Episodes

March 6, 2024

The Mental Model Top Leaders Use to Win in Hospitality Today - Kristie Goshow, KSL Resorts

Kristie Goshow is the Chief Commercial Officer for KSL Resorts, and in this episode, explains how "systems thinking" can help you lead your teams in engaging guests and driving business performance. This episode is brought to you with support from Sojern. Finding and appealing to travelers online means getting to know them, and that's why first-party data - the information you have about your guests - is so important to providing hospitality today. I teamed up with Sojern to study how hoteliers...
March 5, 2024

How To Think 10 Steps Ahead, Solve Hard Problems With Strategy, And Stand Out - Caitlin Ornitz, Champagne Hospitality

In this episode, Caitlin Ornitz, Vice President of Strategy at Champagne Hospitality, draws from her background in management consulting with McKinsey & Company to share how she pushes through tough industry problems to stay ahead of competitors, innovate, and attract guests. Listen to gain insights on how to empower your team, make big bets, and position your hospitality business to be durable and relevant for years to come. You may also enjoy: Our other episode with Caitlin: How Our Hotel...
March 4, 2024

Longevity through Legacy: How I Lead Thousands at the World's Longest-Running Forbes Five-Star & AAA Five-Diamond Resort - Ann Alba, The Broadmoor

The Broadmoor is the world's longest-running Forbes Five-Star & AAA Five-Diamond resort. In this episode, Ann Alba, Vice President and Resident Manager at The Broadmoor, shares her thoughts on careers, mentorship, legacy, and preparing for the future. Listen to be inspired by the vision she outlines of what excellence in hospitality leadership can look like. You may also enjoy: How We Use History To Delight Guests, Neighbors, and Staff (with Cynthia Leonard, The Broadmoor) This episode is br...
March 3, 2024

Why We Need to Promote Travel to Thrive in Hospitality - Sima Patel, Ridgemont Hospitality

Sima Patel is co-founder and CEO of Ridgemont Hospitality, a hospitality development and management company in the San Francisco Bay Area, and she was also the first Board-elected Chair of Visit California, representing more than 20,000 tourism businesses here. She's a tireless champion of travel and tourism, and in this episode shares why every hospitality provider should care about promoting travel. Do you want your teams to make better decisions and free them up to provide the best hospitali...
March 2, 2024

Empowering Women in Hospitality (And Beyond) - Sima Patel, Ridgemont Hospitality

Sponsored by Otelier - the software behind every great host. Sima Patel is the co-founder and CEO of Ridgemont Hospitality, a San Francisco Bay Area-based hospitality development and management company and the founder of Saaheli, a global community committed to educate, engage, and empower women to realize their true potential. In this episode you'll hear what she's learned about empowering others. Do you want your teams to make better decisions and free them up to provide the best hospitality...
March 1, 2024

Never Give Up: How I Became CEO (And How I'm Empowering Others Now) - Sima Patel, Ridgemont Hospitality

Sponsored by Otelier - the software behind every great host. Sima Patel is one of the most widely respected leaders in hospitality, earning recognition as Hotelier of the Year by AAHOA and becoming the first board-elected Chair of Visit California, among other recognitions. Sima is the co-founder and CEO of Ridgemont Hospitality, a San Francisco Bay Area-based hospitality development and management company and in this episode, you'll hear her story of grit, resilience, and success in hospitalit...
Feb. 29, 2024

How We Improved Employee Satisfaction From 2.5 to 4.7/5 on Glassdoor - James Ferguson, Wurzak Hotel Group

Sponsored by Otelier - the software behind every great host. Glassdoor is sort of like those online reviews your hotels get on TripAdvisor and Google - but it's from employees. Because of this, it's a crucial place to monitor and improve if you want to attract talented people to your teams. In this episode, you'll hear James Ferguson, Director of Culture at Wurzak Hotel Group, explain how they've improved employee satisfaction and increased their Glassdoor rating from 2.5 to its current overall...
Feb. 28, 2024

How Our Hotels Become Community Pillars, Delighting Neighbors and Guests Alike - Caitlin Ornitz, Champagne Hospitality

Sponsored by Otelier - the software behind every great host. In this episode, Caitlin Ornitz, Vice President of Strategy at Champagne Hospitality, shares how their hotels in France and the Caribbean have become pillars of the communities they operate in. Listen to hear how they do this and get inspired by what it looks like to participate in and celebrate the places you are providing hospitality from. You may also enjoy: Building Sustainable Luxury with Denise Dupré, Founder of Champagne H...
Feb. 27, 2024

Crafting Timeless Hospitality Experiences - Chris Norton, Equinox Hotels

In this episode, Equinox Hotels CEO Chris Norton talks about the timeless aspects of hospitality, and how it might look for you. Do you want your teams to make better decisions and free them up to provide the best hospitality? You should meet Otelier - the software behind every great host. Otelier brings together the best features and functionality from MDO, Datavision, inTouch, HelloGM, Focal Revenue Solutions, and Broadvine to deliver a unified platform that meets the evolving needs of toda...
Feb. 26, 2024

Aligned For The Future: How We Merged, Rebranded & Built Tech To Help Hotels Navigate An AI-Powered World - Vic Chynoweth, Otelier [Sponsor Bonus]

Vic Chynoweth is the CEO of Otelier, formerly known as My Digital Office or MDO, and in this special episode, he talks about why they rebranded and the opportunities he sees in hospitality with technology today. Listen to learn what it takes to successfully bring together people and companies into an aligned, effective organization as well as new opportunities AI-powered technology is opening up for hoteliers today. Do you want your teams to make better decisions and free them up to provide t...
Feb. 26, 2024

What Are We Missing With AI in Hospitality? (Stuart Greif, Forbes Travel Guide)

There's a lot of talk about AI in hospitality technology now, but what are we not talking about but should be? Stuart Greif has a unique perspective on this topic as the Chief Strategy, Innovation, & Operating Officer at Forbes Travel Guide, and in this episode - recorded in December 2023 - he shares what's going on with AI and its potential implications for you and your hospitality business. Do you want your teams to make better decisions and free them up to provide the best hospitality? You...
Feb. 25, 2024

Leadership Lessons From The River for Hospitality - Chris Green, Remington Hospitality

Today, we're getting powerful leadership lessons from an unlikely source: a whitewater rafting trip! Listen to Remington Hospitality President Chris Green share what he learned on the river and how it can make you a more effective hospitality leader. Check out Chris' new book, The River Guide to Leadership. What did you think about this episode? Join the Hospitality Daily community on LinkedIn and share your thoughts. If you care about hospitality, check out the Masters of Moments podcast wher...
Feb. 24, 2024

A Case Study in Creative Development: The Lodge at Marconi - Ethan Orley, Oliver Hospitality

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...
Feb. 23, 2024

Why We Focus on Brand and Marketing at our Operating Company - Ethan Orley, Oliver Hospitality

Oliver Hospitality is a Nashville-based hotel and restaurant management company founded in 2009 on the idea that old and new properties could be reworked into engaging and thoughtful spaces. In this episode, Ethan Orley, the Managing Partner of Oliver Hospitality, talks about how an emphasis on the creative and communications elements of hospitality creates a powerful guest experience that I want you to learn from. What did you think about this episode? Join the Hospitality Daily community on L...
Feb. 22, 2024

How We Cross-Train Hospitality "Athletes" For High Performance - Kristie Goshow & Chris Riccardi, KSL Resorts

In this episode, Kristie Goshow, Chief Commercial Officer, and Chris Riccardi, SVP of Global Sales Strategy at KSL Resorts, share how they cross-train their team to keep them engaged, growing, and performing at their best. What did you think about this episode? Join the Hospitality Daily community on LinkedIn and share your thoughts. If you care about hospitality, check out the Masters of Moments podcast where Jake Wurzak interviews top leaders in hospitality. His conversations with Bashar Wali...
Feb. 21, 2024

Beyond Boutique: Our Gen Z Capsule Hotel for Solo Travelers - Phil Hospod, Dovetail + Co

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...
Feb. 20, 2024

Delight Guests Using Apple's "Unboxing" Strategy - Susie Arnett, Six Senses

In this episode, Susie Arnett, the Director of Wellness Programming at Six Senses Hotels, Resorts & Spas, shares what she learned from unboxing an iPhone that can guide the way you design moments that delight your guests. Article: Unboxing the Hotel Room Listen to our other episode with Susie: From MTV Producer to Leading Wellness Programming: Lessons and Observations for Hospitality Listen to more episodes on guest experience design What did you think about this episode? Join the Hospitali...
Feb. 19, 2024

Ideas For You From The Indie Lodging Congress Confab Palm Springs - Josiah Mackenzie

This past week, I was in Palm Springs for an event produced by the Independent Lodging Congress and wanted to summarize some of my takeaways. You'll hear what stood out to me from some of the top leaders in independent hospitality - as well as some takeaways from the location, host hotel, and event itself that will inspire you in your hospitality business. Learn more about the next events from ILC here Let's connect! Join the Hospitality Daily community on LinkedIn Join The Huddle - Hospita...
Feb. 18, 2024

How To Craft Transformative Hospitality Experiences - Michelle Oliver, Expitality

It seems like everyone talks about experiential hospitality. So, how do we know where the opportunity lies and how we can authentically provide experiences that transform the lives of our guests and those we work with? To answer that question, we're going to learn today from Michelle Oliver, the founder and CEO of Expitality and the author of Grace & the Art of Experiential Hospitality. In this episode, we talk about how hospitality providers can think about this personally and within their bu...
Feb. 17, 2024

How We Use History To Delight Guests, Neighbors, and Staff - Cynthia Leonard, The Broadmoor

This episode is sponsored by Sojern - the #1 marketing platform for hospitality What could it look like to use history to ground your hospitality business in a sense of place, shape the culture of your teams, and make your guests and neighbors feel more connected to your hotel? I can't think of someone better suited to show us what this can look like than Cynthia Leonard, the historian at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado - one of America's most iconic grand resorts. In this episode, ...
Feb. 16, 2024

From MTV Producer to Leading Wellness Programming: Lessons and Observations for Hospitality - Susie Arnett, Six Senses

This episode is sponsored by Sojern - the #1 marketing platform for hospitality Susie Arnett is the Director of Wellness Programming at Six Senses Hotels, Resorts & Spas and one of the world's leading experts on wellness. In this episode, you'll hear what she's thinking about in this area and the opportunities it's creating in hospitality today. Articles referenced: Wellness Turns Nightlife on its Head Space as a Service 3 Ways to Cultivate Psychological Ownership in Your Guests Let's co...
Feb. 15, 2024

The Equinox Approach: Empowering High-Performance Living through Hospitality - Chris Norton, Equinox Hotels

This episode is sponsored by Sojern - the #1 marketing platform for hospitality In this episode, we're learning from Equinox Hotels CEO Chris Norton about how they built on the 30-year legacy of the Equinox brand to create what has become one of the most exciting new hospitality companies in the world today. Listen to hear their strong point of view, the details they're obsessed with, a deep dive into sleep, how they use their clubs as community hubs, and the growth opportunities they see now. ...
Feb. 14, 2024

How I Stay Connected To Cultural Trends That Matter - Kristie Goshow, KSL Resorts

This episode is sponsored by Sojern - the #1 marketing platform for hospitality A few weeks ago, Kristie Goshow joined us to share the idea of The Great Crossover - and how it can unlock innovation in hospitality. Kristie Goshow is the Chief Commercial Officer for KSL Resorts. Since you loved what she shared last time, I wanted to bring her back to talk more about how she stays connected with cultural trends that matter today - and how she thinks about the future and what providing hospitality m...
Feb. 13, 2024

How We Transformed Our Loyalty Program to Delight Our Guests Now and Maximize Revenue - Josh Belkin, Omni Hotels & Resorts

This episode is sponsored by Sojern - the #1 marketing platform for hospitality Loyalty is the foundation for growing a thriving and profitable hospitality business. In this episode, you'll learn how Josh Belkin, Vice President of Loyalty & Consumer Engagement at Omni Hotels & Resorts, transformed their loyalty program to delight their guests and unlock opportunities for growth. In the updated program, status is simply earned based on a guest’s annual spend on rooms, dining, golf, spa, retail...
Guest: Josh Belkin