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Martin Scott is General Manager of G&V Royal Mile Hotel, a job he took over earlier this summer. Aged 34, Scott hails from Glasgow but has already been in the hotel industry for over 16 years.

TER : What is the book you recommend that everyone should read?

MS : ‘The art of Thinking Clearly, Better thinking, Better decisions’- by Rolf Dobelli.

The most amazing read for anyone in business. I have recommended it to everyone over the years, it helps you make sense of everything and anything. I’ve never made so many decisions than when I am reading this book.

TER : D you have any favourite music?

MS : Anything with a guitar- Bob Dylan, Neill Young, Bert Jansch, Bruce Springsteen, van Morrison, or when I’m at the gym – it’s always Slipknot, Metallica, and Deftones. I am a big concert goer, anything loud that leaves your ears ringing is up my street. When working though and I really need to zone out I always turn to Zero 7.

TER :  Best app on your phone?

MS :  Revinate, all your hotel reviews, across all channels, in one place.

TER : Best tip for public speaking or delivering presentations?

MS : The best tip is practice practice practice. Lack of preparation is your best way to failure. And always remember, people want you to do well, so look for encouragement in the crowd, and try and get them involved, audience interaction is a great way to get you connected with the crowd.

TER : What was the defining moment on your career path that has got you where you are?

MS :  The defining moment was probably being recognised when I was bars and restaurant manager at Oran Mor by a hotelier who offered me my first GM position at 24. From there, it was only up. Getting your first GM job is tough, so I was lucky to be spotted young.

TER : How do you spend your spare time?

MS :  I have 3 kids, Loa, 11, Taya 7 and Kitty 3- so spare time is a rarity. But when I do have free time, it’s almost always spent in the gym,  boxing. I also try and get out on my motorbike when I can, but the Scottish weather doesn’t allow for that much. My family and I try and get away as much as possible, be it a couple of nights in the Highlands, just for some peace and quiet and quality time together.

TER : Do you think you achieve a good work/life balance? If you do then how do you do it?

MS :  I leave the house at 6.30am and get home about 7.30pm. So relatively, I’m probably away more than most, but it’s all I’ve ever known and my family are used to it. I always take one day off during the week so I can spend a full day with my kids, they just want your attention for one full day, so as long as they have that, it works.

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TER :  What makes Edinburgh the best place for you to live and/or work?

MS : Edinburgh is at the forefront of Hospitality. It drives the best standards, the best visitor numbers and the highest investment, for that reason it’s the only place for me. Every day in Edinburgh is still an adventure, I work in the Royal mile, 100ft from the castle, it’s a place people come from all over the world to visit, and it’s where I work, I’m very lucky.

TER :  What is your special area of Edinburgh, or special place in Edinburgh and why?

MS :  My special place in Edinburgh is Victoria Street, it has so much to offer, the quality of shops, boutique retailers, tweed, pastries, candles, everything that reflects Edinburgh at its best. I often stand on Victoria Terrace and look down and people watch. I still find new shops and hidden retailers I didn’t know about on the street.

2011_09_27 The Edinburgh Reporter Victoria Street

TER : If you’re eating out what kind of food is your favourite?

MS : Indian, Thai or Chinese. Always. Even better if ‘picky’ I like to have a bit of everything when I’m out. I’d rather have 3 starters than a main,  Anything spicy, tasty and exotic has my attention. I hate bland food, there is too much of the same these days, restaurants that are ignoring the fads and concentrating on flavour are far more exciting. You don’t need to serve something in a radical new way to get attention, focus on the ingredients and the skills of the chef and you’ll create something much more appealing.

TER : If you have a mentor then could you tell us who that is and about your relationship. What benefits does that relationship bring to you and your worklife?

MS : I never really had a mentor as such. I was probably too young and cocky when I was starting out to notice if I did have one! I’ve picked up good advice along the way, and some bad advice, and over time, you learn who to listen to. Looking back over some of my mistakes, I wish I did have someone to turn to at points, but you learn from your mistakes and move on.
TER : If you have used any then which networking groups in Edinburgh have you found particularly useful?

MS :  Marketing Edinburgh, PA exchange, Of One Mind all offer a great chance to network. But my favourite way to meet people is at events. Car launches, bar openings etc. all get people together in a more relaxed way. I’m not one for formal networking, I’d far rather do it at an event or Hotel Opening with a cocktail in my hand.

TER :Who are your heroes?

MS : I don’t have a hero, I’ve never really been someone who looked up to someone in that way. I admire a lot of people, but only from a professional point of view. This probably goes back to my nature growing up, anyone I looked up to or admired I didn’t think ‘wow aren’t they amazing, I always thought ‘ I’m going to be like that one day’!

TER : What are your goals for the next year?

MS : The next year for the G&V includes massive refurbishment work, a new rebranded concept bar, a new lobby area, a cake and florist offering, a herbalist and spa updates. So I have a lot of work to do. This time next year I hope I’ll be enjoying the success of all the hard work we’re putting in now. In hospitality you tend to work 6-9 months ahead of yourself so time passes quickly.
TER : Describe your typical day for us.

MS :  I get up at 5.45am, head into Edinburgh first thing, and that’s about the only typical thing about my day. Every day in hospitality can be an adventure, I try and spend as much time in and about the hotel as possible, speaking with my team and the guests. But a lot of my time is spent at networking events, courses and external meetings. This year I’ve travelled all over the UK, Las Vegas, Denmark, Brussels and France to attend conferences, some of which can be last minute, so you need to be on your toes and adaptable. If I ever had a normal day, I’d be bored by noon! I need the excitement and the challenge to keep me going.
TER : Best job advice you ever received?

MS : You live and die by your P&L. You could be the most charismatic, fantastic GM in the world, but if you are not producing your figures in terms of profit and budget, then all of the fancy stuff gets ignored pretty quickly. I’ve met some really dull and uninspiring GMs in my time, but they deliver the results, and those are the ones that will survive. There’s an old saying in hospitality, it’s the easiest way to make a million, and lose two. Anyone can make money, that’s easy, but the hard part is turning it into profit.
TER : Where will you be in a year’s time?

MS : In a year’s time we will have completed all the works at the G&V. The only goal is to make sure it’s the best five-star hotel in Edinburgh. I hope to be there this time next year. We have a truly unique offering in the city, once we have completed our full refurbishment we firmly want to be the five-star of choice in Edinburgh.

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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.