All of our Butlers are the bomb, but only one of them gets to be the BOM (Butler of the Month). Our Butlers are intelligent, responsible, and key in making sure our operations run smoothly and our guests are taken care of. Each month, we'll be profiling a different member of our team - read below to learn more about their backgrounds, their work for us and the really interesting things they do outside of MetroButler!
First up is Ivan Obed, who has been with our team since the very beginning. Lisa Feierstein, our CX Manager, sat down with him to discuss his career in dentistry, his experience at MetroButler, and his life in NYC.
Lisa: Hey Ivan! So, where are you originally from, and what brought you to NYC?
Ivan: I grew up in Ghana, and spent my high school years and first two years of university over there. I came to the U.S. for the first time in 2008 for an externship at the University of Pennsylvania. I realized I [eventually] wanted to stay in the U.S. [long-term]. So I went back to finish school in Ghana, and then stayed in London, where I also did housekeeping at a hotel. I loved it – I’m OCD, and I really like getting things taken care of! [Laughs] I came back to the U.S. in 2011, and lived in Boston, and took care of apartments over there. I moved to New York in May of 2015, and began the program I’m in now, in periodontal dentistry.
That’s dental surgery, right?
Yes.
Wow. What made you want to be a dentist?
Actually, I didn’t want to be a dentist. But people were telling me this was a good job to have. And I didn’t want to do mainstream medicine [pediatrics, etc]. I like this [working for MetroButler] more than dentistry.
Ivan, you don’t have to say that just because I’m here. I mean, thanks, but really, I won’t be offended if you like dentistry more.
I do, though. But I do love the patient aspect of dentistry – I’m like a therapist! Patients like to talk, tell you about their lives…that’s the part I really love. The rest is kind of stressful.
So, you’ve lived all over the world. How does New York compare, and what do you like to do here in your spare time?
New York is very stressful and fast-paced, but once you get used to it, you don’t want to be anywhere else. I hate being bored, so I do lots of activities – I play soccer, I like to travel (I eventually want to go to Australia) and I love taking walks. Even in Ghana, I used to always walk around and explore.
How has your experience been with MetroButler?
You guys are great. And I love to walk and see the different homes [of your clients], and see the city. [This job] helps me understand NYC, and [teaches me] how to remain cool, work under pressure, and interact with different people. I also meet interesting guests [who stay in MetroButler properties]. Like yesterday, I checked in a really nice couple. People get personal, and want to get to know you. I like that.
I love to hear that. Because I know you’re juggling a lot: school, your family (since your wife and daughter moved here recently), your work with us - yet you’re really on top of everything. How do you stay so organized?
I always have my calendar, and make sure it’s in order for the week. I give room [in my schedule] for emergencies, and I put in a little effort just to make sure I stay organized. I also call everyone I need to meet up with, like patients, 24 hours before. You’ve also got to prioritize your tasks – what’s most important, what’s less important. But really, I take everything I do seriously – you never know where it will take you.