Happiness is the most important measure of success

For this month's interview, we're delighted to have Kassandra Dommisse-Reebergen, Country Manager Operations at Kinepolis Netherlands. Kassandra was a mentor in the fifth edition of the UNIC Women's Cinema Leadership Programme.

Here she shares her insights and experience as a female leader in the industry.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR DAILY HABITS THAT KEEP YOU INSPIRED AND MOTIVATED.

I don’t really have set daily habits. Every day is different, that’s what is so great about working in the entertainment business. There is never a dull moment.

That said, I enjoy analysing our daily dashboard if we had a successful release or event with a fresh coffee in the morning!

What keeps me inspired is working with a great team to offer the best Big Screen experience for our guests, setting the perfect environment to enjoy a film.

Whether that’s a blockbuster in a PLF hall with a bucket of my favourite sweet & salt popcorn or a cross-over movie in a more intimate setting with an Aperol spritz!

LOOKING BACK AT YOUR CAREER JOURNEY SO FAR, WHAT ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?

Hospitality and building successful teams have been the common thread in my career journey.

Hospitality is part of my DNA, staying customer-centric in your approach keeps you close to your business.

I’m proud of the teams I’ve worked with and the personal growth they have achieved.

The best compliment for me as a leader is that I’ve been a great mentor to them, and their feeling to have earned their seat at the table.

WHAT WERE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES YOU ENCOUNTERED THROUGHOUT YOUR LEADERSHIP JOURNEY? DID YOU HAVE ANY MENTORS ALONG THE WAY?

I believe my leadership style is close to my personality; Open, direct, always focused on connecting people. Looking for similarities rather than differences, aiming for a win-win.

The challenges have been dealing with cultural differences and company politics, staying true to your own vision but adapting and phasing your strategy to achieve goals.

There is more than one way to reach ‘Rome’ and every step counts. You need to be able to adapt without losing your authenticity and treasure the small steps in the process.

I have had a great female mentor in my early years at Stage Entertainment. She was sometimes though on me, teaching me to put things into perspective and to reassess my position, to not take feedback personally, but to see it as part of the learning process, and a way to gain new insights.

GIVEN THE DEMANDS OF YOUR ROLE, HOW DO YOU BALANCE YOUR WORK AND PERSONAL LIFE?

Making sure your job gives you positive energy is key to maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Of course, everybody experiences demanding periods where you need to be flexible to keep everything running smoothly.

Balancing all the different roles as manager, motivator, colleague, wife, mother, daughter, friend etc. is sometimes exhausting. I think you need to be honest that you can’t - and don’t have to be - perfect all the time.

Humour has been the way for me to deal with challenging times. A day without laughter is a day not lived, so be humble and stay connected also when you’re struggling.

YOU WERE A MENTOR IN THE 5TH EDITION OF THE WCLP PROGRAMME. WHY DO YOU THINK MENTORING IS IMPORTANT? DID YOU HAVE MENTORS ALONG THE WAY?

I’ve loved the WCLP mentoring, because it gives you a sense of purpose to help women find their strength. Mentoring is a good way to reflect and build community.

The one-to-one sessions, but also the group meetings, were very insightful and gave me a broader perspective of the business as a whole. Mentoring is definitely a win-win.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE YOUR YOUNGER SELF?

I’d tell my younger self that happiness is the most important measure of success.