Development Episodes

David Tart , Managing Partner at Raines , entered the hospitality industry by turning family farmland into his first Hampton Inn. Today, he leads development at Raines, an integrated hospitality company known for both branded and independent hotels. In this conversation, David shares key lessons from his career—particularly around risk-taking, relationship-building, and why trust is foundational in navigating the world of hospitality. A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, sta...

In this episode, we go behind the scenes of Reset Hotel , the first new hotel built in Joshua Tree in over 15 years. Co-founder Adam Wininger and investor Shannon Ching of HP Investors share candid insights and practical lessons from their experience bringing this ambitious, outdoor-focused hotel concept to life. You'll hear why they chose hotels over Airbnb, how trust shaped their partnerships, and why understanding guests' desires ultimately defined Reset’s success. Also see: Designing Hospita...

So far in our series with Jess Werner, we've explored her path to becoming Chief Creative Officer at Sage Hospitality Group and learned about Sage Studio, the innovative in-house design team she's built. Today, we dive even deeper, taking you behind the scenes of Sage Hospitality’s standout Denver projects—from the community-driven luxury of the Crawford Hotel at Union Station to the compact creativity and modular innovations of Catbird Hotel. You may also enjoy: The Dana Crawford Playb...

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...

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...

In this episode, Walter Isenberg , co-founder and CEO of Sage Hospitality Group , shares what he learned from Denver architectural conservation developer and preservationist Dana Crawford . 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 ...

In this episode, Ben Wolff, co-founder and developer of Onera and CEO of Oasi , shares a preview into his next big move: developing a tropical landscape resort in South Florida. Connect with Ben: LinkedIn Twitter (@UniqueStaysGuy) Instagram (@IAmBenWolff) Newsletter See our other episodes with Ben: Why Most Hotels Fail at Social Media (And How to Get It Right) Unleash Your Inner Creative: How Hospitality Leaders Can Build Something Meaningful Why Today's Guests Want to Be Participants, Not Obser...

In this episode, Nathan St Cyr , co-founder of Howzit Hostels , shares how focusing on guest connections and rethinking traditional models can create extraordinary experiences and scalable success. Listen to learn: How Nathan transitioned from a successful sales leader in hospitality to co-founding Howzit Hostels. The importance of questioning traditional hospitality models and listening intently to guests. The impact of Nathan's childhood travel experiences on his approach to hospitality. The s...

In this episode, Tim Harmon , founder and CEO of Palisades Hospitality Group , shares insights into his latest project, The Elene , a hotel designed to connect guests with the community and nature. Listen now to learn about: The vision behind The Elene and its 10-year journey to fruition. The unique features of The Elene, including its recovery garden, outdoor living room, and bike-friendly amenities. The importance of community involvement and how The Elene aims to integrate with the local Napa...

In this episode, Tely Nagle, owner of The Drake Oak Brook , shares the inspiring story of purchasing and transforming a neglected historic Chicago area hotel into a Condé Nast award-winning property. Listeners will learn: The history of The Drake Oak Brook and its connection to the famous Drake Hotel in downtown Chicago (01:09) The state of disrepair the hotel was in when Tely and her husband Jim purchased it in 2013 (04:01) The renovation process and Tely's creative inspiration for restoring th...

In this episode, Melissa and Tanner Cummings , co-founders of Cypress Resort , share their vision for building a new kind of luxury nature resort and how they're inviting people to join them on the journey. Listeners will learn: How Tanner and Melissa are cultivating "thin spaces" through their new resort (03:30) Why they're focusing on luxury to provide quality, craftsmanship, and an opportunity to serve their team and guests better (06:11) How they're using crowdfunding to prove viability, inv...

In this episode, Tony Greenberg , co-owner of SingleThread , shares insights into the strategy and unique approach that has helped SingleThread become one of the top hospitality businesses in the world. Tony's perspective on the evolving hospitality economy (01:40) - Learn about the shift from material goods to transformational experiences, and the integration of restaurants and hotels in the hospitality industry. The role of the inn in SingleThread's business model (05:25) - Discover how the in...

Do you want to learn about emerging market trends in order to serve people and innovate through hospitality? Today, we're learning how Margot Stern does this. She went from managing a $450 million dollar consumer products portfolio for Mattel and Disney to becoming a hospitality strategist and advisor to now building The Hopewell , her new conservation-minded hospitality experience in an old country manor north of Philadelphia. I want you to listen to Margot to hear what it can look like to conn...

Ben Wolff is the co-founder and developer of Onera (IG: @ StayOnera ), a luxury treehouse resort in the Texas Hill Country. His experiential hospitality firm, Oasi , develops and manages a portfolio of landscape resorts, boutique hotels, and luxury retreats. In this episode, he shares what he sees holding innovation back in hospitality, how investment is changing in our industry, how shifts in booking behavior are guiding his marketing, strategies for operational efficiency, and trends in demand...

The Lodge at Marconi has one of the most colorful stories I've come across recently. Its developer and operator, Oliver Hospitality , invited me to check it out recently (you can follow along on the Hospitality Daily YouTube channel today). In this episode, you'll hear from Ethan Orley, the Managing Partner of Oliver Hospitality, about how this property came to be - with lessons for you on everything from concept development to the design to the guest experience. What did you think about this ep...

Phil Hospod is one of the top lifestyle hotel developers and owners in the world - he's the founder and CEO of Dovetail + Co - and in this episode, you'll hear about the new hotel he's building in New York that is laser-focused on one segment of travelers: Gen Z solo travelers. Watch our full conversation exclusively on the Hospitality Daily YouTube channel - Building Memories: The Art of Boutique Hotel Development - for more. What did you think about this episode? Join the Hospitality Daily com...

Could you create more opportunities for yourself and your business by thinking of hospitality more expansively? Joining us today to share how he and his team did this is Frank Uffen, Managing Director of Community & Partnerships The Social Hub (formerly The Student Hotel) and Founder of the Class Foundation. In this episode, you'll learn about how The Student Hotel got started, why and how it rebranded to The Social Hub, and the opportunity with Hybrid Hospitality today. Follow Frank on LinkedIn...

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...

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. Join in the conversat...

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, the p...

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...

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...

Populus is going to be the first carbon-positive hotel in America when it opens in Denver in 2024, which basically means it leaves the planet in a better place than before it existed because it's removing carbon dioxide (C02) emissions from the air. In this episode, we’re going behind the scenes with the developer of the incredible project, Jon Buerge of Urban Villages, to hear all about how it got started and the opportunity it presents for all of us in hospitality. Follow Jon on LinkedIn Learn...

Stefan Merriweather is Head of Creative for The LINE hotels, and today, we're learning from him about everything from developing new projects to collaborating with artists to empowering team members. After listening to this episode, you're going to be inspired to use art, design, and creativity as a powerful way to delight your guests and grow your hospitality business. Follow Stefan on LinkedIn Follow Stefan on Instagram Join in the conversation on this episode on the Hospitality Daily LinkedIn...