Celebrating #IWD2023: The Powerhouse behind venYou

She’s the Client Services Director of business workspace provider, venYou and a large part of the company’s success in providing luxury and five-star office spaces to a range of global and indigenous clients.

You only need to be in the presence of Donna Linehan for a few minutes before you are drawn in by her warmth, empathy and engaging personality. It is therefore easy to see why so many clients are choosing venYou as their serviced office provider in what’s become an extremely competitive market.

To mark this year’s International Women’s Day, we sat down with Donna to find out more about her path to success and learn a little about the people that have inspired her along the way.

Her journey started over 20 years ago when she made the decision to go back to work only four months after her son was born, taking up a role as receptionist in one of Belfast’s most famous and busiest hotels, the Europa. She worked the only shift available to her at that time which was 11pm to 4am and undertaking these unsociable hours didn’t deter her as she was eager to get back into working life.

Donna Linehan said, “For the first few months, a large part of my role consisted of ordering taxis for people, but I didn’t mind as that shift allowed me the opportunity to continue carrying out my ‘mummy duties’. Establishing a successful career wasn’t a priority at that stage; I didn’t have the time or the inclination to think about climbing the corporate ladder. However, when the time was right, I took the opportunity to move to daytime and evening shifts and I loved it, so much so that I spent 11 happy years there.”

In 2010, Donna made the short move across Great Victoria and Howard Streets to the beautiful Scottish Provident Building on Donegall Square West, a newly opened space for serviced offices in Belfast, where she first of all managed the reception area, and it was here that her career really took off.

Quickly making an impression amongst clients with her individual, friendly and undeniably charming personality, Donna’s knowledge and expertise in serviced offices continued to grow. In 2019, Donna was made Client Services Director under the offering rebranded to venYou, which incorporated two additional serviced office locations. Now, she manages over 100 clients and a team of 15 people, alongside co-director, Jonny Hill with the interest in office spaces across venYou’s locations continuing to grow.  As a result, the company has recently added a fourth property to its portfolio, the stunning Thomas House on James Street South in Belfast, with plans in place to further expand.

Speak to any of current or former clients and they will tell you that a large part of their satisfaction with venYou’s service was down to Donna going over and above to ensure their needs were met and the right location was secured, which is reinforced by the fantastic team she and Jonny have built.

When asked what the motivator was in pursuing an interest in serviced office spaces and a successful career, Donna says it was finding a job that she really loved, but she also credits her previous hospitality experience for her success.

“Working at one of Belfast’s busiest hotels, you had everything thrown at you from guests to issues at the hotel, and three or four tour groups checking in at the same time, but I loved it – I loved the hype of getting everyone sorted and then the calm that you experienced after. I learnt how to deal with things and now, nothing really fazes me. I’m also able to impart that knowledge, experience, and training on to our team here at venYou.”

Whilst these are very different sectors, there are certain similarities between the hotel sector and the serviced office sector. Donna said this was something that she was mindful of when taking on the role of Client Services Director at venYou, whose flagship location is the classic Scottish Provident Building, which has the look and feel of a five-star hotel thanks to its stunning décor and grandeur. 

“I take great pride in making sure our clients at venYou have everything that they need, from a warm welcome to a luxury office space and additional amenities. For me, it’s always been about providing good customer service, and I want to continue providing the best possible experience for each of our clients. All our clients know that we have an open-door policy at venYou, there are no formalities – they can knock on our door at any time and we’ll be there to help, and that’s something that sets the venYou service apart from others. And I reap the benefits of that too - I get to become an extension of their team and enjoy the fun they experience when they move in or even better, move to a bigger office, or celebrate company achievements. That encourages me to continue doing what I do.”

When asked if she has ever faced any adversity being a woman in a leadership role, Donna said that luckily, it’s never been something that she has experienced, and she has never felt disadvantaged at any stage of her career purely because she is a female.

Although International Women’s Day signifies a day for women across the world to celebrate their success, Donna feels that women should be celebrated every day. “Many women are doing extremely well in the workplace however they are been shunned or made to feel embarrassed about their success. International Women’s Day is a day for all those women to be able to celebrate their success without facing judgement in doing so.”

And celebrating the women in her life is something that Donna is proud to do. “Throughout my whole childhood and adulthood, I have been surrounded by strong women in my family, from my mother to my aunts to my grandmothers. They taught me so much from how to be confident and speak my mind to staying strong. Having those strong women around you, you can’t help but absorb their strength.”

Donna also credits her female clients for inspiring her in business. “There are a lot of women across venYou’s locations who are to be admired thanks to their strength and determination. I have seen so many who have set themselves a goal and smashed it! That’s inspiring!” 

Finally, when asked what advice she would give to women who wish to be leaders, Donna said the main advice that she would give, not just to women but also to men, is to know your worth. “No matter who you are or what role you are in, just believe in yourself and have confidence. Once you truly know your worth, keep reminding yourself and others, and nothing will stand in your way.”