Today, we're joined by Geoff Freeman , President and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. In this episode, you'll gain a deeper understanding of the current state of travel, the challenges faced by the industry - and the critical role travel plays in our economy, community, and personally. Geoff shares his insights on why travel should never be taken for granted, the unintentional harm caused by policymakers, and the need for improved travel infrastructure and policies. You'll learn: The economic...
Dec 17, 2023•22 min
How can we define quality and excellence in hospitality so that we can measure it and get better? I can't think of someone better qualified to answer this question than Stuart Grief , Chief Strategy, Innovation, and Operating Officer at Forbes Travel Guide - the only independent, global rating system for luxury hotels, restaurants, and spas. In this episode, you'll learn how they approach the challenging problem of rating diverse hotels worldwide, the surprising methodology they use - and Stuart...
Dec 16, 2023•26 min
Join us as we dive into the inspiring story of Saira Hospitality , a nonprofit organization revolutionizing the way hospitality businesses engage with people and local communities to build careers and thrive together. In this episode, we're talking with Harsha L'Acqua , Founder of Saira Hospitality, to explore the pivotal moments that sparked the creation of a new form of education, bridging the gap between underprivileged communities and the world of hospitality. Listeners will learn about: The...
Dec 15, 2023•24 min
In this episode, we speak with Alastair Thomann , CEO of Generator and Freehand Hotels , about the innovative strategies that have propelled their properties to success in the competitive hospitality landscape. You're going to learn about: The unique positioning of Generator and Freehand brands in the market and how they cater to different age demographics with a focus on social experiences. The pivotal role of food and beverage in creating memorable guest experiences and driving significant non...
Dec 14, 2023•25 min
Join us on a fascinating journey with Ben Uyeda , an architect turned internet sensation, as he shares his unconventional path from academia to becoming a social media powerhouse with millions of followers. In this episode, Ben dives deep into his transition from teaching sustainable design at Cornell to founding a successful architecture firm and a tech company that revolutionized home design distribution. Discover how Ben leveraged his design expertise and passion for content creation to build...
Dec 13, 2023•44 min
Gilda Perez-Alvarado is the CEO of Orient Express and Group Chief Strategy Officer at Accor. In this episode, she shares career and leadership advice on everything from why you should learn about real estate to why being a global citizen is important to time management to lessons from parenting and creating more inclusive work environments. 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 w...
Dec 12, 2023•25 min
In this episode, Gilda Perez-Alvarado, CEO of Orient Express and Group Chief Strategy Officer at Accor, discusses her new roles and observations so far. You'll learn about the process of managing a historic luxury brand such as Orient Express, the strategic vision behind Accor's diverse hospitality portfolio, and Gilda's approach to integrating sustainability and global perspectives into corporate strategy. This episode offers valuable insights into modern hospitality management and strategic pl...
Dec 11, 2023•20 min
Michelle Jensen Session is the co-owner of Kensington Investment Group , which owns and manages a mix of commercial and hotel properties. She's also the co-founder of Aquarius Hospitality Solutions , a strategic advisory firm for hospitality. In this episode, Michelle teaches us about emotional awareness and how to navigate differences in personality types thoughtfully. Follow Michelle on LinkedIn Learn more about Aquarius Hospitality Solutions Follow Aquarius Hospitality Solutions on LinkedIn F...
Dec 10, 2023•10 min
Have you ever thought about how a change of pace might change your experience of travel and hospitality? Join us as we dive into this today with Mollie Reese , who shares her journey from corporate burnout to discovering the soul of travel through unique, family-run accommodations. In this episode, you'll learn about the importance of slow travel, the personal stories behind the people enabling this, and how they're reshaping the landscape of hospitality. Learn more about Stay in Good Company Li...
Dec 09, 2023•35 min
How can you use music to elevate your guest experience and set your brand apart? I can't think of someone better suited to answer that question than our guest today, Clay Bassford , founder of Bespoke Sound . Clay and his team created the new sonic identity for Hospitality Daily that you hear on this show now, and he's helped countless other leading hospitality providers use music and sound to differentiate their brands and delight their guests. In this episode, you'll get a behind-the-scenes lo...
Dec 08, 2023•37 min
In this episode, we're learning from Seth Bolt, founder of Bolt Farm Treehouse and member of the band NEEDTOBREATHE. Seth shares his insights on the importance of rest and how it is essential for high-output people to avoid burnout. He uses the analogy of changing tires in a race car to emphasize the need to stay fresh and sustain well-being. Seth's personal experience with burnout led him to create Bolt Farm Treehouse, a mountaintop wellness resort in Tennessee. Don't miss this inspiring conver...
Dec 07, 2023•34 min
What does it take to hire the best executive talent in hospitality today? Joining us to answer this question today is Alison Harrigan , Senior Client Partner in the Hospitality & Leisure Practice at Korn Ferry - which is one of the top executive search firms in the world. She's an expert in the area of executive talent in hospitality and focuses on helping hotel brands, ownership and operating companies find and recruit C-Suite leaders. Over the last 9 years, Alison has placed over 200 execu...
Dec 06, 2023•37 min
You love hospitality and want to build a project, but how do you actually get it done? Stephen Galbreath , Chief Development Officer and Head of Construction for Garfield Public Private , has built a reputation for working with local governments to create win-win scenarios that gets projects done and benefits communities. In this episode, you'll learn from Stephen about how they do this and how they develop creative financing strategies with local governments to stuff done. A few more resources:...
Dec 05, 2023•23 min
To learn about the world of hotel development today, we're joined by Hector Sanchez , CEO at Premier - an end-to-end architecture, design, procurement, project management, and development firm. On top of his role leading Premier, Hector also serves as the Head of Hotel Development at Ashford, Inc - so he sees the hospitality industry from a lot of perspectives. In this episode, you'll hear about Hector's transition from the oil & gas industry into hospitality, how hotel development works, th...
Dec 05, 2023•25 min
Buildings are the platforms we all provide hospitality from, but how much do you know about the built environment? Joining us to help us learn more about this today is Kara Bartelt , who studied architecture at MIT and then earned her master's degree in architecture from Yale before eventually finding her way to the hospitality industry and working for Ace Hotel before her current role as the General Manager of The Hoxton, Downtown LA . In this episode you'll learn how Kara got into architecture...
Dec 04, 2023•25 min
In this episode, Michelle Jensen Session discusses the importance of inclusive hospitality, starting with breakfast. She shares her experiences growing up in a multicultural family and how it shaped her perspective today. She emphasizes the need for hoteliers to understand and cater to their guests' diverse backgrounds and preferences to create meaningful, welcoming experiences. Links: Follow Michelle on LinkedIn Learn more about Aquarius Hospitality Solutions Follow Aquarius Hospitality Solutio...
Dec 04, 2023•19 min
We talk a lot about art and culture on this show, so I wanted to bring on one of my neighbors today, Andrew Wasilewski who is cofounder of The Faight Collective - a space that’s become a quickly growing platform for art and music in San Francisco. I hope that by listening to Andrew you can be inspired to use your space as a catalyst for culture - wherever you are in the world. A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here . You can send me a message here with questions, co...
Dec 03, 2023•18 min
What could it look like to work together to help an entire community become more hospitable and thrive together? Today, we're hearing a case study in doing this well from Chuck Davison, President & CEO of Visit SLO CAL - who built a groundbreaking, comprehensive program that successfully empowered local businesses in hospitality and beyond to provide welcome guests and encourage more travel to their destination. Follow Chuck on LinkedIn Learn more about SLO CAL Welcome Visit the SLO CAL webs...
Dec 02, 2023•29 min
Few people are more iconic in the world of hospitality than Ian Schrager. Initially rising to fame as the co-owner and co-founder of Studio 54 in New York, Ian went on to found Morgans Hotel Group, then Public Hotels, then EDITION in partnership with Marriott. In this episode, we're talking with Adam Wallace , CEO of Spherical , about what it was like to work with him. There are lessons here for all of us on marketing, opening hotels, and creating a remarkable guest experience. Listen to our oth...
Dec 01, 2023•9 min
What's going on in the world of hotel brands today? Joining us today to answer that question is Dorothy Dowling , Managing Director at Horwath and previously Chief Marketing Officer at BWH Hotel Group , where she oversaw the group's 18 brands during her 17 years in leadership roles there. In this episode, you'll learn both the challenges and opportunities she's seen in the world of hotel brands - and where she would focus if she were starting a new brand from scratch today. Follow Dorothy on Lin...
Nov 30, 2023•11 min
Within the hospitality ecosystem, there are a lot of ways you can build an interesting company - so what has the most opportunity? Bashar Wali is one of the most recognized names in hospitality because he's done it all - as a leading operator, investor, and hotel branding expert that 180,000 people follow on LinkedIn alone. In this episode, Bashar shares where he's focused today. Follow Bashar on LinkedIn Follow Bashar on Twitter Follow Bashar on Instagram Follow Bashar on Facebook Follow Bashar...
Nov 29, 2023•8 min
In this episode, Nathan Woods , Head of Marketing and Brand at Bolt Farm Treehouse , shares his journey from track and field events to consumer packaged goods to hospitality. He discusses how his experience in building customer connections and brand growth in his previous roles now fuels his innovative approach to hospitality. You'll learn how Nathan applies direct-to-consumer strategies to enhance guest experiences and drive growth at Bolt Farm Treehouse, a unique retreat that blends luxury wit...
Nov 29, 2023•49 min
In this episode, we're learning from Harsha L'Acqua, the founder of Saira Hospitality, about the power of giving and generosity. Harsha shares how her upbringing and her father's work with Mother Teresa shaped her mindset around giving to others, and we discuss the importance of creating opportunities and equality in the world through hospitality today. Follow Harsha on LinkedIn Learn more about Saira Hospitality Learn more about "The Social Credit Card" Donate to Saira Hospitality A few more re...
Nov 28, 2023•20 min
I'll never forget the first time I heard our guest today, Brigette Harenda , President of B&Co . It was about a decade ago, and she was at a conference recounting the story of creating the Iron Horse Hotel - which I found fascinating because she became a hotel owner almost by accident during the Great Financial Crisis of 2008 - and has created hit after hit in hospitality since then. In this episode, you'll learn why you should care about branding, why it's much more than you might think it ...
Nov 28, 2023•25 min
How can art and creativity transform travel and guest experiences? Teresa Muk , Head of Brand and Strategic Marketing at Swire Hotels , joins us to answer this question today. Teresa joined us yesterday to discuss a recent activation they're doing across their hotels, and I wanted to bring her back on the show to talk more about this topic that presents an opportunity for all of us. Learn more about the ' Encounters Across Cultures ' activation at The House Collective by Swire Hotels Listen to T...
Nov 27, 2023•20 min
I love how art can enhance hospitality and the travel experience, and in this episode, Teresa Muk , Head of Brand and Strategic Marketing at Swire Hotels, explains the latest activation they've done at their luxury hotel collection, The House Collective . The project we're discussing today is called ' Encounters Across Cultures ', and it's being hosted in four cities: Hong Kong, Shanghai, Chengdu, and Beijing. It features artists using biometric data to create music and art that reflect each cit...
Nov 26, 2023•11 min
Study after study is showing travelers today want nature-focused hospitality experiences, but how exactly do you design and create these? Joining us today to answer this question is Scott LaMont, CEO of EDSA, a firm that focuses on creating these around the world. In this episode, you'll hear about landscape architecture, something called "deconstructed hospitality" and how this can look through a case study of a project they did recently. There are lessons here for all of us about how to design...
Nov 25, 2023•18 min
Tracy Prigmore is a hotel owner, operator, and developer. You may know her from She Has a Deal - which includes a pitch competition but is much more. In this episode, you’ll hear about Tracy's recent conversations with hospitality leaders, the importance of fostering mentor relationships, overcoming barriers in the industry, taking calculated risks, the power of peer learning, and the importance of financial literacy. From her personal story to her work today, Tracy will get you fired up by what...
Nov 24, 2023•46 min
If you’ve created a great hospitality business, you should make as much money as you can because that will fund everything else you do - from designing and delivering a great guest experience to paying your teams well to allowing you to expand and serve more people. To help you understand some of the opportunities here, we’re going to learn from Thibault Catala, who started his career in revenue management at companies such as Four Seasons and IHG before moving into investment management and adv...
Nov 23, 2023•18 min
My parents work in ministry, and I grew up in a home where I always saw them giving to others. Something I've been thinking a lot about recently is how to take care of the people in our world who take care of others. It turns out there was someone in the Hospitality Daily community, Nathan LaGrange, who cares deeply about this. Nathan is the Executive Director of Oasis Rest International, and he and I had the chance to connect recently to discuss this and what he's doing at Oasis. In this episod...
Nov 23, 2023•24 min
