Victoria's secret

Ladies used to cover their faces with newspapers when their partners would drive into the clandestine garage doors of the Victoria Court motels. Times have changed. Today, a stay in any of Victoria Court’s 1,000 rooms is an experience to be talked about. Barkada nights, birthdays, corporate cocktails and wild parties are celebrated in thematic suites. Sleeping in the Oval Office or enjoying the decadence of the Moulin Rouge are pleasures that Atticus “Atz” King provides.

As part of the third generation of the King family to own and run the Philippines’ largest group of motels, Atz had good training. In his younger days, our bachelor’s allowance was dependent on his inspecting rooms. When the family decided to position their motel business as a social-gathering venue, he enrolled in AIM’s Masters Entrepreneurship program. Atz, 33, learned how to sustain the group’s evolving image. He is managing director, responsible for operations. Just as useful to Atz was that this course helped him to rediscover music. To lead a balanced life, he says, one needs to develop physical, mental, spiritual and emotional growth. Here, Atticus King shares his love for guitars, fantasizing about new rooms and resting in Caliraya.

One of my goals this year is to fulfill my new year’s resolution not to talk badly about others.

My personal style signifier is my music. In another life I would like to be a musician. Electric, lead, rock, metal and jazz.

What makes me happy is working on new rooms, creating rooms, building rooms and writing new songs.

I get inspired to try new things when I get ideas from the strangest places — movies, songs. A lot of Ted.com speakers make me realize that money is not the motivator.

For grooming, I rely on my mom, who tells me that my hair is too long. My command is to keep it simple and clean. My wardrobe is either black or white.

I work best when I am with my core team. I want to communicate one-on-one. We meet up and inspect some rooms together and discuss what the problems are.

Some of my fears are giving up on myself, being lazy and inconsistent.

Bridge of sighs: At the Venice suite, guests can have breakfast on the gondola.

What helps me to conquer fear are my family, my girlfriend and my friends, who are very supportive. Every time I do something that I am proud of, they say, “Finally. You should have done that a long time ago.”

 My worst moment was when I didn’t like my last gig. The audience did not complain, but for some reason I was so distracted. I thought a glass of scotch would help me but I could not concentrate.

Best quality about me: Persistent. Last year, for example, I told myself I wanted to learn the piano. I was 32 and it is kind of weird to learn an instrument from nothing. I took classes. And am still no good at the piano but now I can play.

The last thing I bought and loved was a new guitar, seven-string guitar, my first jazz guitar.

The thing I’m hoping to buy next is another guitar.

If I had to limit my travels to one city, it would be New Zealand. It’s quiet there. I like the vibes of the people. Unpretentious. Confident. Happy. Open. I have been twice and liked it.

A memorable place I have traveled to in the past year is Venice. It was so cool that people built a city over the water. How come people don’t do this more often? 

The souvenirs I choose to bring home are the toiletry kits. I travel a lot, mostly Asia. Last year I went to Cambodia, Bangkok, Texas. I go to boutique hotels so I can get ideas and see their artsy styles and their packaged-really-nice shampoos, soaps.

The site that inspires me is my father’s rest house in Caliraya. The air is clean and it rejuvenates me. Some weekends I go with my friends or family. If I am looking for inspiration, I relax looking over the lake.

The best gift I have given recently… I cannot say it is the best but I gave someone kettle bells, giving him a hint about getting in shape. Hey, come on, you are 260 pounds. 

In my fridge you’ll always find kombucha tea. We make it with mushrooms. It’s fermented tea.

I am proud of the growth we have at work. I like how the market perceives us, society looks at the brand, how we open up doors to new customers.

Beside my bed are my Mac computer and guitar.

In school, I learned how to daydream, how to draw and how to cram.

After being in business, I realized that consistency with innovation is king. We all know how to get in shape and lose weight, then suddenly the holidays come and we get out of shape. In business, we have standards that we know we have to maintain and we cannot slide back. We have to focus on how to maintain the quality and the brand. Clean rooms. Warm food. Fast service.

Spectacular, spectacular: Victoria Court’s gilded Moulin Rouge suite

I choose my employees based on their attitude. We look for selflessness where they have a desire to really help. For management level, I look for people who can think. Progressive thinkers. We want to elevate things. I like having people who are open and can speak their mind, otherwise the ideas start to become stagnant and I want them to challenge what we can accomplish. Society bombards us and those who work in motels need to have an open mind. Aren’t shy to talk about ideas. We provide the rooms and it is your decision how to use the rooms.

My talents include seeing things from the guest’s perspective. What kind of mood would I get when I see the light on this wall?

The books I am reading now are The Talent Code and Mindset. Mindset is okay but the author does not seem to have hard data. Talent has science backing it up.

The way I plan my day is to make time for work, music and fitness.

The last time I cried was when my lola, Belen King, died. Her passing made me realize the importance of family.

Good advice I have given is my favorite Albert Einstein quote: “You can’t expect new results with the same mindset you had when you discovered the problem.”

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E-mail : aurorawilson@gmail.com.