Hard work over talent: these four words encapsulate Bea Crisostomo’s character. Her adept adaptability is at the core of her success at The Ortus Club, and, as she carries on her journey with the company, she strives to maintain the quality of excellence she’s established in her role—one she wishes to impart to aspiring operations specialists.

What makes you the best at what you do? What values drive you to perform even better?

Growing up as an athlete surrounded by a team, I learned and cherished one of life’s most valuable lessons: hard work will always beat talent. One of my most distinct characteristics is my pursuit of excellence because I have never dived into anything half-heartedly.

My mantra in both my personal and professional lives is, ‘Go big or go home.’ As a Senior Project Director, I believe that one’s countenance to things and the way one approaches situations is something that will be very evident in the quality of one’s work.

What challenges have you proudly overcome in such a fast-paced working environment?

The Ortus Club hosts a wide variety of clients and projects, with the latter either starting fast or slow. I’ve overcome this challenge with a level of creativity that has allowed me to adapt to different situations quickly. I can proudly say that, with the various global events I have handled, I overcame all the obstacles that came along with them.

Working in the Operations Department requires a lot of flexibility and openness to change, so having the ability to execute and adjust quickly to different circumstances is something that I’ve learned by working in such a fast-paced environment.

Why do you stay with the company? What would you tell someone interested in joining?

As a professional, I’ve come to observe that, in most roles, there are times when all of us feel our job is repetitive. However, throughout my stay in The Ortus Club, thus far, I’ve realised that this monotony isn’t present in the company. Each of the projects we undertake possesses unique characteristics and challenges, and we always learn new things and gain fresh experiences from the tasks we tackle—no matter how many times we’ve tackled them.

Without a doubt, this role has encouraged and pushed me to set priorities more efficiently, especially since some days can be overwhelmingly hectic. I’ve found fulfilment in this and how, in turn, I’ve understood myself better in how fast I can and should go and what approaches work best for me.

Something I can confidently tell someone interested in joining The Ortus Club is that knowing how and when to think outside the box is vital for the role. Patience, diligence, collaboration, and creativity will take you further, and you should never stop asking questions or stifle your curiosity.

What do you think the future holds for The Ortus Club? What role will you play in realising that vision?

When I started working for The Ortus Club, there weren’t that many of us in the company, so I’ve always found joy in witnessing and experiencing the growth we’ve had ever since. As we’ve slowly gained global recognition for curating wonderful, intimate roundtable discussions, I believe this is only the beginning for our ever-expanding company.

I’ve also relished interacting with and knowing more about my colleagues who come from different backgrounds, cultures, and nationalities. I would very much like to continue nurturing the healthy relationships I share with them. I also see myself mentoring new curious minds and guiding them as they hone the art of guesting, from understanding the process to developing creative ways of strategising plans. It will be an absolute pleasure to share with them the tips and tricks I’ve learned throughout my Ortus journey.