Why McKinsey's Ryan Mann Sees So Much Potential in Hospitality Now

Josiah: This week, Ryan Mann joined us to talk about how the world's best hotels deliver exceptional service. And you absolutely loved that episode. I saw it in the downloads, I saw it in the engagement. And so I actually wanted to bring Ryan back on today because I want you to properly meet him. In this episode, you're going to hear how he got started in hospitality. He shared a story about his grandmother that inspired me. both personally and professionally. And he talks a little bit about his work at McKinsey, leading their hospitality sector and the work he's doing. He also talks about what excites him most. And Ryan has a really interesting perspective on the industry and so I want you to hear all of this. 

Ryan: I fell in love with hospitality when I was really young, and my love was really fostered by my late grandmother, who always really opened her home up to guests. She always cooked too much food in case she ran into a stranger who was hungry and always had a seat at her table. From her, I learned how important it is to really just care for people and to offer a smile to those who may need one. And that really jumpstarted my love for this industry. Today, I'm fortunate to lead our hospitality sector in North America at McKinsey. As part of that role, I have the privilege of partnering with chains, investors, intermediaries, and innovators across the value chain to achieve their bold aspirations. This is one of the most dynamic industries in the world. And I also think it's one of the most important industries in the world. So I feel very lucky.

Josiah: I love it. Before we started recording, you shared something that stood out to me and that is you've noticed in the past 18 to 24 months in particular that leaders now are thinking bigger and bolder than ever before. Tell our listeners a little bit more about that. Maybe what's causing this and what are you seeing out there?

Ryan: I think the past couple of years, in particular, have really shown the world how truly important travel is and the role that hospitality plays in driving the light for people all around the world. So, you know, some of the questions I'm hearing from clients include, How has the guest changed over the past three years? And what does that mean for what we need to do going forward? And all of our research points to a real heightened interest in making the most out of every single trip that a guest takes. It's true that guests are no longer in revenge travel mode. but they still really care about experiences. And that enduring trend of experiences over things hasn't subsided. And frankly, we don't expect that to subside. The power of travel has never been stronger. And so what does that actually mean for the guests? Their expectations are higher than ever. They're more sensitive than they've ever been to wasting their time on vacation. And so it's on us as an industry to deliver as consistently as possible. And they're hungry for new experiences. You know, two summers ago, everyone was going to the Caribbean. Last summer was Europe. This summer, Japan looks hot. But what that means is that our hospitality players across the value chain have raised the bar on delivering consistently on those guest experiences and continue to do so because it matters to the guest.

Josiah: That's great, Ryan. What excites you most right now? What are you thinking about?

Ryan: So I'm actually really excited for hospitality to shift from a vertical to a horizontal. What do I mean by that? So what I mean is, let's take all the amazing things that we know how to do as an industry, how we care for people, we create these incredible experiences, we make people feel special, and apply it in new ways. So we already see this happening with branded residences, but if I fast forward into the future, I'd love to see hospitality's fingerprints in more places. You know, multifamily residential, experience platforms, even healthcare. So I'm excited to see hospitality sprinkle its magic in so many more places.