In this episode of the Leaders in Business podcast, Marlene is joined by Rebecca Rigby, Operations Director at Bluestone National Park Resort — a five-star holiday destination in Wales welcoming hundreds of thousands of guests each year.

Rebecca's story is one of full circles. Growing up immersed in her family's thriving hospitality empire — spanning pubs, restaurants, a hotel and a nightclub — she developed a formidable grounding in people, service and work ethic from a young age. But with a burning desire to spread her wings, she studied economics in Bristol before landing her first role at a German investment bank in London, trading on the floor during the turbulent days following 9/11.

In a male-dominated environment where she was once told by a senior leader that "no woman would ever make it on his trading floor," Rebecca chose to answer with determination rather than defeat — and proved him wrong. After several years in the city, she followed her heart back to Wales and rejoined the family business, only to find that deep-rooted generational expectations around gender could not be shifted regardless of her efforts. It was a pivotal and difficult decision, but one that ultimately set her on the path to discovering her own leadership identity.

From her early days at Bluestone, through to a senior commercial role at the National Trust navigating the complex balance between conservation and commerce, Rebecca's journey has been shaped by moments of growth, reinvention and the courage to choose her own direction. Eight years later, she returned to Bluestone as Operations Director — a role that felt, in every sense, like coming home.

Marlene and Rebecca explore the fascinating concept of generational pivoting — the shift between traditional family models and the evolving expectations of today's workforce — and the importance of creating space for both men and women to navigate that change authentically. Rebecca also shares her passion for elevating the hospitality sector as a destination for meaningful, long-term careers, and reflects on the possibility of one day building a family business legacy of her own.

A warm, candid and genuinely inspiring conversation about resilience, identity and what it truly means to lead.