In this episode, Shamim Ehsani , co-founder of Tribe Hotel in Nairobi, shares why belonging and generosity will become hospitality’s greatest competitive advantages in an increasingly AI-driven world. Shamim discusses how deepening authentic connections with local culture, prioritizing genuine guest engagement over short-term revenue, and fostering a spirit of radical generosity enable hotels to thrive amidst rapid technological change. More with Shamim: Breaking the Colonial Mold: How Kenya's T...
Jun 27, 2025•8 min
In this episode, Shamim Ehsani , co-founder of Tribe Hotel in Nairobi, shares how his team thoughtfully manages hospitality for royalty and A-list celebrities. Shamim explains how anticipating guest preferences, from complete privacy to curated events with local artists and creatives, enables Tribe Hotel to deliver uniquely memorable experiences. More with Shamim: Breaking the Colonial Mold: How Kenya's Tribe Hotel Sets a New Standard for Luxury Hospitality How Tribe Hotel’s Staff Created a Gues...
Jun 26, 2025•8 min
In this episode, Shamim Ehsani , co-founder of Tribe Hotel in Nairobi, shares insights on scaling personalized hospitality by creating operational structures and processes that enable spontaneous hospitality. More with Shamim: Breaking the Colonial Mold: How Kenya's Tribe Hotel Sets a New Standard for Luxury Hospitality How Tribe Hotel’s Staff Created a Guest Experience Program That Showcases the Best of Kenya This episode is hosted by our guest experience correspondent, Danica Smith , founder o...
Jun 25, 2025•11 min
In this episode, Shamim Ehsani , co-founder of Tribe Hotel in Nairobi, shares how his staff created a unique guest experience program designed to authentically showcase the best of Kenya. He explains how empowering hotel teams to introduce guests to local culture—whether through running alongside world-class marathoners, exploring Nairobi's nightlife, or connecting over Kenyan cuisine—leads to deeper, more memorable guest connections. This episode is hosted by our guest experience correspondent,...
Jun 24, 2025•9 min
In this episode, Shamim Ehsani , co-founder of Tribe Hotel in Nairobi, shares how he's reshaping luxury hospitality by breaking away from colonial-era formality to create a more authentic, human-centered guest experience. He discusses empowering hotel teams to connect genuinely with guests, fostering inclusivity through a bold "One Planet, One Tribe" philosophy, and why true luxury lies in emotional connections rather than traditional service rituals. This episode is hosted by our guest experien...
Jun 23, 2025•14 min
In this episode from our archives , Michael Levie , co-founder and former Chief Operating Officer of citizenM, shares his insights on effectively working with technology partners to create innovative solutions and maximize impact in hospitality. A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here . You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day,...
Jun 20, 2025•15 min
In this replay episode, Mark Fancourt , founder and principal of TRAVHOTECH , shares insights into the evolving landscape of hospitality technology, drawing from his extensive experience leading technology for both hospitality companies and solution providers. Read Mark's article: Where does hotel PMS software sit in the new hospitality technology stack? A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here . You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest sugges...
Jun 19, 2025•1 hr 2 min
In this episode, originally published in March 2025 , Josiah Mackenzie and Wil Slickers discuss the major shifts happening in the hotel industry now, the importance of real-time data, and innovative strategies for improving operations and profitability. (00:31) Josiah's recent career change (02:00) Building Hospitality Daily and market research (03:03) Challenges in the hotel industry (04:25) The shift towards operational efficiency (05:07) Future of the hotel and hospitality landscape (06:02) M...
Jun 18, 2025•26 min
In this episode, originally published December 2024 , Janette Roush , the SVP of Innovation and Chief AI Officer at Brand USA, shares her insights on embracing AI in the workplace and how it can drive innovation in the tourism industry. Watch this conversation on YouTube Mentions: Brand USA & AI (including framework for use) Listen to Janette Live From Travel Week: Leadership Alignment with Generative AI Conor Grennan , Chief AI Architect at the Stern School of Business Ethan Mollick , Profe...
Jun 17, 2025•47 min
In this episode, hospitality tech pioneer Jerimi Ford shares his approach to designing technology that hotel teams genuinely want to use. He discusses why curiosity, empathy, and real-world observation are critical for creating practical solutions that solve non-obvious problems. Listen in to discover how Jerimi's methods help hotel teams become more productive, engaged, and ready for an AI-driven future. Learn more about Transcendent here and Actabl here. A few more resources: If you're new to ...
Jun 16, 2025•32 min
In this episode, Micah Lacher , Principal of Anchor Investments and Mission Hotels , shares his mission to build America's most generous real estate company through the power of hospitality. The discussion covers Micah's journey from starting Anchor Investments during the Great Recession to his innovative approach to hospitality and real estate. We get into the importance of generosity in business, the challenges and rewards of converting historic buildings into hotels, and the impact of providi...
Jun 15, 2025•32 min
In this episode, Hospitality Daily hosts and hertelier founders Emily Goldfischer and Nancy Mendelson sit down with hospitality trailblazers Jennifer Fox , former President of Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, and Nicki Dehler , SVP of Product at Stayntouch, to unpack the complexities of ambition. Together, they discuss the delicate balance women face between being "too ambitious" or "not ambitious enough," share personal insights on navigating power and pressure, and explore how to redefine succes...
Jun 14, 2025•57 min
In this episode, hertelier founder and Hospitality Daily host Emily Goldfischer shares a conversation from her recent trip to Australia, speaking with Josh O'Brien , Hotel Manager at InterContinental Sydney . Josh discusses his unique journey from studying marine biology in Tasmania to leading one of Australia's most iconic hotels, blending historical charm and modern luxury. He reveals how thoughtful employee engagement, innovative solutions to common hospitality challenges, and genuine warmth ...
Jun 13, 2025•19 min
In this episode, Andrew Arthurs , President & Chief Operating Officer at Actabl, shares his experience as a Chief Information Officer at some of the world's largest hotel management companies. A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here . You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free . Follow Hospitality Dai...
Jun 12, 2025•6 min
What if one simple question could transform hotel operations? In this episode, Actabl ’s Stephen German and Brian Blanda share the behind-the-scenes journey of creating Digital Night Audit, a new product designed to eliminate tedious manual tasks and free hospitality professionals to focus on meaningful work. Listen to discover how digitizing processes can not only streamline your operations today but also position your hospitality business to leverage future innovations such as AI. Learn more a...
Jun 11, 2025•19 min
In this episode, Nah-Dja Tien shares his insights with our guest experience host, Danica Smith , on how hospitality professionals can sustain their passion, manage burnout, and build enduring, impactful careers. Also see: Curiosity as a Compass: How Nah-Dja Tien Built an Award-Winning Hospitality Career From Launch to #1 on TripAdvisor: How We Designed Prague’s Top-Rated Hotel - Nah-Dja Tien Empathy Is a Strategy: How Nah-Dja Tien Builds Hospitality Workplaces That Work A few more resources: If ...
Jun 11, 2025•10 min
In this episode, Nah-Dja Tien tells our guest experience host Danica Smith about the power of empathy. A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here . You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free . Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube , LinkedIn , and Instagram . If you want to advertise ...
Jun 10, 2025•10 min
In this episode, Nah-Dja Tien tells our guest experience host Danica Smith how he built what because the #1-rated hotel in Prague. Also see: Curiosity as a Compass: How Nah-Dja Tien Built an Award-Winning Hospitality Career Danica's firm, MorningStar GX A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here . You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox e...
Jun 09, 2025•9 min
In this episode, Nah-Dja Tien tells his story to our guest experience correspondent, Danica Smith . A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here . You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free . Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube , LinkedIn , and Instagram . If you want to advertise on ...
Jun 09, 2025•16 min
In this episode, Jan Garde , founder and chairman of THE EMBASSIES , discusses with our innovation correspondent Matthias Huettebraeuker the opportunity to apply hospitality concepts beyond hotels - and much, much more. A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here . You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free ....
Jun 07, 2025•1 hr 5 min
In this episode, Josiah Mackenzie shares a lesson from his experience at the Magnolia Hotel Denver . Also see: The Innkeeper Mindset - Tom Luersen, CoralTree Hospitality Balancing Fun with Attention to Detail: What I Learned from Steve Bartolin at The Broadmoor - Tom Luersen, CoralTree Hospitality A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here . You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insight...
Jun 06, 2025•5 min
In this episode, Josiah Mackenzie shares ideas from his panel discussion at the 2025 NYU International Hotel Investment Forum. Also see: Think Like An Owner, Act Like A GM - Josiah Mackenzie My AI Research Results: 87% of Hospitality Pros Already Use AI (Here's How) - Josiah Mackenzie Less Ringing, More Hospitality: AI-Powered PBX To Give Our Teams More Time for Guests - Steven Marais, Noble House Hotels & Resorts Why Real-Time Operations Will Define Success in Hospitality - Josiah Mackenzie...
Jun 06, 2025•7 min
In this episode, Josiah Mackenzie shares ideas from his panel discussion at the 2025 NYU International Hotel Investment Forum. Also see: The Money Behind the Magic: A Different Take on Hospitality - Josiah Mackenzie Think Like An Owner, Act Like A GM - Josiah Mackenzie Hospitality Is The Place To Be Now, And For The Future (My Thoughts from NYU IHIF) - Josiah Mackenzie A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here . You can send me a message here with questions, comments, ...
Jun 05, 2025•8 min
In this episode, Josiah Mackenzie shares ideas from his panel discussion at the 2025 NYU International Hotel Investment Forum. Also see: The Money Behind the Magic: A Different Take on Hospitality - Josiah Mackenzie Tariffs, Unfolding Travel Trends, and San Francisco’s Comeback - Zach Demuth, JLL Hospitality’s Early Warning Signs: What the Data Reveals About the Economy Ahead - Jamie Lane, AirDNA A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here . You can send me a message her...
Jun 04, 2025•9 min
In this episode, Josiah Mackenzie shares insights from the 2025 NYU International Hospitality Investment Forum held in New York. Josiah discusses the conference's theme, "Engagement Drives Returns," and highlights the importance of active participation in the hospitality industry. He delves into consumer spending patterns, the impact of AI on jobs, and the resilience of the hospitality sector. A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here . You can send me a message here w...
Jun 03, 2025•10 min
Hotel owner, leadership coach, and now flight attendant — Rachel Vandenberg returns to the show in a candid conversation with hertelier co-founder and Hospitality Daily career correspondent, Nancy Mendelson . They dive into what it really means to lead with empathy, why great service starts with your team, and how Rachel uses a coach approach to build stronger hospitality cultures. Plus, Rachel shares what inspired her to chase a lifelong dream: 30,000 feet in the air. A few more resources: If y...
Jun 03, 2025•26 min
In this episode, hertelier co-founder Nancy Mendelson interviews Dr. Lalia Rach about life and leadership in hospitality. Also see: From Bussing Tables to Commanding Boardrooms: Dr. Lalia Rach Shares What’s On Her Extraordinary Mind (on hertelier) Managing the Book on YOU!: Rewriting your leadership story (Dr. Rach's book) A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here . You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summ...
Jun 02, 2025•1 hr 2 min
Michelin-starred, James Beard award–winning chef Douglas Keane closed his wildly successful restaurant at the peak of its fame, burned out by an industry he felt was broken. A decade later, he returned with Cyrus 2.0, a completely re-engineered dining journey that now pays every employee $75,000, runs a four-day workweek, and delivers higher margins than most fine-dining peers. Harvard Business School made it a case study about it, and here in this episode, he explains exactly how he did it. Lin...
Jun 01, 2025•28 min
In this episode, Walter Isenberg , co-founder and CEO of Sage Hospitality Group , shares what he's learned about urban renewal and revitalization. A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here . You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free . Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouTube , LinkedIn...
May 31, 2025•22 min
In this episode, Walter Isenberg , co-founder and CEO of Sage Hospitality Group , shares the story behind the story: how Sage Studio brings hospitality to life. A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here . You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestions If you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbox each day, subscribe here for free . Follow Hospitality Daily and join the conversation on YouT...
May 30, 2025•7 min
