Founder of Keels Collab, LLC. I’m an inspired visionary and diverse, creative leader with 25+ years extensive experience in luxury hotels, country clubs & boutique restaurants. I have trailblazed a highly successful path in leadership and hospitality throughout my career journey.
I’ve always considered myself a creative and result-driven leader. Early in my career I realized that I wanted to polish these skills by starting out in fine dining restaurants which opened the door to country clubs and four-star hotels. I was a “boots on the ground” leader, rolling up my sleeves in all areas of hospitality including sales, marketing, branding, F&B, talent acquisition, culture shifting, training and operations.
I'm Sue Keels, your new hospitality partner.
Click the photos to learn about my daily must-haves.
My essentials
I love great coffee and I own two!
My Nespresso
My best buddy!
Benny
I was an early iPhone adopter and still have the first apple version.
My iPhone
It’s a desk lamp, creates video content and snaps images. I’m obsessed.
My Canvas
A tablet that feels like paper AND it converts handwritten notes to typed text.
My reMarkable
The doors continued to open.
My curiosity and determination through the years earned the respect and recognition from my peers, winning multiple global sales engagement and guest experiential awards, ultimately leading to high-level leadership roles, and eventually taking the helm as one of the first female General Managers of a Four Diamond AAA Hotel which ranked #4 on Conde’ Nast Top 20 Hotels in the Midwest.
I was fortunate to have incredible mentors throughout my career who helped me see what I could be. I am forever grateful for them, and now want to share the wealth of knowledge and expertise that I learned along the way to help save hospitality - an industry ravaged during the pandemic.
My company, Keels Collab, LLC offers collaborative consulting and talent acquisition support to clients and management teams across the country.
I chose trust over fear and said yes to these opportunities.
Let's Collab!
I believe:
Leading with GRIT and GRACE. I believe grit “determines that life challenges will neither defeat you nor define you”. And grace “gives kindness to ourselves and to others even when it’s hard”. These are two very different concepts but carry the same amount of weight. Now more than ever, we need both grit and grace to be remarkable and impactful leaders.
Patience provides perspective. We live in a society of instant gratification, but through the pandemic, we’ve had no choice but to exercise layers of patience. I’ve found this to be a great life and business lesson. Pausing really does provide a great deal of perspective and allows us to respond more thoughtfully and accurately to a situation.
I believe:
Great service is the seed for loyal customers and business success. Embracing exceptional service allows our organizations to thrive both financially and organically.
I believe:
Within the heart of hospitality, there is a magic that happens when strangers become friends, and ordinary experiences become extraordinary.
I believe:
Behind the scenes of the service industry, there's a cast of unsung heroes full of grit and grace who are tirelessly working to create seamless experiences. Let's celebrate and appreciate their invisible superpowers.
I believe:
current collabs
Grit & Grace leadership
Save hospitality
Want more? My best inspo is on the blog. Check it out!