oh really, okay. So the best pint the Guinness I have had, and if I'm in Dublin, I will always go and have, is a pub called Grogons in Dublin. Grogons in Dublin.
00:21:11
Speaker
So if you ever go to Dublin, Grogan's is the place to go for a very good pint of Guinness. Here in London, Guinness is always a bit touch and go. It's nothing to do, it doesn't travel, it's more to do with how you manage it and the lines and all that kind of stuff. So places like Daffodil Mulligan's, in shortage, would be where you go to get a very good pint of Guinness. Amazing. Very valuable piece of permission. Owned and managed by an Irishman.
00:21:38
Speaker
Of course. He knows his goodness. Of course. OK, amazing. Thanks for that. I think that that was that was very insightful. Back to the apprenticeship stuff. Do you have any final advice for people looking to take up apprenticeships in terms of they're looking at it, they've listened to the podcast today, they they want to go into any advice for for those people?
00:21:56
Speaker
Yeah, my advice would be, by definition of where you are if you're looking at a great apprenticeship, you're more than likely going to be like yourself, just out of school, perhaps, just out of your exams. So, I would say don't overthink it.
00:22:11
Speaker
ah You're at a very early stage in your career. You will not be able to plan everything to retirement. Life just does not work that way. You meet people that journey changes as you go along. So don't overthink it. Do lots of research. Choose the business that you think fits with you, you know, whether that's the kind of thing you want to be in or the kind of business you want to be around. Choose well. Make sure they have a good support network yeah that is really important. You choose an organisation that can support you in your degree apprenticeship. I would say equally choose an organisation if you can that's got other degree apprenticeships or apprentices at the same time because then you've got your own network which I'm sure you probably find valuable to yourself. Support from everyone else and everyone going through the same sort of experience is nice to have because it's someone to lean on and ask questions as well.
00:23:06
Speaker
So in terms of my biggest takeaway from today, yeah I think what really stuck with me was when you spoke about the attitude, and I think that's the most important thing I've taken away from today, because I think it doesn't matter how well you do in school, whether you like school, whether you didn't like school, I don't think school's for everyone personally. Exams doesn't suit everyone. Some people are more practical, I think. But if you go into the apprenticeship with a good attitude, do you apply yourself, you you get yourself out there, you get speaking to people, I think,
00:23:33
Speaker
just your attitude alone can take you so far and I think that's really what I've taken away from today and especially from your point of view, I know you you have the same feeling. I think that's a really great takeaway because everyone can have a good attitude and I think everyone can come into it and apply themselves. I think that's really valuable. School is not for everybody. That doesn't mean that it's right or wrong. People find themselves outside of school for all manner of reasons.
00:23:59
Speaker
something to do with the way they've behaved themselves perhaps. In a lot of certain sites I think people find themselves out of school for things that they couldn't affect whether that's personal life, social, family, financial, to so many reasons why you're out of school it didn't fit with you.
00:24:15
Speaker
But that's only a very small portion of your life, a really small portion of your life. When you come out of school, you have a massive life ahead of you. So you can't, school is not the be-all and end-all in terms of how your life will develop. And that's why we're we're talking about attitude. You're here today, you've got great attitude, and you put yourself forward, and that's more important, actually, to all these things, that's much more important.
00:24:37
Speaker
If you're out of school, you're out of school. I wouldn't suggest everyone walks out the door of school today. And I've got my own, in my own house, ah and my my children have got daughters who are 14. And, you know, when they want to wind me up, they say, well, we're going to leave school next year because that's what you did. You think they've done all right, you know? And I find myself convincing them about the fact that, no, you got to stay in, you got to do university or degree apprentices, but they, you know, thank you, they're only winding me up. But it is...
00:25:06
Speaker
It's not the be all and end all. you know That's a great point. there are Even if you if you come out of school, if you happen to be unfortunate, if you haven't done that well, in skill, you could still do brilliantly in life. Absolutely. So, you know, don't anyone tell you any differently? Absolutely. I completely agree. What's next for you from here? What do you do next? I've got some work to finish off a little bit and then I'm going to actually meet my mum at the station in London and we're going to travel back up to Manchester to get more about yourself. I know you mentioned you got a dinner tonight. I've got a dinner tonight to go to springboard dinner tonight and then I'm out to France on Wednesday and Thursday to our businesses over in Paris. Lovely. Some over there for a couple of days and then back in London and again on Friday. So that's the diverse nature of this business, which is what we love so much. A lot of opportunity to get out and travel in as well. No two weeks are the same, we just love it so much. Nice full on week as well for you. Yeah it is. Busy life is a happy life. Exactly.
00:26:00
Speaker
So yeah, so it's been great to chat to you today. I really appreciate it. I think everyone else listening will find it really valuable. I've definitely found it valuable. I've really enjoyed listening to your insights, especially about apprenticeships. And thank you to the listeners as well. Thank you for joining us on this episode of FYI, the Baxter Story podcast.
00:26:18
Speaker
I hope you've found this as inspiring as I have and apprenticeships are for absolutely everyone so if you want to get involved please feel free to get in touch we'd be happy to take on as many apprentices as we possibly can and give everyone the best opportunity. Don't forget to subscribe for more engaging hot topics and stay tuned for upcoming episodes.