The world has seen a significant increase in the number of women leaders leading successful businesses in recent years. This is a positive development, as it demonstrates that women are increasingly breaking through the barriers that have traditionally prevented them from rising to positions of leadership and achieving success in the business world.

Simone Mayer is the CEO of FOH®, a global organization that she leads alongside a remarkable team. She has a strong passion for serving clients and organizations worldwide, which stems from her family’s background in manufacturing innovation in South Africa. Simone’s journey began during her pursuit of an MBA at Columbia, where she met her spouse and business partner, Mayda Perez. Simone’s interest in manufacturing and design led her to establish her company, which began as a stylish retail store called real.life.basic in 2002. The store’s unique tabletop products and accessories caught the attention of local hoteliers and restaurateurs, who were seeking something different from mainstream hospitality manufacturers. In response to their needs, Simone established her own line of products and a wholesale division, which grew into the successful FOH® brand that has flourished for two decades. As FOH® enters its 21st year, Simone looks back on the last decades with pride, nostalgia, and excitement.

FOH®

FOH® is a women-owned business and has been recognized as a Certified Great Place to Work® since 2016. Recently, FOH® has received a new designation as a Certified LGBT Business Enterprise® from the National Third-Party Certifying Body (NGLCC): National LGBT Chamber of Commerce on June 23, 2021. FOH® is proud to receive this outstanding certification, which demonstrates their commitment to inclusivity and diversity in the workplace. It’s incredible to think that the challenges they faced as a new company have now become their proudest assets, helping them to establish themselves as a disruptor in the industry.

FOH® has continued to grow and diversify over the years, with Front of the House® and room360° by FOH® serving different segments of the foodservice and hospitality industry. Front of the House® focuses on providing dinnerware collections, serving pieces, and buffet essentials that complement any aesthetic and enhance chefs’ plating visions. Meanwhile, room360° by FOH® is dedicated to designing and manufacturing hospitality lifestyle accessories for hotels, spas, and design firms. It’s impressive to see how FOH® has evolved over time to become a leader in multiple areas of the industry.

Cultivating and Creating Brand Partnerships

FOH® has been cultivating and creating brand partnerships with similar companies that speak to the next generation of designers, chefs, and hospitality groups, including national companies like The James Beard Foundation and Marriott International, along with local restaurants, stadiums, clubs, & universities, as well as healthcare facilities.

Simone feels fortunate and grateful to work in a diverse environment, especially as FOH®’s headquarters is located in Miami, FL, known as the world’s melting pot. Both Simone and Mayda come from different backgrounds and traditions—Simone is from South Africa, and Mayda is from Puerto Rico—which enrich their perspectives of the world and inspire them to design and relate to all sorts of customs and cultures worldwide. FOH®’s team respects and values inclusivity across all ages, genders, and skin colors, creating a community of thinkers and doers in the foodservice and hospitality industry.

Bringing New Approaches

As a pioneering female manufacturer, Simone takes pride in FOH®’s unwavering dedication to research and development, as well as the substantial investments they make in technology to continually pioneer innovative design approaches. Every aspect of their products, from materials to processes and techniques, is meticulously considered and executed to meet the demands of the industry. They prioritize aesthetics while ensuring commercial-grade durability and functionality, a level of detail that comes only from years of experience.

Simone and Mayda are propelled forward and inspired by exciting collaborations and partnerships that complement FOH®’s brands, both internally and externally. By working with clients and partners, they can continue to transform and challenge the foodservice and hospitality industries by creating unique experiences and offering alternative solutions. The company’s expansion into numerous segments has allowed them to broaden their reach and have a more substantial global and local impact. FOH® believes that it is their fundamental responsibility as a business, community, and family to be agents of change and advocates for diversity, inclusivity, and sustainability.

Simone believes in leading by example and promoting a collaborative workspace where everyone feels seen and heard. In this environment, there are no limitations on great ideas, and growth is limitless. A passion for excellence fuels the team’s success. However, creating this type of workplace is not always easy, and it takes ongoing effort and commitment.

Leading in Male Dominated World

Simone faced numerous obstacles, such as working as a woman in an industry dominated by men. When Mayda and Simone established the company, the world did not seem as accepting as it is now, particularly because they were women launching FOH®️. However, she is extremely proud to say that they conquered those initial challenges and have flourished by staying committed to the company’s fundamental principles.

The pandemic posed a recent and formidable challenge for FOH®️ since their primary clients, hotels and restaurants, were effectively closed for nearly a year. While 2020 was an arduous year in many respects, it gave the business a chance to reflect not only on how they conducted operations, but also on their underlying motivations. Being a minority- and family-owned enterprise, they also felt the impact of the crisis. Recognizing the need to rapidly adapt to meet customer needs, FOH®️ recognized the imperative to take action.

To address PPE shortages, they launched FOH®️ Health Essentials, their third brand, in addition to Front of the House®️ and room360 by FOH®️. Their objective was to provide immediate and enduring benefits to their clients and the people they serve, while also supporting their industry. This unanticipated development proved to be a blessing in disguise, enabling FOH®️ to donate over a million face masks to their community.

Setting the Stage for More Solution-Focused Approaches

Simone emphasizes that FOH®️ is committed to being a leading global enterprise by prioritizing innovation, adaptability, and flexibility to benefit their team, partners, and industry. They maintain a solution-oriented approach that emphasizes connection rather than merely transactions, which has always set their brands apart and will continue to do so as they expand. The previous few years have been focused on strategic planning to achieve substantial global growth, aided by their WBENC and NGLCC certifications, worldwide distribution centers, broad range of showrooms, and extensive product offerings.

Simone is more determined than ever to make a positive impact on the world through FOH®’s brands and its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) program, From Our Hearts ™. This program holds the company accountable for giving back 1% of team members’ time, 2% of product donations, and 3% of annual profits to various charitable organizations. FOH® will continue to innovate by designing, producing, and launching new collections that cater to all hospitality sectors and challenge conventional design boundaries. The company believes that they are on the verge of something truly remarkable.

Guidance for Emerging Women Leaders

Simone’s 20 years of experience have given her the opportunity to coach, mentor, and partner with others, especially women leaders. Her advice to them is to value and nourish diversity in all its forms and work daily to keep their company’s culture strong.

As for her go-to phrases for motivation:

• Believe in yourself and your abilities, and you can accomplish anything you set your mind to.
• Challenges are opportunities for growth, and we become stronger by overcoming them.
• Persistence is key. Don’t give up on your goals, even when the going gets tough.

Simone believes that it’s essential to normalize women’s presence in business and that women should always have an equal voice in any industry. They should feel empowered to pursue their professional and personal goals without sacrificing either one.

Website: https://frontofthehouse.com/