Episodes

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...

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 So...

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. Join in the conversation on this episode on the Hospitality Daily LinkedIn page here. Subscribe to the Hospitality Dai...

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 welcome guests and encourage more travel to their destination. Follow Chuck on LinkedIn Learn more about SLO CAL Welcome Visit the SLO CAL website Fol...

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...

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 ...

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 Basha...

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 with ...

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 Join in...

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 inclu...

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 Te...

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 city's...

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...

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 wh...

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 ad...

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 episo...

A lot of the most creative elements of hospitality have been damaged by those who don’t recognize the value of branding and providing distinctive hospitality - but this actually might create an opportunity for you. In this episode, Spherical Founder and CEO Adam Wallace explains what he has seen over the past few decades working with some of the most innovative hotel brands and the opportunity he sees for all of us to stand out, be different, and succeed today. Join in the conversation on this...

How can hotels provide unique, reliable experiences to more people while remaining profitable? Joining us today to answer that question is Rami Zeidan. Rami drew from his experience in investment banking and hotel development at companies such as Deutsche Bank, Starwood Capital Group, and Sydell Group to found Life House in 2017 after spotting an opportunity that many hospitality entrepreneurs were missing - and that was to empower hotel owners to run profitable independent hotels through techn...

Can hotels be more than just a place to stay? Can hospitality become a driving force for the renewal of places and catalysts for community engagement? Join us as we explore this with Kara Bartelt, General Manager at The Hoxton, Downtown LA. In this conversation, you'll hear what it looks like to provide hospitality and contribute to revitalization on many different levels. You'll learn about the power of adaptive reuse of historic buildings and how projects like these are reshaping places like ...

Richard Fertig is the Founder and Chief Investment Officer of Stomp Capital and in this episode, shares the lesson that billionaire investor Steve Schwarzman shared with him when he was the first person recruited into Blackstone's Alternative Asset Management group early in his career. You'll hear what's going on in the investment landscape today, thoughts on mitigating risk and identifying opportunities, stories of anticipating market trends and creating value in investments, as well as what m...

In this episode, Rachel Humphrey, founder of the Women in Hospitality Leadership Alliance and principal at DEI Advisors, delves into her diverse career journey, from being a trial lawyer to transitioning to the hospitality industry. You'll learn about the importance of collaboration among mission-driven organizations in hospitality, how alliances can amplify efforts and achieve greater results, and the power of diversity in creating representative leadership within hospitality today. Learn ...

Lots of hospitality providers talk about serving their community, but few go as far as the organizations we're going to be talking about today: Saira Hospitality, the LeBron James Family Foundation, and Graduate Hotels. In this episode, you'll hear from Graduate Hotels president Kevin Osterhaus about a project they did together and the opportunity it shows. Listen to our other episode with Kevin: Investing in Education: The Graduate Academy Program Listen to more of our episodes on community h...

How does Palisociety, the rapidly growing lifestyle hospitality company, create a distinctive and inviting experience for its guests? This episode with Jorgan von Stiening, President of Palisociety, delves into the company's journey from its inception, including its "proprietor-driven" approach that reflects the taste and style of its founder and CEO, Avi Brosh. In this episode, you will learn about the company's focus on small, neighborhood-centric hotels, attention to detail in design and gu...