Episodes

In this episode, Craig Poole, a three-time Hilton Connie Award winner and AHLA’s General Manager of the Year, shares why it’s time to go back to the basics of hospitality. Craig shares why leadership, presence, knowing your people, and engaging directly with guests still matter more than ever. Drawing on decades of experience, he offers practical reminders for hotel leaders seeking to build stronger teams, deliver better guest experiences, and build more resilient businesses. See more with Crai...

In this episode, Agnelo Fernandes, CEO of Cote Hospitality, shares his take on what will matter most for hospitality leaders in the year ahead. As technology and AI continue to accelerate, Agnelo argues that people and culture—not platforms or tools—will ultimately define the winners in the industry. He explores why the guest journey is becoming more complex, why labor challenges are structural rather than temporary, and why even the best technology fails without the right teams behind it. For h...

In this short update, Josiah shares how Hospitality Daily is evolving in the year ahead. Ask your question here on LinkedIn 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, and Instagram. If ...

In this short episode, Craig Poole reflects on what Christmas reveals about leadership in hospitality and why this season is often when culture matters most. You may also enjoy these from Craig: When Places Are Broken, Hospitality Can Lead With Hope Why Hospitality Creates Hope 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 epis...

In this episode, Craig Poole reflects on why hospitality is uniquely positioned to create hope—especially in broken or forgotten places. Drawing on his experience turning around marginalized properties and communities, Craig explains why hope isn’t something leaders can wish for but must actively build through selfless decisions and risk-taking. The conversation explores hospitality as a giving profession—and how hope emerges when leaders invest in people others overlook. A few more resources: ...

In this episode, Josiah Mackenzie speaks with Craig Poole, a three-time Hilton Connie Award winner and AHLA’s General Manager of the Year, about hospitality’s unique ability to heal broken places. Craig shares how he approaches struggling hotels and communities by changing perception first—restoring dignity, self-esteem, and hope long before financial results follow. Drawing on real-world turnarounds, he explains why investing in people and engaging the surrounding community can transform not ju...

In this episode, Rob Blood, Founder and Chairman of Lark, returns for a one-year check-in following Lark’s blockbuster deal with Life House. Rob reflects on what it actually takes to scale a hospitality company after the announcement—working through integration challenges, repairing trust, and intentionally building culture under pressure. The conversation explores how values are operationalized at scale, why storytelling and culture anchor identity, and what to look for in leaders when complexi...

In this episode, Josiah Mackenzie reconnects with Lynn Bruni-Perkins, Chief Marketing Officer of the San Francisco Travel Association, to talk about where San Francisco is right now and where it’s headed. Lynn shares how storytelling and hospitality play a central role in shaping a city’s future, from rebuilding civic pride to driving visitors to powering the economy. The conversation explores SF Travel’s “Believe in San Francisco” messaging platform, the importance of residents as ambassadors, ...

In this episode, Josiah Mackenzie is joined by Danica Smith, guest experience correspondent for Hospitality Daily and founder of MorningStar GX, to discuss whether hoteliers should start “vibe coding” with AI. Danica shares why she decided to experiment with building software herself, what surprised her most along the way, and how AI is removing long-standing technical barriers across hospitality roles. Together, they unpack where this creates real opportunity for operators, leaders, and adviso...

In this episode, Josiah Mackenzie speaks with Mark Fancourt, cofounder and principal at TRAVHOTECH, and a former senior leader across global hospitality brands and technology companies. Their conversation moves beyond the typical AI talking points in our industry to examine the less-discussed implications for hospitality — from the workforce and robotics to shifting consumer demand and long-term industry sustainability. Mark offers a perspective shaped by decades of operational leadership and ha...

In this sponsor bonus episode, Agnelo Fernandes, CEO of Cote Hospitality, shares how he and his team use ProfitSword by Actabl to manage hotel performance each day. He explains how real-time visibility into revenue, labor, and other costs enables better game-time decisions to drive profitability. You may also enjoy: What Our "52 Games a Year" Mindset Reveals About Leading Performance in Hospitality - Agnelo Fernandes, Cote Hospitality "If We’re Not Using Technology, We’re Done": A CEO’s W...

In this episode, Agnelo Fernandes, CEO of Cote Hospitality, shares how recent conversations during a trip to Northern California sharpened his perspective on the pace of technological change—and what it means for hospitality leaders. He explains why technology, and increasingly AI, is no longer just about efficiency, but a critical enabler of personalization, empowered teams, and delivering on the promise of hospitality. Agnelo also outlines the financial and operational pressures forcing the in...

In this episode, Agnelo Fernandes, CEO of Cote Hospitality, shares how he thinks about leading performance in a challenging operating environment. As demand flattens and costs continue to rise, Agnelo explains why labor is unlikely to return to "normal" anytime soon, how simplicity and adaptability have become competitive advantages, and why strong brands are built in moments. He introduces his “52 Games a Year” mindset, reframing performance as a season of wins and losses that requires constant...

In this episode, Agnelo Fernandes, CEO of Cote Hospitality, takes us inside the thinking behind the company’s GUIDE mentorship program—designed to develop leaders from within while improving retention and strengthening culture. Agnelo explains why mentorship works best as a two-way relationship, how personal branding fits into leadership development, and why human connection—not hierarchy—is the foundation of meaningful growth. He also shares the tangible business outcomes Cote is seeing, from s...

Agnelo Fernandes wanted to work in hospitality so badly that he removed his MBA from his resume just to land an entry-level job in the industry. Today, he's the CEO of Cote Hospitality, and his path there was anything but traditional. In this episode, Agnelo shares the moments that pulled him away from investment banking, why he believes hospitality is actually harder than rocket science or brain surgery ("you're dealing with all senses at their highest alert level"), and the leadership philo...

In this episode, Craig Poole reflects on how a lifetime in hospitality built the resilience and mindset he’s relied on while fighting cancer. He shares lessons drawn from decades of leadership — gratitude, selflessness, adaptability, and compassion — and explains why hospitality uniquely prepares people to face life’s hardest challenges. Craig also revisits his philosophy of leadership, community, and being “behind” the people you lead, and how that philosophy has taken on deeper meaning through...

In this episode, Hospitality Daily host Josiah Mackenzie joins a roundtable of the top podcasters in hospitality for an unfiltered look at the stories that defined 2025 and what leaders can anticipate for the year ahead. Moderated by Katie Cline, host of Suite Success, the discussion brings together Zach Busekrus (Behind the Stays), David Millili and Steve Carran (The Modern Hotelier), and Glenn Haussman (No Vacancy) to unpack the realities behind luxury’s continued rise, loyalty’s identity cris...

In this episode, we're learning from Craig Stanghetta, Founder and Creative Director of Ste Marie, to explore why the most successful hospitality concepts are designed around emotion rather than just aesthetics. Drawing on his background in theatre, Craig shares how story, risk, and a balance of comfort and wonder shape spaces guests actually return to. He also shares what emotional design looks like in an increasingly AI-driven world and why human connection remains hospitality's most durabl...

In this special bonus episode, we break down Actabl's Q3 2025 Hotel Labor Benchmarking Data and explore what it means for hotel operators planning for 2026. Sarah McCay Tams, Head of Research and Editorial for HotelData.com, walks through the major trends shaping wages, overtime, headcount, and productivity across U.S. hotels. She’s joined by experienced operators Shanell Marinuzzi and Peter Kilbourne, who share practical insights on staffing models, forecasting accuracy, cross-training, and ...

In this episode, we're learning from Daniel Lauber, founder of CERVO Mountain Resort, in a conversation with our innovation correspondent Matthias Huettebraeuker about reimagining what hospitality can be today. Daniel shares how CERVO evolved from a modern hunting lodge concept into a holistic “way of living” rooted in community, culture, and connection. He explains why mindfulness and enjoying life can naturally coexist, what authenticity really means beyond alpine clichés, and how design, r...

In this conversation, our guest experience correspondent, Danica Smith, interviews Matthew Bell, Managing Director at Mollie's, and former Chief Hotel Operations Officer at citizenM, about why so many digital initiatives continue to underperform. Matt explains how misaligned goals, over-engineered projects, and a lack of clear value metrics often hold hotels back, and why a more incremental, guest-led approach delivers better results. He also shares why personal devices, identity, and authentica...

In this solo Thanksgiving episode, Hospitality Daily founder and publisher Josiah Mackenzie reflects on the bright spots he saw across the hospitality industry this year—from operators protecting profit amid headwinds to a renewed respect for on-property teams and the smart use of technology to drive results. He highlights the leadership, culture, and operational fundamentals that carried the industry through a challenging period. Josiah also shares the personal gratitude he feels for the collab...

In this conversation, our guest experience correspondent, Danica Smith, speaks with Matthew Bell, Managing Director at Mollie's, and former Chief Hotel Operations Officer at citizenM, about what it really takes to scale a hospitality brand without losing its soul and energy. Matt explains the “starfish principle” behind great organizational design, showing how cross-functional, self-contained teams stay closer to the guest experience and make better decisions at speed. He also shares how clarity...

Matthew Bell, Managing Director at Mollie's, shares the foundational ideas that shape his approach to building modern hospitality brands in this conversation with our guest experience correspondent, Danica Smith -- from applying critical thinking and experimentation to empowering frontline teams through an inverted-pyramid culture. Drawing on formative experiences and a decade leading operations at citizenM, he explains how assumptions are tested, how failure becomes learning, and why clarity...