A Road Trip with James Lemon with Career and Innovation Lessons from his Journey from IHG Strategist to Global Technology Leader

This episode is going to be quite different than most - you're going to be joining me on a little road trip with James Lemon, who started in hospitality at a small bed & breakfast in England and then went on to eventually work in strategy and innovation at IHG before building a hospitality mentorship community and then today leading travel and hospitality for Stripe. (See our other episode: Making payments more hospitable)

In this episode, you'll hear us cover a wide range of topics, including:

• The formative experiences of growing up in the hospitality industry and how they can shape career paths.
• The transition from finance to strategy and the importance of asking the right questions to drive innovation.
• The challenges and strategies behind implementing a major technology initiative (free Wi-Fi) across a major hotel chain, with lessons in change management and owner relations.
• The value of piloting new technologies in hotels and how to gain traction with innovative projects.
• The importance of continuous learning and networking for hospitality leaders and how to effectively engage with tech vendors.
• The characteristics of successful hotel innovators and the impact of execution on career and business growth.

Whether you're a hospitality veteran or new to the industry, this episode offers a wealth of knowledge and inspiration to help you navigate the complexities of innovation and service in the travel and hospitality sector. Get ready to hit the road with us and dive into the world of hospitality innovation with Josiah and James!

Timestamps:
00:01:05 - James's Background in Hospitality
00:02:31 - Early Career and Learning Service
00:03:03 - The Value of Experience Outside Hospitality
00:04:22 - Transition to IHG and Corporate Strategy
00:05:05 - IHG's Business Model and Brand Strategy
00:06:08 - James's Move to IHG and Role in Strategy
00:07:07 - First Impressions and Challenges at IHG
00:08:01 - Learning Corporate Strategy and Execution
00:09:05 - Mentorship and Growth at IHG
00:13:03 - The Process of Driving Innovation
00:17:06 - Building a Business Case for Hotel Innovations
00:19:02 - Convincing Hotel Owners to Adopt New Technology
00:23:11 - The Importance of Advocates for Owners in Hotel Brands
00:25:48 - The Role of Piloting Technology in Innovation
00:27:17 - The Strategy Behind Attending Hotel Events
00:29:33 - The Importance of Keeping Up with Industry Innovations
00:31:23 - The Role of Mavericks in Hospitality Innovation
00:32:09 - The Impact of Communication and Personal Branding
00:34:39 - Recognizing Genuine Hotel Innovators
00:37:11 - The Value of Case Studies in Hospitality
00:38:14 - Real-World Examples of Hotel Technology Implementation
00:40:20 - Learning from Other Industries vs. Hospitality-Specific Use Cases

Music by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands