Jan. 24, 2026

Hospitality Careers Stall When You Avoid These Conversations - Melissa Maher

In this episode, Melissa Maher, a former travel and hospitality executive and author of Holding Your Own, unpacks the leadership skills many professionals never get taught on the job. Melissa shares why she wrote the book and how confidence, self-advocacy, executive presence, and communication shape career progress more than performance alone. The conversation explores practical ways to build trust, navigate feedback, strengthen personal brand, and adapt in a fast-changing, AI-influenced workplace. This episode is for hospitality leaders who want to advance their careers, lead more effectively, and have the conversations that move work and people forward.

Listen to our previous recordings with Melissa:

Think Big: What I Learned As Expedia's CMO (And Beyond) - Melissa Maher
What It Takes to Operate at Peak Personal Performance - Melissa Maher

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Music for this show is produced by Clay Bassford of Bespoke Sound: Music Identity Design for Hospitality Brands

Chapters

00:00 - Intro

01:58 - Book origins

03:37 - You are responsible

04:17 - Presence

05:53 - Authenticity

07:34 - Building trust

09:24 - Perfectionism

11:51 - Leading in an AI-driven world

13:00 - Communication

15:26 - Clear asks