Strategy Episodes

In this episode, 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) Moving beyond traditional metric...

In this episode, Eva Klausner, Director of Guest Experience at Numa, shares how any hotelier can think about innovation -- wherever they are working.This episode is hosted by our guest experience correspondent, Danica Smith, founder of 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 suggestionsIf you want to get my summary and actionable insights from each episode delivered to your inbo...

In this episode, Abdul Baaghil, co-founder of Harvest Cotton Tail, shares what he's learned about culture.This episode is brought to you with support from Sojern, the leading marketing platform built for hotels. With their fully managed email solution, hoteliers can re-engage past guests, drive direct bookings, and keep more revenue in their pocket through Sojern’s transparent pay-for-performance commission model. Learn more at Sojern.com.A few more resources:If you're new to Hospitality D...

In this episode, Colin Nagy, a global strategy executive and travel writer, shares why and how he travels, what's catching his attention, and the opportunities he sees in hospitality today.(00:00) Introduction(02:13) Colin's early travel experiences(05:16) Why Colin travels thoughtfully(07:29) Fascination with the Middle East and Japan(10:40) Why Colin writes about travel(12:18) Objectivity in travel writing(15:00) Building a network of primary sources(17:48) Rol...

In this episode, Sloan Dean, CEO of Remington Hospitality, shares insights on building a people-first hospitality company, the importance of food and beverage, and the benefits of smart growth over rapid scaling.Check out our other episodes with Sloan here.Read: Culture Creates Room To Thrive At Remington HotelsA few more resources:If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here.You can send me a message here with questions, comments, or guest suggestionsIf you want to get m...

In this episode, Donte P. Johnson and Jason Bass share the story and message behind Impact Hospitality and their new book of the same name published by Kendall Hunt.See our other episodes with Donte and Jason:Culture creates a feeling and sends a messageWe have a boring problem, not a staffing problemDress codes, grooming standards & creating a welcoming cultureDEI needs to be a baseline to build fromImpact Hospitality & being more hospitable to our neighborsThe business benefits o...

In this episode, Matthias Huettebraeuker, an independent hospitality strategist with experience at citizenM and Design Hotels, shares how we can break free from outdated thinking, embrace innovation, and create hotels and hospitality businesses that people love.(01:27) The shift in the hospitality industry 20 years ago(02:09) Importance of community(03:13) The need to rethink and innovate(03:42) Knowing your "why"(05:08) Developing a niche and "personality"(06:06) Bold hospitality(...

In this episode, Zach Demuth, the Global Head of Hotels Research at JLL, shares why the hospitality industry is at a pivotal juncture and what it means for you.See insights and research from JLL hereSend Josiah a textTake my State of Hotel Industry Survey now to get insights on challenges, priorities, and opportunities in hospitality today.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 suggestionsI...

In this episode, Sophie Hulgard, Chief Sales Officer at Accor, shares insights on the power of providing hospitality through meetings, the economic impact of face-to-face events, and how hotels can maximize these opportunities.Listen now to learn about:The impact of the pandemic on the meetings and events industry.The value of face-to-face meetings versus digital interactions.Key findings from Accor's recent research on the economic impact of meetings.Differences in meeting value perce...

A few thoughts from my morning commute this week in San Francisco, inspired by "Nobody Knows Anything" from Dror Poleg.For more on this, you may enjoy these other episodes on this show:What I'm Excited About in Hospitality Now - Gilda Perez-Alvarado, AccorCreating "Influence House" - Sébastien Felix, Influence SocietyInvesting in Community: The Power of Education & Programming - Charlie MacGregor, The Social HubHow Our Hotels Become Community Pillars, Delighting Neighbors and Guests Alike...

In this episode, Matt Campbell, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Legal Officer at My Place Hotels, shares his journey from an unexpected path into the hospitality industry to leading a brand known for smart cost efficiencies and a people-centered culture.In this episode we cover:Matt's career story, including his transition from law to hospitality.Matt's roles and responsibilities as a Chief Operating Officer today, including overseeing sales, marketing, revenue management, and operations....

This episode is brought to you with support from Hireology. Check out our free masterclass: How To Hire Great People, Faster.In this episode, Kevin Osterhaus, President of Global Lifestyle Brands at Hilton, shares his journey and insights on integrating lifestyle hotels into one of the world's largest hotel companies.In this, you'll learn:The reasons behind Kevin's move from Graduate Hotels to Hilton.The growing trend of big hotel companies acquiring lifestyle brands.Strategies f...

This episode is brought to you with support from Hireology. Check out our free masterclass: How To Hire Great People, Faster.In this episode, Jason Himber, CEO of MINA Group, shares how he convinced celebrity chef Michael Mina to pause the company's rapid expansion and focus on strengthening its foundation for long-term success.Listeners will learn:The importance of listening, learning, and building trust when coming into a new businessHow focusing on process, systems, and discipline can...

In this episode, Charlie MacGregor, founder of The Social Hub, shares how they pioneered the concept of hybrid hospitality, blending different groups of people and using space flexibly to maximize revenue and create vibrant, multi-use spaces.Listeners will learn:What hybrid hospitality is (01:30)How hybrid hospitality creates a fun, safe, and vibrant environment that reflects real life (03:07)The benefits of connecting workers through co-working spaces (04:32)How hybrid hosp...

In this episode, hotel investor and Hospiamo founder Adam Zembruski shares his insights on the systemic barriers that hold hoteliers back and the practical steps needed to foster a more creative and collaborative culture in hotels.Listeners will learn:The reasons why collaboration is often an afterthought for hotel owners and how to change that mindset (01:37)The importance of encouraging creativity among hotel employees (05:32)A real-world example of successful collaboration in...

In this episode, Bill Graf, CEO of ONDA (Instagram), shares his thoughts on the future of hospitality and opportunities for innovation now.Listeners will learn:Bill’s unconventional path into hospitality and the pivotal travel experience that inspired him to start ONDA (02:41)The concept of "Hospitality 3.0" and how it's different from previous waves of innovation in the industry (09:59)Why the next big opportunity in hospitality lies in serving niches (12:47)Lessons from re...

In this episode, Bashar Wali, founder and CEO of Practice Hospitality and This Assembly, shares his perspective on what makes a compelling hospitality brand and the opportunities for innovation in the industry today.Listeners will learn:How to balance aesthetics and profitability in hotel design (01:34)The importance of having a "face" and soul behind a hospitality brand (03:51)Why large hotel companies are acquiring founder-led brands (06:44)The opportunity for entrepreneur...

This is part of our series with Horst Schulze - listen to our other episodes here.In this episode, Horst Schulze, co-founder of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, shares his insights on the changing face of luxury, the critical importance of individualization, and why the art of welcoming guests is more crucial than ever in our world today.Listeners will learn:How luxury has changed (01:05)How guest expectations have changed (02:32)What constitutes a good welcome (03:34)The t...

In this episode, Micah Solomon, author, speaker, and customer experience expert, shares lessons he's learned from top hospitality leaders.00:44 - The importance of instant correction, as taught by Patrick O'Connell, head of the Inn at Little Washington02:00 - How empowerment is not just a token gesture but a crucial part of an employee's duties, as taught by Hervé Humler at the Ritz-Carlton03:03 - The value of proactive service, as demonstrated in a story from Horst Schulze, another founde...

This episode is part of our series with Staypineapple Hotels. Listen to episode 1 here.In this episode, Dina Belon, President at Staypineapple Hotels, shares her company's unique vision for hospitality and what's behind their successful operations.Listeners will learn:How Staypineapple Hotels focuses on teaching the "why" to their employees, empowering them to solve problems using critical thinking (01:04)The importance of creating memories for guests and how it ties into Maslow's...

In this episode, Ernest Lee, Chief Commercial Officer at citizenM, shares his thoughts on what the hospitality industry should be paying more attention to in the face of increasingly frequent "black swan" events.Listeners will learn:The hospitality industry needs to think about how to set up their organizations to be more nimble and react to the increasing frequency of cataclysmic events (00:52)Hotel businesses should consider their exposure to constant violent corrections in terms of reve...

In this episode, Ernest Lee, Chief Commercial Officer at citizenM, shares how citizenM created a unique paid loyalty program called "mycitizenM+" that drives value for both customers and the company. Listeners will learn:The context and strategic thinking behind developing mycitizenM+, inspired by Amazon Prime's approach to delivering consistent value to drive long-term loyalty (00:37)How citizenM leveraged its position as an owner-operator to quickly implement physical benefits and per...

In this episode, Martin Soler, a former hotel general manager who is now a fractional CMO for large travel tech companies and the co-founder of 10minutes.news, shares his insights on how hotels can use technology to provide personalized experiences for their guests at scale.Listeners will learn:Martin's bold prediction about a big tech shift coming to the hotel industry in the next 24 months (08:33)The importance of having a property management system (PMS) that is guest-centric rat...

Robyn Pratt is the General Manager of The Phoenicia Malta, and in this episode, she shares the "service-profit cycle of success" and why you shouldn't just focus on employee happiness.Enjoyed this? Listen to more episodes with Robyn here.This episode is brought to you with support from Sojern. Download our latest research report here: Unlocking Revenue - How Hoteliers Build Profitable Guest RelationshipsNew to Hospitality Daily? Start here.Want to get my summary and actionable insight...