Page 33 - Tropic Magazine Issue 20

TROPIC • RECRUITMENT

Driven by devotion

SPECIAL SPARK
How a mother’s love inspired
motivation for success.
Words Renee Cluff
It’s no coincidence that the birth of
Elite Executive came just months after
Managing Director Eva Grabner became
a mother. “My son was my muse,” she
said. “I’m a solo parent and he is the
absolute love of my life. He is the reason
I am so driven to succeed at a level of
motivation I didn’t know existed. I have
to provide for him and I want to give him
the best life possible so that makes me
At age 27 Ms Grabner landed the coveted And while it was a very personal catalyst
role of one of the senior officers aboard that led Ms Grabner to launch her
a ship, becoming one of the first female business, an enduring personal approach
He is the reason I am chief pursers. “The reason I think I’m so has driven growth since. “I’m not afraid
so driven to succeed at good at recruitment is that on the ships to pick up the phone and people like

a level of motivation I one of my roles was a crew relations that,” she said. “It’s old-school - I’ve just
gone back to basics. At the end of the day,
manager and I’d have 60 to 70 different
didn’t know existed nationalities with English as their second everything is about relationships.”
language and huge cultural differences.
I did it for so long, to me it was natural
to read body language to understand
people, really delve into the meaning
more driven to succeed.” Ms Grabner behind words. I still do that, even with
wasn’t always so grounded. The daughter people who do speak English as a
of an Irish mother and an Austrian father, first language.”
she grew up in Ireland but was always After a decade in the cruise ship industry,
close to her Austrian roots, which she Ms Grabner arrived in Australia on a
credits with giving her the travelling bug. holiday and never left, eventually settling
“That exposure to another culture opened in Tropical North Queensland where she
my mind and I always wanted to travel,” initially remained in the tourism sector
she said. “When I finished school I got managing resorts. “I just want to be in
out of there and went straight to the ski Cairns,” she said. “I love this place, my son
fields in Austria to work before starting was born here, I still travel a lot but I love
on cruise ships.” coming back to Cairns. “

Eva’s take on the Cairns labour market
“Elite Executive has been been an increase in people wanting
steadily filling mid-upper level to relocate from the cities into
management roles across the regional areas. A lot of people left
Tropical North Queensland Cairns in the past decade so we’re
region this year. Candidates have trying to entice them back here. I
been locals in the majority of love that I’m now attracting people
placements, however there has to the region.”

33 • tropicnow.com.au