Q: What do you think sets your company, Brittain Resorts, apart in marketing?

Carlie Fletcher: Innovation, definitely. We’re always looking for the next big thing. Right now, we’re diving into AI—using it for content creation and data analytics. I’m not sure many other hotel management companies are doing that. We’re always pushing to stay at the forefront of technology, not just accepting the status quo.

Q: It sounds like the company has a culture that encourages that forward-thinking. What’s that like?

Carlie Fletcher: It’s incredibly supportive. From the CEO down, there’s this mentality of, “What do you need to get your job done?” That openness to new ideas makes us more willing to try things. Even if we invest in something that doesn’t work out exactly how we want it, it’s okay—we learn from it and move on. We always test new products with a few properties before deciding to roll them out company-wide.

Q: You mentioned your team earlier. How does Brittain’s creative team help with your marketing efforts?

Carlie Fletcher: We’ve got a fantastic in-house creative team led by Sarah Gerlach, who manages design, photography, videography, and email. Along the way, we discovered that one of our designers Michael Daniel, also has a passion for photography and videography. Now he handles most of that in-house, which has been a huge advantage, both in terms of cost savings and the speed at which we can roll out new content.

Q: What guiding principles do you live by, both professionally and personally?

Carlie Fletcher: Family is my top priority. I just had my first child, Claire, and she’s a huge part of my life now. Brittain is very family-oriented too, which makes it a great place to work. The company has been incredibly flexible and supportive, especially with company benefits such as maternity leave.

Q: What advice would you give to someone just starting out who wants to move up to an executive role?

Carlie Fletcher: Never stop learning and growing. Ask questions, network, and get involved in extra activities. At BRH, that would include things like the Women’s Leadership Alliance and the Community Engagement Council. You want to build a strong internal network so that when promotions arise, people think of you first.

Q: What’s a mistake you’re glad you made?

Carlie Fletcher: (Laughs) I was an accounting major at first because my parents thought it was a stable career. But I got to a point where I realized I couldn’t do it anymore. I switched to marketing at the last minute, and it turns out I love it! So even though it felt like a mistake at the time, it led me to where I am now.

Q: If you weren’t in the hotel business, what would you do?

Carlie Fletcher: I’d run a doggie daycare! I absolutely love dogs, so that’s definitely something I could see myself doing.