Episodes

In this episode, Abigail Tan, CEO of St Giles Hotel Group, joins our correspondent and hertelier founder Emily Goldfisher to share the story behind Hotels with Heart, a program using hospitality to provide housing, training, and new opportunities for people experiencing homelessness. Started during the pandemic, the initiative has grown into a full-fledged Hospitality Academy that equips participants with skills, confidence, and pathways to employment. Abigail’s vision shows how hotels can go be...

In this episode, St Giles Hotel Group CEO Abigail Tan shares how her approach to leadership has evolved from self-discovery to creating a culture people can feel. Speaking with our career correspondent and hertelier founder Emily Goldfisher, Abigail reflects on the values that guide her decisions, the lessons she’s learned as both a CEO and mother, and why authentic leadership and organizational behavior matter more than ever in hospitality. She discusses how she’s built a loyal team—many with ...

In this episode, Gregory Day, President of Hospitality for Mani Brothers Real Estate Group and Managing Director of the Malibu Beach Inn, shares how hospitality can play a powerful role in rebuilding a community after crisis. Following two devastating wildfires and months of road closures that cut local business revenue by up to 90%, Gregory has become a leading advocate for why hospitality matters — not only for travelers, but for the people and small businesses who depend on it. He discusses ...

In this episode, Gregory Day, President of Hospitality for Mani Brothers Real Estate Group and Managing Director of the Malibu Beach Inn, shares what it was like to lead his team and guests through two devastating wildfires that struck Malibu just 30 days apart. Gregory recounts how preparation, calm leadership, and a deeply rooted service culture guided every decision, from midnight evacuations to supporting displaced residents and first responders. He explains how an “inverted org chart” ap...

In this episode, Gregory Day, President of Hospitality for Mani Brothers Real Estate Group and Managing Director of the Malibu Beach Inn, shares how listening attentively to guests and empowering staff to act with autonomy define his approach to five-star hospitality. Building on yesterday’s discussion about the Malibu Beach Inn’s turnaround, Gregory explains how a culture of trust and responsiveness enables his team to deliver deeply personal guest experiences. You’ll also hear a story from Jos...

In this episode, Gregory Day, President of Hospitality for Mani Brothers Real Estate Group and Managing Director of the Malibu Beach Inn, shares how he led a complete turnaround of this stunning oceanfront property in just two years -- a journey that took it to the top of luxury 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 i...

In this episode, Gregory Day, President of Hospitality for Mani Brothers Real Estate Group and Managing Director of the Malibu Beach Inn, reflects on how formality and luxury have evolved across different hospitality environments. Gregory shares formative lessons from his early career, from discovering true luxury at Pebble Beach Resorts to being mentored by industry leaders and later managing at Fairmont, where excellence took on a different meaning. He discusses how definitions of formal...

In this episode, our innovation correspondent Matthias Hüttebräuker explores the power of hotel design with LIND + ALMOND's Pernille Lind, the award-winning designer behind Hotel Sanders in Copenhagen and The Newman in London. Together, they examine how thoughtful design influences how guests feel, move, and connect. 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 m...

Chris Green, President of Humanitarian Hotels, shares what gives him hope in hospitality today. As the industry faces rising costs and flat forecasts, he explains how leaders can rebuild optimism through care, connection, and investing in their people. Also see: Hospitality as an Engine for Generosity: How Humanitarian Hotels Operates with Excellence & Gives Away 100% of Profits Called to Use Your Gifts for Good (podcast w/ Fr. Mike Schmitz) A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality...

In this episode, Chris Green, President of Humanitarian Hotels, shares how his organization gives away 100% of its profits to charity -- while operating with world-class excellence. He explains how hospitality can become an engine for generosity, where every associate, guest, and community benefits -- and challenges us to rethink what it means to pursue what's good. Links to learn more: Humanitarian Hotels Founder's Story Business as a Force for Good: The Humanitarian Hotels Story (video ...

In this episode, Oscar Serrano, Senior Vice President of Distribution, Sales & Marketing at UMusic Hospitality, shares how Universal Music Group—the world’s largest entertainment company—is bringing its emotional power into travel through UMusic Hotels. Born from a joint venture between Universal Music Group and UMusic Hospitality & Lifestyle, this brand turns superfans into guests by blending live entertainment, creativity, and community. From the first property in Madrid, Spain, to upcoming...

In this conversation, Oscar Serrano shares how his deep operational experience has shaped the way he leads commercial strategy today. From growing up in Majorca—where tourism is part of daily life—to leading global hospitality brands, Oscar explains why understanding every aspect of operations is essential to delivering both exceptional guest experiences and strong business results. You’ll hear how this operational mindset influences sales, marketing, and brand development at UMusic Hospitality...

In this conversation hosted by Nancy Mendelson, hospitality marketing veteran Victoria Feldman de Falco, principal and co-founder of Redpoint, shares how consistent communication — even in challenging times — can drive long-term success for hospitality businesses. With more than four decades of experience shaping stories for hotels, destinations, and cruise lines, Vickie has been recognized as one of HSMAI’s Top 25 Extraordinary Minds and received the organization’s Winthrop W. Grice Award for ...

In this conversation hosted by Nancy Mendelson, hospitality marketing veteran Victoria Feldman de Falco, principal and co-founder of Redpoint, shares how marketing, PR, and operations teams can work together to drive topline growth in hospitality. Drawing from more than four decades of experience leading bold, award-winning campaigns, Vickie explains why communications shouldn’t operate in silos — and how general managers play a crucial role in aligning strategy across the business. You’ll hear...

In this episode, Steven Moore, CEO of Actabl, shares insights from his recent presentation at The Lodging Conference on how hotel owners and operators are finding wins in a challenging market. He explains how owners and operators are protecting profitability by focusing on the two biggest drivers of performance today: labor and culture. Steven discusses why labor represents the most powerful lever in hotel profitability, sharing data-backed examples of both success and failure, and explores h...

In this episode, Josiah Mackenzie talks with Steven Moore, CEO of Actabl, about what makes The Lodging Conference such a special event for hospitality leaders. Together they explore the conversations, connections, and collaborations that define the conference -- and what those dynamics reveal about how the hotel industry really works. Listeners will take away insights on building stronger relationships, communicating effectively, and creating events and environments that benefit everyone in hosp...

What’s really happening with AI in hospitality right now? In this episode, Josiah Mackenzie explores this with Drew Potter of Actabl, who brings a rare mix of hotel operations experience, hands-on AI experimentation, and a technology-provider perspective. Fresh from the Destination AI Summit in Washington, DC, Drew shares what’s changed over the past year, what’s actually working inside hotels today, and where guest expectations are heading next. From analyzing guest feedback with AI to prep...

In this episode, Andrew Arthurs, President and Chief Operating Officer at Actabl, and former CIO for some of the world’s largest hotel management companies, shares how AI and smart data use are elevating the associate experience in hospitality. He explains why digitizing manual workflows isn’t just about efficiency but about empowering teams and improving operations. You’ll hear his perspective on where to start, how to approach data strategy, and why the best tech initiatives begin with underst...

In this episode, Andrew Arthurs, President and Chief Operating Officer at Actabl, shares how hospitality professionals can accelerate their careers by creating value through problem-solving. Drawing on his experience as a former Chief Information Officer for major hotel management companies, Andrew explains why the most successful leaders start by asking the right questions, focusing on the real problems to solve rather than the technology itself. He also reveals a simple framing question that h...

In this episode, Andrew Arthurs, President and COO of Actabl, joins us to discuss one of hospitality’s biggest challenges: managing labor costs. Drawing on his experience leading at the largest hotel management companies and his recent articles in Hotel Management, Andrew shares how top hotel operators are enhancing labor efficiency through cross-functional collaboration and data-driven decision-making. Read Andrew's articles: Hotel's talent crisis is getting worse: How empathy can help Labor ...

This week, Josiah Mackenzie and Andrew Arthurs are in Phoenix for The Lodging Conference, talking about what’s top of mind for hotel owners and investors today. Andrew, who is President and COO of Actabl, shares how the smartest owners are thinking about people, partnerships, and technology to protect and grow asset value. Also see: Building Trust & The Network Effect in Hospitality A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message here with quest...

Andrew Arthurs was previously CIO for some of the world’s largest hotel management companies and is now President and Chief Operating Officer of Actabl, embodying what it looks like to live and lead with hospitality. In this episode, Andrew teaches us about the network effect in hospitality: how trust and relationships built over time shape careers, companies, and leadership. Also see: Brené Brown's "marble jar" analogy and building trust Why Great Hospitality Leaders Always Return to the Fro...

Before her role today at Actabl, Shanell Marinuzzi learned the importance of "speaking owner" as a hotel general manager, connecting her work building culture and driving performance in a way that resonates with investors. In this episode, she shares how knowing the numbers, aligning team goals, and translating results into owner-friendly language helped her drive buy-in and deliver results. A few more resources: If you're new to Hospitality Daily, start here. You can send me a message he...

In this special bonus episode, Megan Yagoda Kaplan, Senior Vice President of Customer Experience at Actabl, explains how hotel leaders can unlock performance from technology by partnering with customer success teams. With a background in consulting and a team of former hoteliers, Megan shares how Actabl helps operators align tech adoption with strategic goals and measurable outcomes. This episode shows why customer success is the key to driving real results in hospitality today. Links: Request...