Founder, Viola
Current City: London
Current Job and Entrepreneurial Focus:
I am currently the CEO and co-founder of Albertine, a technology-driven, invitation-only concierge service that eases and enhances your lifestyle at home and abroad while having a positive impact on our planet. In this role I am combining my passion for luxury hospitality and experiences with my desire to see technology disrupt and innovate in an industry that has traditionally been male-dominated and ruled by offline networking and relationships. Albertine was launched in October of 2022 and we have been organically growing through word-of-mouth referrals ever since.
Notable Prior Jobs:
Before Albertine, I sat on the UK leadership team of Uber on the mobility side of the business, running Driver Operations. Before that, I was the COO of a property technology start-up called Lavanda, where I joined the founding team when it was early stage and helped with its rapid expansion through to its Series A fundraise. I moved to London 10 years ago to get my MBA at London Business School where I studied luxury strategy and management, including a term at HEC in Paris. And the foundation of my career (and what sparked my interest in travel and hospitality) was at L.E.K. consulting, where I worked on projects with airlines in the U.S., Australia, and the Philippines.
When I Started Performing: I started playing viola when I was 10 years old and never stopped!
Performing Arts Background:
I was called to the viola when we were given an option in elementary school to choose a string instrument in the fourth grade. I didn't want to play violin because everyone was choosing that, and while I loved the sound of the cello I decided it was too big to carry around easily. That one decision at age 10 has resulted in the viola being a key part of my identity in my life ever since. As a child and teenager I aspired to lead my section in my orchestra, win regional and state competitions, and learn how to play everything possible in the (admittedly far more limited) solo viola repertoire. While I eventually decided to pursue engineering as a major in college at Duke instead of applying to conservatories, I minored in music performance and much of my spare time was spent practicing in preparation for solo recitals or taking part in chamber music groups and orchestra sessions.
I was worried that once I started a demanding career in consulting that I would not have the opportunity to play regularly and indeed I had to take a break for the first couple years of my career, but I have been very fortunate to find non-professional orchestra in Sydney where I lived for a couple of years and now in London, where I play in the Kensington Symphony Orchestra. With the KSO I have been delighted to take part in concerts at venues in London such as Queen Elizabeth Hall, Cadogan Hall, and most notably the Barbican, where we played Mahler's 2nd Symphony in an unforgettable experience for me.
How did your performing arts background supercharge your entrepreneurship?
I think performing arts draws people in who have competitive personalities, and you need that same drive and determination to be a founder as well. You are constantly hit with setbacks and you need to have a mindset to overcome them even when mistakes are made - which is very similar to performing. For me specifically, as all of my performances have been with an orchestra since I graduated college, it's also helped me realise that even if you perform well, you need to be constantly conscious of what is happening in the rest of the group in order for the entire orchestra to perform at a high standard. This could not be more relevant to running a company. I'd love to be able to do everything myself, but I've had to learn how to delegate, hire people I trust, and then spend more effort listening and getting the team to work well together as a group. I also think that practicing an instrument teaches you the art of focus and dedication which is absolutely necessary for any startup endeavours!
Favorite Performer: I recently saw Carmen at the Royal Opera House and was absolutely captivated by Romanian mezzo-soprano Ramona Zaharia. I travelled recently to Seville so Carmen was already on my mind and then getting the opportunity to see it at the Royal Opera House to an absolutely packed crowd reminded me once again of the enduring power and beauty of opera as an art form to bring people together. I am still thinking about her performance and the emotion and sensuality she brought to a role that is already so well known so difficult to get right!
Follow this Performer:
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/meredithestren/
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