Dion Finlay – Hospitality Leader Leaves a Legacy

Dion Finlay the Visionary

Dion Finlay is a visionary and an icon in the Newfoundland entrepreneurial arena. Founder and creator of The Leaside Group of Companies, Dion’s portfolio of offerings boasts a growing hospitality company operating in the city of St. John’s; Bed and Breakfasts, a Boutique Hotel, Spa and Cafe services, and furnished apartments as well as The Arnolds Cove Inn in Arnolds Cove, Newfoundland.

Like most great leaders, the pains of the past seem to have lead to great strengths in the future. As a young boy, Dion lost his father, uncle, and cousin in a boating accident while bird hunting in a small Newfoundland cove, known locally as Arnolds Cove. Overcoming that life-altering moment led Dion to the realization that it’s the hardships that create endurance, and it’s the challenges that make us the stronger.

After the accident, many people helped Dion’s family and none more so than his two uncles – his father’s two brothers. Fondly, Dion recalls an old picture of his two uncles hauling a net in an old skiff, with the community of St. Shott’s in the background. “I always loved that picture: the two of them in their prime, working hard but loving what they did,” muses Dion. “They were a strong influence in my life.”

And that’s exactly what comes through when you meet Dion – a visionary man working hard and loving what he does. Today Dion, as the owner of the Leaside Group of Companies, manages a real estate portfolio that holds some of the most iconic buildings in St. John’s as well as the old Tanker Inn in Arnolds Cove, Newfoundland.

The Leaside Group

All of the properties operate under the banner of The Leaside Group, and they all have an air of distinction and class. In our lifetimes, we have all visited places that were truly special, where we didn’t want to leave. A true home away from home. A place out of the ordinary. An escape from the everyday – that’s what you get when you stay at any of the Leaside Group of Companies.

The Leaside properties are strategically architected to cater to the business traveler and provide elaborate meeting and event solutions. The properties are exquisite spaces borne out of that perfect combination of old world quality, excellence, and charm mixed with the convenient luxuries of contemporary urban living and décor.

The Leaside properties have consummate reputation for service and satisfying guests in a highly customized way. Attention to detail is taken such that every need is seen to with an innate level of thought and care. For the energy industry, these properties are a welcome change from the typical hotel experience, and they provide meeting spaces that have a unique ambiance that supports the entire corporate experience.

Dion shares his insights into Leaside. “Leaside Manor is something special, and that is why when we were looking to name the group we chose Leaside. In our world, it is really synonymous with hospitality. We see the collection of properties as being something special where we can deliver the same service that Leaside Manor is known for – extraordinary.”

Dion And Leadership Wisdom

Creating great companies takes great leadership, and the role of entrepreneur comes in many shapes and forms. Dion explains how he became an entrepreneur. “I was raised with a great work ethic and realized at an early age that things change in the blink of an eye. Later in life, my journey through my employment years had me working offshore for a while, in western as well as northern Canada, and a passion for Newfoundland just wouldn’t go away. All of that combined resulted in entrepreneurship and what I do today.”

Dion continues, “I think leaders have to have a vision, listen, and realize that they need others. They need to constantly change and adapt. Leaders need to have a level head while being able to make decisions.”

“We are extremely excited about serving the oil and gas industry. Our property, the Arnolds Cove Inn, is a place where we see direct contact with the industry each day. From feeding them, as well as providing accommodation and entertainment, it’s all a part of what we do. We are so grateful for what Arnolds Cove Inn brings to the mix of our portfolio of accommodation solutions. And in St. John’s we have the privilege of offering world-class accommodation either nightly or for longer-term stays. To complement this, we also offer the Spa services which provide oil and gas clients with a great place to relax while on a business trip or get away to escape the business. Then there are the meeting spaces that we have available, and they are uniquely designed to bring people together,” says Dion.

Dion and his team understand the world of business, and they offer business solutions to match. Dion states, “It is a very rewarding job to build this business and to be able to leave a legacy in this way. I enjoy the constant learning, and yet I have to be prepared for hard work. But I am so passionate about what I do, so it doesn’t seem like work. With my team, working towards the same goal and adjusting as needed is a great journey. We all need guidance and purpose–as people, we like the feeling of accomplishment. A team who knows what the plan is and their part in it leads to success. There are challenges every day in one way or another, finding the opportunities through it is where the success is.”