Through the hospitality of others, we are enabled to share those feelings of welcoming and acceptance in future interactions. Today’s guest is someone who’s work in hospitality is influenced by the support of those around him. Our guest this week is an experienced designer with a well rounded international background. Joining the show is Regional Director of Design Strategies for IHG, Henri Munyengango!Henri shares the mic with Host Dan Ryan for a thoughtful conversation on the impacts we leave on each other’s lives. Henri shares the ways he is helping the next generation of designers, the necessity of collaboration, and the importance of understanding client’s motivations. Takeaways: Hospitality is about creating a space where people feel expected and embraced. Instilling a sense of hospitality is focused on creating environments that welcome guests and help them create memories. For Henri, his journey into hospitality was powered by the support of his community around him. Through the support of the family he spent time with in America, Henri was encouraged to pursue his dream of design. Hearing a client doesn’t like a concept you’ve developed can sting, but it’s important to understand their motives. At the end of the day, your client is running a business, and the pushback originates from their need to ensure they are making a sound investment. One of the most exciting parts of working with brands is getting to truly pair with them to tell their story. Every touch point from check in to the room needs to distill a brand’s aspirations into a concrete physical form. Understanding and embracing cultural differences, especially in hospitality, is crucial for building acceptance and fostering curiosity. Being acknowledged and inquiring about someone's background promotes the ultimate acceptance anyone seeks.Seeking advice and leveraging the perspectives of others can provide valuable opportunities for personal growth and mindset shifts, emphasizing the power of collaboration and multiple perspectives in problem-solving.Being a mentor brings fulfillment and allows for sharing experiences and knowledge. It provides an opportunity to guide and support individuals, whether they are team members or students, and make a positive impact in their lives.Quote of the Show:“I thank those individuals who invested in me to allow me to be at a place here in my life where I can give back.” - Henri MunyengangoLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/henri-munyengango-7b472620/ Website: https://www.ihg.com/ Shout Outs:3:20 - Akagera National Park: https://www.africanparks.org/the-parks/akagera 5:43 - Catholic Social Services19:27 - Milli Vanilli32:36 - Holly Kappes: https://www.linkedin.com/in/holly-kappes-56648610/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419

Our guest on this week’s episode is a wealth of knowledge on all facets of the hotel and hospitality industry. He’s a leader who knows how to turn a hotel into something that is truly a destination. Joining the show this week is General Manager at the upcoming Regent Santa Monica Beach, Younes Atallah!Younes sits down with Dan Ryan to discuss his time in the industry, and the role of the General Manager. Younes shares his management strategies, the importance of exceptional programming, and why collaboration is a crucial skill for any member of your team.Takeaways: Hospitality is an inherent concept of treating others with warmth and care, extending from our homes to the hotel industry. It comes from the heart and is about treating people as you would treat them in your house. Continuous improvement is essential in any talent, whether it's sports, music, or acting.In the hospitality industry, teamwork and constant challenge are essential for improving the skills and talents of staff.Relationships and being a skilled generalist are crucial in the dynamic world of hotel management. The ability to manage teams, juggle priorities, and reintroduce brands requires constant dedication and expertise.Providing exceptional programming is crucial for hotels to exceed guest expectations and create memorable experiences. Comfortable accommodations are expected by guests, but it's the added features and activities that truly make a hotel stand out.Regularly engaging with people and observing their behavior by walking around is a valuable management practice. It offers opportunities to understand their desires and motivations, leading to impactful insights and positive outcomes.The pandemic has made it increasingly difficult to find good people and talent, especially in industries like hospitality. Management teams should look to foster internal talent, and help employees grow in ways that excites them.Growing up in a family that owned a travel agency, Younes experienced hospitality from an early age. The experience led to a deep connection with the hotel industry and a career pathway shaped by a memorable vacation.Quote of the Show:“There's very, very few, if any, positions in a hotel where individual contributors actually exist.” - Younes AtallahLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/yatallah/ Website: https://regentsantamonicabeach.com/ Shout Outs:00:52 - California Hotel and Lodging Association: https://calodging.com/ 01:25 - Beverly Wilshire: https://www.fourseasons.com/beverlywilshire/ 01:57 - Regent Shanghai: https://www.ihg.com/regent/hotels/us/en/shanghai/shasd/hoteldetail 02:02 - IHG: https://www.ihgplc.com/en 11:40 - Six Senses: https://www.sixsenses.com/en 11:44 - Intercontinental: https://www.ihgplc.com/en/our-brands/intercontinental 11:46 - Kimpton Hotels: https://www.ihg.com/kimptonhotels/hotels/us/en/reservation 11:48 - Vignette Hotels: https://www.ihg.com/vignettecollection/hotels/us/en/reservation 12:53 - Carlton Cannes: https://carltoncannes.com/en/ 13:00 - Cannes Film Festival: https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/38:06 - Regent Hong Kong: https://hongkong.regenthotels.com/ 38:12 - Regent Phu Quoc: https://phuquoc.regenthotels.com/ 43:22 - Minnesota Vikings: https://www.vikings.com/ 43:45 - Four Seasons DC: https://www.fourseasons.com/washington/ 43:51 - Mark Bromley: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcbromley/ 43:57 - Stan Bromley44:32 - Four Seasons San Francisco: https://www.fourseasons.com/sanfrancisco/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419

In the rapidly changing world of tech, the hospitality industry can struggle to keep up. Today’s guest is here to provide some guidance. Drawing on her 20 plus years of technology experience, she creates innovative experiences for guests and travelers. Joining the show this week is The Travel and Hospitality Industry Advisor at Salesforce, Jacqueline Nunley!Jacqui joins host Dan Ryan to look towards the future of the hospitality industry. They discuss the common challenges facing hoteliers when implementing technology, the ways AI can revolutionize customer experience, and how brands need to think about implementing AI. Takeaways: Hospitality is an ever changing landscape. As guest expectations have changed, technology has advanced rapidly, creating a blank slate. This allows for the industry to redefine what hospitality means to them. Because the hospitality industry is often fragmented, implementing new technologies can be a challenge. When looking for new solutions, leadership should prioritize technologies that can work cross-functionally.The level of repeatability and consistency in an experience needs to be tailored to the type of experience. Knowing what to expect can provide comfort to guests, but many guests often seek the unique experiences of the locations they visit. When looking to implement tech into a hotel, the end goal should be on making the staff’s jobs easier. By freeing up staff from mundane tasks that can easily be replaced, you allow them more time to focus on providing the human element to guests. AI offers many benefits to the end customer, but it requires careful consideration of a guest’s concerns. With many guests, there is a concern about the privacy of their data. Hotels need to provide a sense of security to ensure that guests trust the technology. Implementing AI into the hospitality industry is not about replacing people’s jobs, but rather about allowing them to better serve guests. Conversational AI can speed up support calls, drastically reducing customer frustrations.While AI has the potential to redefine the hospitality industry, it’s adoption needs to be intentional. Instead of adding AI features because a competitor had, first assess if the use of that technology will add value to your customers. Quote of the Show:“How are you engaging with your customers at the speed at which your customers are evolving?” - Jacqueline NunleyLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelinesnunley/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/Jnunley12  Company website: https://www.salesforce.com/ Shout Outs:01:09 - ILC: https://ilcongress.com/ 43:45 - Jamie Dimon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamiedimon/ 01:02:45 - Dreamforce: https://www.salesforce.com/dreamforce/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419

Our guest this week is a talented designer who is redefining the world of hospitality design. With over 25 years of experience, she has lent her expertise as an Adjunct professor at the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Please welcome to the show Senior Director, Design & Project Management at Marriott International, Linda Laucirica!Linda joins Host Dan Ryan for an in depth conversation on design philosophy. Linda shares the importance of starting with a cohesive design strategy before creating a narrative, the necessity of having an elevator pitch, and how the hospitality industry can create more welcoming spaces in the healthcare industry.  Takeaways: Hospitality is the desire to give comfort and joy. True hospitality comes from a celebration of shared human experience, and a desire to connect through that humanity with othersThe intersection of storytelling and design, with an emphasis on editing and conveying clear messages, is crucial in creating impactful narratives. This is important in full-service lifestyle brands, where aspirational design plays a key role in brand identity.When conducting research and designing for a brand, it is essential to effectively summarize the concept in a concise elevator pitch. This helps align design decisions with the brand's vision and ensures unique project outcomes.Creating successful narratives for "soft brands" requires a different approach than for "hard brands". Designers must create a strategy that directly connects with the brand's vision, ethos, and personality, before jumping into crafting a compelling narrative.Technology has impacted the design process, shifting from manual creation to digital tools and 3D visualization. This transformation emphasizes the need for designers to adapt, understand scale, and create spaces that resonate with our human experience.Hospitality focused design has an important role in the healthcare industry. By creating welcoming hospitals and treatment centers, you can leave a positive impact on someone’s journey to healing. For Mariott’s W Hotels there are three tenets of design: form follows fantastic, tactile materiality, and clean maximalism. These three elements combine to create unique experiences for guests. Quote of the Show:“That message also wants to have an emotional connection to who you're speaking with, right? Otherwise why write the story? Why share your thoughts?” - Linda LauciricaLinks:Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/lindalaucirica/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauciricadesign/ Website: https://www.marriott.com/marriott/aboutmarriott.mi Shout Outs:01:38 - McCartan Design: http://www.mccartan.com/ 03:26 - The Peanuts04:10 - NJIT: https://www.njit.edu/ 06:07 - Cornell: https://www.cornell.edu/ 09:22 - Starwood Hotels09:49 - Westin Hotels: https://westin.marriott.com/ 09:49 - Autograph Collection Hotels: https://autograph-hotels.marriott.com/ 09:50 - Le Méridien Hotels: https://le-meridien.marriott.com/ 09:51 - Renaissance Hotels: https://renaissance-hotels.marriott.com/ 09:52 - Design Hotels: http://designhotels.com/ 09:53 - Tribute Hotels: https://tribute-portfolio.marriott.com/ 09:56 - Gaylord Hotels: https://www.gaylordhotels.com/ 10:19 - W Hotels: https://w-hotels.marriott.com/ 19:31 - Dune20:59 - Rockwell Group: https://www.rockwellgroup.com/ 21:01 - Barnes And Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/ 21:29 - Pinterest21:30 - Instagram22:01 - Revit27:04 - Woolly Mammoth Theatre: https://www.woollymammoth.net/ 27:05 - Arena Stage: https://www.arenastage.org/ 28:17 - New York School Of Interior Design: https://www.nysid.edu/ 29:50 - Mohegan Sun: https://mohegansun.com/ 30:10 - David Rockwell30:46 - Children’s Hospital at Montefiore: https://www.cham.org/ 31:43 - Carl Sagan34:32 - Lionel Ohayon: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lionelohayon/ 34:35 - Memorial Sloan Kettering: https://www.mskcc.org/ 36:58 - W Union Square: https://www.whotelsnewyork.com/property/w-new-york-union-square/ 44:02 - Steve Higgins44:08 - Theresa Fatino: https://www.fatinodesign.com/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419

Our guest on this week’s episode is someone who over the past 25 years has played a pivotal role in the development and adoption of biofuels. He’s a forward thinking leader who is committed to creating a better world. Joining Dan Ryan is President and CEO at World Energy, Gene Gebolys!Gene highlights the importance of achieving net zero, the value of being authentic, and the technology behind biofuels. Takeaways: Hospitality is about welcoming others into your space and putting them at ease. In the context of sustainability, it is crucial to focus on decarbonizing sectors like aviation and help people travel with a lower carbon impact, aligning their actions with their values.Net zero is a critical concept in combating climate change, where the goal is to remove as much carbon as is emitted. Though offsets exist to absorb emitted carbon, their effectiveness and quality vary, calling for careful consideration in their implementation.Offsets have been widely abused, leading to a lack of confidence in them. However, the use of insets, which displace carbon emissions in the same sector, provides a high-quality alternative to offsets that can effectively reduce a sector's carbon footprint.Displacing fossil fuels with alternative energy sources may seem small in scale compared to the overall demand. However, it is crucial for leading brands to authentically uphold their net zero commitments and inspire other companies to join them.The importance of embracing innovation, energy efficiency, and sustainable living, lies in their ability to create a more thoughtful, connected, and sustainable future for all. To move forward, we must embrace a more community focused way of life.Approximately 9% of global carbon emissions are emitted during steel production. To address this, there is a growing need for increased efficiency and thoughtful design to reduce the creation and disposal of preventable waste.By using wind energy to break water into Oxygen and Hydrogen, wind energy can be stored in the form of “green hydrogen”. This allows for a renewable energy source like wind, to be bottled up and transported across the globe. Quote of the Show:“If you're a corporate leader today, how can you be a corporate leader on everything but the biggest problem the species faces?” - Gene GebolysLinks:Twitter: https://twitter.com/GebolysGene LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/genegebolys/ Website: https://www.worldenergy.net/ Shout Outs:05:47 - Google Flights: https://www.google.com/travel/flights05:56 - United Airlines: https://www.united.com/en/us 06:31 - Hotel Marcel: https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/hvnsdup-hotel-marcel-new-haven/ 11:53 - John Oliver’s Carbon Offsets: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6p8zAbFKpW0 25:05 - Air Products: https://www.airproducts.com/ 37:50 - The Sustainable Aviation Buyers Alliance: https://flysaba.org/ 38:06 - Microsoft: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/ 38:07 - Deloitte: https://www2.deloitte.com/us/en.html 38:10 - Apple: https://www.apple.com/ 38:15 - Bank of America: https://www.bankofamerica.com/ 38:17 - JPMorgan Chase: https://www.jpmorganchase.com/ 46:24 - Taniya Nayak46:31 - Yellow Door Taqueria: https://www.yellowdoortaqueria.com/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419

Defining Hospitality turns two! Over the last two years, we’ve featured some amazing stories, and have learned so much about the hospitality industry. To celebrate, we’ve pulled together some highlights from the most listened to episodes in the past year. In this episode you’ll hear from Author and Activist: Amanda Knox, Founder of Thank You: Will Guidara, Senior Interior Design Manager at Marriott International: Stephanie Hopkins, and President of The Hardy Group: Brent Hardy.Thank you for two great years!Takeaways: True Hospitality is identifying someone's needs, and using the resources available to you to meet those needs. This can be enacted through giving someone a comfortable place to stay, or simply being an advocate for them.Having board games along with fine dining provides an experience that makes the guest feel comfortable and at home. It reminds them of home-cooked meals and time with family and friends.Every piece of detail matters to a guest and it impacts their experience at a hotel. You want to make sure that you are planning out every detail as much as you can and using the detail to make the guest have a wonderful experienceFor Brent, hospitality is more than just a hotel building or an office space. Hospitality is about the interactions with people, and appreciating the moments throughout the whole experience.Links:Connect With Amanda:Twitter: https://twitter.com/amandaknox Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/amamaknox/ Website: https://www.knoxrobinson.com/ Website: https://innocenceproject.org/ Book Link: https://a.co/d/cJDYQIK Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/labyrinths-getting-lost-with-amanda-knox/id1494368441Episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/d13d4efd Connect With Will:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-guidara-b64952243/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wguidara/?hl=en Book Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B13W5GPT/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i0 Welcome Conference: https://www.thewelcomeconference.com/ Episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/8c2696f6 Connect With Stephanie:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-hopkins-28445a71/ Website: https://www.marriott.com/default.mi Episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/31149cc1 Connect With Brent:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-hardy-aia-ishc-20706353/  Website: http://www.jhgi.com/  Episode: https://share.transistor.fm/s/2536b25f Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419

Hospitality and conservation are united through acts of caring, yet both require a delicate balance between development and preservation. Out in the Olare Motorogi Conservancy in Kenya exists an experience that blends both into a seamless harmony. Joining the show this week to share his story of hospitality is Dido Dima, a Camp Manager for Kicheche Camps. Dido and Dan sit down together on location in Kenya to discuss the importance, and challenges, of blending hospitality and conservation. Dido shares some of the efforts Kicheche takes to protect the land they operate on, the ways they create a sense of safety in their guests, and why every guest is a blessing. Takeaways: Hospitality means extending kindness to others. This extension of kindness continues past your guests, and further onto your staff and community. Without strong staff and a welcoming community, there isn’t much hospitality to extend to guests. As a hospitality manager, you need to provide varying levels of hospitality. For a guest, that can mean assisting them when they have a luggage issue. For a staff member, that means accommodating their personal needs. As Kicheche camps are on conservation land, the experiences must be developed around a minimum threshold of sustainability. Low impact footprints, solar power, and a waste management plan are all part of creating responsible recreation. As a young boy, Dido grew up in a conservation area, which cemented his love for nature. After pursuing education in the field of hospitality, he realized he could blend hospitality and conservation through camps in the bush. As a leader, change is inevitable. While an employee may start in one area, oftentimes they want to expand and learn more skills. By fostering their growth, you create a highly skilled employee who is engaged in the work they do. A sense of safety is a requirement for a hospitality provider. When your experience is in a wildlife preserve, your requirements are more stringent. By providing guests who are out of their element with accommodations, you make them feel more welcome.  By pairing the camps with a conservancy, it adds a crucial lifeline for wildlife, and the local communities. Support from the camps helps carve out spaces for wildlife to live, and provides the locals with an additional source of revenue. Quote of the Show:“You have to understand the interests of people change and you try to support them in that change.” - Dido DimaLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dido-dima-a6623261/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dima.dido/?hl=en Website: https://kicheche.com/ Shout Outs:00:30 - Kicheche Bush Camp04:52 - Olare Motorogi Conservancy: http://olaremotorogiconservancy.com/ 05:27 - The Maasai People: Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419

The ideal business is one where the needs of the employees are balanced perfectly with the goals of the business. One key to finding this balance is hospitality among employees. On today’s episode of Defining Hospitality, Dan talks to an expert on working with your employees. Joining the show this week is Principal & Vice President at C+TC Design Studio, Billie ThorneBillie and Dan Billie sit down to dive into her experiences as a leader in the world of hospitality. Billie shares ways to best work with your employees, how to be hospitable to your coworkers, and the importance of carving out time for self care. Takeaways: Hospitality is about kindness and finding where you are comfortable. Once you get settled in a good place, you can extend your hand to newer employees and help them learn and grow. Building a team of professionals requires different forms of guidance and understanding. Some people need to be prompted to think about their goals and aspirations and others need a small push to a healthy space outside their comfort zone.Finding the right employees doesn’t only mean looking at a resume, rather, it involves feedback from members of the team. Team members who enjoy each other’s presence and can cooperate smoothly will be more willing to work together in person. Individual employee goals have to work in coordination with functional business. There has to be a balance between allowing people to focus on personal goals and working to maintain the profit and productivity of the business.Work smarter not longer. Though long hours can be sometimes helpful for productivity, more often, you can achieve more on a regular day rather than working late, because as you reach the end of the day, fatigue slows your efficiency.It is important to be hospitable to both clients and coworkers, but often, hospitality toward coworkers is overlooked. However, it can be shown when one employee helps another reach a deadline without being asked. In any industry, you may encounter problems that seem daunting. Cross-industry collaboration may prove useful to come up with unique solutions that aren’t typically used in certain situations. Quote of the Show:“There are some mistakes everybody needs to make for themselves to learn from them.” - Billie ThorneLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/billie-thorne-5bbba211/ Company website: https://ctcdesignstudio.com/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ctc_designstudio/ Shout Outs:03:11 - HBA: https://www.hba.com/ 36:29 - University Of Texas: https://www.utexas.edu/ 36:54 - University Of Southern California: https://www.usc.edu/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419

Starting your own firm can be a nervous experience, but the creative freedom it offers can be well worth it. Joining the show this week is an interior designer who draws inspiration from his 25 years of design experience around the globe. After working with multiple internationally renowned design firms he is now on the journey of running his own studio. Welcome to the show, Founder & Creative Director of Pierre & Co Design Studio, Pierre Josselin!Pierre and Dan sit down to discuss Pierre’s motivations for starting a business, what excites him most about the design process, and the importance of having strong relationships with others in the industry. Takeaways: Hospitality is a shared passion. Those in the industry have an exciting passion for the work they do. It is a people driven industry with a strong sense of togetherness that is focused on creating relationships. To create great designs, you need to cover every aspect of the project, and understand what it takes to get to the finish line. Avoiding unnecessary handoffs of work results in a higher quality and more consistent project that is completed in less time. As a designer, it’s important to understand how your answers affect the rest of the process. A timely response to a client’s question not only results in a happier client, but a faster project. A delayed answer delays further steps of the project.The best coworkers you can have are ones that challenge you, but who you can also challenge. Great ideas are not born in a vacuum, and fostering a space that allows for collaboration and feedback will open your eyes to new designs. While going out on your own and starting your own firm can be daunting, it offers many benefits. As you have full control over the intricacies, you have full creative freedom, and the ability to complete work at a faster pace. In the design process, it is important to implement efficiencies wherever you can. Even by getting all the relevant parties in one room for the drawing process and doing instant revisions can shave weeks off of a project. Quote of the Show:“The most successful colleagues you work with are the ones which challenge you, but you challenge as well.” - Pierre JosselinLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pierre-josselin-527b555a/ Website: https://pierreandco.com/ Shout Outs:04:07 - Taniya Nayak: https://taniyanayak.com/ 06:21 - Small Giants: https://a.co/d/af9MB4P 08:33 - Fairmont Flame Towers: https://www.fairmont.com/baku/17:11 - HBA: https://www.hba.com/ 18:51 - Alex Kravetz: https://alexkravetzdesign.com/ 19:07 - Inga Oelschlager: https://www.linkedin.com/in/inga-oelschlager-73640878/ 19:08 - Sayeli Uysal Ayaydin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sayeliu/ 19:09 - Peter Balistrieri: https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-balistrieri-44a99aa/ 27:00 - Fairmont Banff Springs: https://www.fairmont.com/banff-springs/ 27:49 - Fairmont Washington DC: https://www.fairmont.com/washington/ 29:22 - The Orient Express33:11 - Tishman Speyer: https://www.tishmanspeyer.com/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419

In an environment designed to be anti hospitable, it is a daunting task to create a space of warmth and comfort. Today’s guest is someone who helps bring a sense of hospitality to otherwise unwelcoming spaces. She is an activist who fights for justice and advocates for those whose voices have been silenced. Joining the show this week is author of her memoir “Waiting to be heard” and the Host of the “Labyrinths” podcast, Amanda Knox.Amanda sits down with Host Dan Ryan to share how she was an advocate for her community while in prison, the steps for resolving conflict with others, and the ways someone's background shapes others’ perceptions of them. Takeaways: True Hospitality is identifying someone's needs, and using the resources available to you to meet those needs. This can be enacted through giving someone a comfortable place to stay, or simply being an advocate for them.Someone's background creates a lens through which each interaction they have will be viewed. For people who are previously incarcerated, they face a lens of inherent suspicion and distrust from others. While tough situations require positive outlooks, those outlooks vary person to person. For Amanda, her positive outlook was accepting the circumstances, and making the best out of them. Her mother’s outlook was fighting for what was right without giving up. There are four steps to resolving conflict with a person. Set the stage by finding common ground you can agree on; identify the strongest form of their argument they are trying to argue; show them compassion; and ultimately, allow yourself to be open to change. When large impacts happen, they affect everyone around the individual. Families are put under undue emotional, financial, physical and emotional stress as they work to assist those affected.  While Amanda was incarcerated, she sought to overcome the limitations of the situation and assist others as best she could. She became a writer and translator for other prisoners, helping them write home and read court documents. Quote of the Show:“No matter what circumstance you are in, no matter what condition you're in, there's always the opportunity to connect with people and to make some kind of positive impact in other people's lives.” - Amanda Knox Links:Twitter: https://twitter.com/amandaknox Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/amamaknox/ Website: https://www.knoxrobinson.com/ Website: https://innocenceproject.org/ Book Link: https://a.co/d/cJDYQIK Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/labyrinths-getting-lost-with-amanda-knox/id1494368441 Shout Outs:01:11 - MIT13:51 - Man’s Search For Meaning: https://a.co/d/9c6N7t0 17:13 - The Obstacle Is The Way: https://a.co/d/7F2gejn 22:13 - Steve Martin43:38 - The Innocence Project43:58 - The Labyrinths PodcastWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419

In the world of design, you run the risk of losing focus on the end goal, creating great experiences for guests. Here to offer clarity is a development and planning specialist who excels at creating multi faceted luxury experiences. Projects that were completed under his vision include Faena Miami Beach, and Public NYC. Joining the show is Senior Vice President at Cumming Corporation, Nicky Unkles! Nicky shares his insights with Host Dan Ryan as they explore what it means to create luxury, and ultra luxury, experiences. Takeaways: True hospitality is a friendly reception of your guests. It means being authentic and sincere in your treatment of guests, anticipating their needs, and offering all guests the same experience, regardless if they are a CEO or an intern.When it comes to balancing the needs of the stakeholders, and keeping your project on time, it starts with having a defined process. It’s important to stick to the process, but when it’s necessary to deviate, ensure all parties know the impact on the timeline. One of the biggest challenges for new hospitality projects during the pandemic was supply shortages. As budgets, timelines, and vendors had been set months in advance, it required a collaboration with procurement agents to find new options.A typical project lives or dies within the first few days. When you first sit down with a client, your job is to help put their vision onto paper. Creating a layout and budget that reflect that vision, and your ability to sell it, will decide success for your project,When you start a project, it’s crucial to see it to completion. While potentially grueling, you’ll quickly discover areas of improvement for the next iteration. Additionally, seeing a project from vision to closeout is invaluable experience as a designer.Covid changed both the hospitality industry, and what guests want from their stays. Today’s guests want more service, and better experiences, with consistency as the keystone that holds the experience together.The core of your design needs to revolve around the guest’s experiences. Certain design elements may seem like important additions, but if they won’t impact the guest experience, those additions are an unnecessary use of time, money, and effort. Quote of the Show:“The world of hospitality is forever changed. People aren't going to accept substandard anymore.” - Nicky UnklesLinks:Twitter: https://twitter.com/Cumming_Group LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicky-unkles-9035b028/ Website: https://cumming-group.com/ Shout Outs:12:48 - Aman Giri: https://www.aman.com/resorts/amangiri 12:51 - Canyon Equity: https://canyonequity.com/ 16:22 - Faena Miami Beach: https://www.faena.com/miami-beach 16:24 - Public NYC: https://www.publichotels.com/ 19:50 - Finlay Cumming20:01 - Glasgow Caledonian University: https://www.gcu.ac.uk/ 21:05 - Leher LLC31:36 - Stan Bromley37:08 - Zion National Park41:10 - Six Senses: https://www.sixsenses.com/en 41:14 - Starwood Hotels41:15 - 1Hotels: https://www.1hotels.com/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Transistor: https://www.defininghospitality.live/

Our guest this week is an interior designer who has become a household name. She’s an expert storyteller, creating compelling stories through both her design, and her appearances on screen. She’s been frequently featured on HGTV as a host and mentor on “Battle on the Beach” and “Build it forward”. Joining the show this week is Principal and Interior Designer at Taniya Nayak Design, Taniya Nayak!Taniya sits down with Dan to dive into her background as a designer. She covers the ways that bartending helped her refine her design skills, the necessity of designing your spaces for a wide range of guest experiences, and how she got started as a host on HGTV. Takeaways: For Taniya, hospitality means addressing all the small nuances of an experience. It means creating a warm and inviting space where you are thinking about every possible customer scenario. Balancing operations and design is a delicate task as you will often need to choose between prioritizing aesthetics or cost. Ultimately, the choices you make need to revolve around the experience you are trying to create for your guests. Creating an experience your guests want to evangelize is important because a guest’s journey begins with a review. Their expectations of your space are set by what they read beforehand, and a bad review can set guests up with a pretense of your space.A quality product is the cornerstone of any successful business, but the presentation around that product determines your success. An ok product with great presentation will outshine a great product with lackluster presentation. As a designer, you need to tell a story that relates to the guests in your establishment. Each element should correlate either functionally or emotionally to the story of why your guest is in that space. As a young designer, it can feel demoralizing to not land a design job right out of college. Retail, customer service, and food service jobs give you firsthand knowledge into how those environments run, making your future designs for those spaces more effective. For leaders in the design space, you need to create environments for your employees to thrive. Encourage communication, and make your employees feel comfortable being vulnerable. From their honest sharing comes opportunities for you to help them grow. Quote of the Show:“I want to make sure that when the guest comes in, they are greeted by a warm and inviting space.” - Taniya NayakLinks:Twitter: https://twitter.com/TaniyaNayak Website: https://taniyanayak.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taniyanayak/ Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1892187 Shout Outs:0:30 - HGTV0:42 - Ellen DeGeneres0:45 - QVC0:46 - Rachel Ray0:47 - Oprah1:20 - Hotec: https://www.hotecglobal.com/ 10:44 - Yelp11:42 - Open Table: https://www.opentable.com/ 12:37 - The Break: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1892187 17:13 - Danny Meyer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhmeyer/19:02 - MIT21:03 - Boston Architectural College: https://the-bac.edu/  33:06 - Knock First: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0401024/?ref_=ttpl_ov 35:28 - Baccarat Hotel New York: https://www.baccarathotels.com/37:16 - Craigslist37:53 - ABC Family38:14 - The New York Yankees: https://www.mlb.com/yankees Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419

To create truly epic experiences, you need to combine both people and place. Our guest this week is a visionary leader of both extraordinary people and projects. He’s a Global Industry Group Champion in Entrepreneurs Organization and an Advisory Board Member for the College of Architecture and Environmental Design at Kent State University. Welcome to the show, Founder of K2M Design, Scott Maloney! Scott joins Host Dan Ryan to dive into the value of collecting nos, how to create epic experiences for guests, and how networks like Entrepreneurs Organization have helped him on his journey. Takeaways: Hospitality is about people and places coming together to create an epic experience where people are able to join to support dreams and desires. Some organizations are built to encourage the bonding of great minds.The Entrepreneur's Organization is the epitome of hospitality in the senses that it creates a safe and confidential space for the members to learn from other inspiring people and be encouraged by them In the architecture and design space, hospitality means finding a compromise between a design being structurally sound and aesthetically pleasing. Being able to fulfill the safety requirements while listening to the vision will create loyalty from the building owner. Accepting a project requires a deep understanding of expectations followed by fulfillment or overachievement. In a business that heavily relies on referrals, one experience can cost or gain many million-dollar contracts. When trying to level up in size and costs of projects, it’s not a straightforward job of increasing size, but instead, improving the effort and quality of your work. Increased job cost requires increased experience and added value by the business. Development projects must be planned thoroughly before beginning for the sake of sustainability. Every change made will create by-products to be removed from the lot or funneled to another project and each decision needs to be made with intentionality.  Hospitality exists inside the organization. Care must extend to employees. Leaders and owners need to be there for coworkers, caring for each of them and making sure everyone is successfully collaborating. Quote of the Show:“You know what you need to do, follow your gut cuz it's gonna get you a long way. ” - Scott MaloneyLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottmaloney9101/ Company website: https://www.k2mdesign.com/ Shout Outs:01:20 - Entrepreneurs’ Organization: https://hub.eonetwork.org/ 07:44 - Bob Boykin11:17 - Kevin Bacon14:08 - Jack Daly: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackdaly/ 14:45 - Simon Sinek: https://www.linkedin.com/in/simonsinek/23:26 - ULI: https://uli.org/ 23:46 - Boykin Lodging: https://www.boykin.com/ 24:43 - Paula Boykin26:48 - Wayne Hoffman37:59 - Habacoa: https://www.habacoa.com/ 44:07 - Kent State: https://www.kent.edu/ 46:41 - Crosby, Stills, Nash & YoungWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419

Each and every person, regardless of profession, is in the industry of hospitality. The interactions you have with everyone create ripples of hospitality that extend well beyond a single moment. To help you create big ripples, we’re joined by an entrepreneur whose mission is to help others let their business-based superpowers shine. Joining the show this week is Host of the Podcast “Coffee with Kim” and Co-Founder of Bright Ideas Only, Kim Kaupe. Dan sits down with Kim to learn about why LinkedIn is the best platform to focus your energy on, how we are all in hospitality, and how to be more confident when evangelizing your own work. Takeaways: Hospitality is the stone you throw into a pond and the impacts on others are the ripples in the water. It is also how people talk about you when you’re not in the room, how you make them feel, and what people are walking away from interactions with. Being the champion of your own accomplishments is difficult. Speak about yourself as you would your best friend. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge accomplishments, highlight your skills, and be direct when asked about your career responsibilities. Business awards, like the “40 Under 40”, can help further your professional goals and raises. Following in the thread of being the champion of your accomplishments, you can also nominate yourself for these awards without fear of being underqualified.If you only have time for one social platform, LinkedIn is the best. It’s the only one that is crawled by Google so content doesn’t get lost in the archives. As only 1% of LinkedIn users post, your content won’t be lost in a heavily saturated feed. Because LinkedIn shows what your connections comment on and like, it boosts the reach of any content you post, displaying it on a worldwide platform full of C-Suite Executives.Share your knowledge and content, whether you think it’s valuable or not. If one person or a hundred thousand people find it important, you made an impact, changed their direction, or taught them something new.When running a business, you are pitching not only the product or service, but also yourself in tandem with your brand. By being succinct in describing your skills, you help the client more confidently make the decision to choose you.Quote of the Show:“Talking about yourself or sharing your knowledge will be like the very first pushup in the gym, but you have to keep going.” - Kim KaupeLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimkaupe/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimkaupe?s=20Personal website: https://kimkaupe.com/ Company website: https://www.brightideasonly.com/ Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/coffee-with-kim/id1612158856 Shout Outs:14:23 - Shark Tank: https://abc.com/shows/shark-tank 15:08 - Brendan Fraser16:09 - Ben Affleck16:10 - Matt Damon16:11 - Matthew McConaughey 16:17 - Sam Rockwell16:36 - Glory Daze: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0116422/ 21:50 - Dolly Parton21:51 - Oprah21:54 - The New York Mets: https://www.mlb.com/mets 24:37 - Condé Nast: https://www.condenast.com/ 28:16 - LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com 30:28 - The Miami Heat: https://www.nba.com/heat/ 33:21 - Gary Vee41:11 - Daniel Roth: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danielroth1/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419

Our guest this week is a genuine disruptor in her industry. As the leader of a Bcorp, she strives to make real change in her community. She is a defender of civil and human rights, who works within the intersection of social and environmental justice. She’s the Host of “The School for Disrupters” podcast, a faculty member at Drexel University, and CEO and Founder of Grant BLVD. Give a warm welcome to Dr. Kimberly McGlonn!Kimberly shares her motivations behind the work she does through Grant BLVD, and how she positions the company to provide support for those currently and formerly incarcerated. She’ll explore the process of telling a story through your partners, and how thoughtful design of uniforms can create a cohesive experience. Takeaways: For Kimberly, hospitality is focused on creating a sense of comfort, safety, and belonging in your guests. You need to replicate your own experiences, and allow others to have access to it.Whether it’s a classroom, a restaurant, or hotel, hospitality is about creating a story that anchors people in the moment. Seating arrangements, uniforms, and decor are all integral chapters of that story that need to be cohesively organized.When creating a great business, you need to focus on your impact, and the ways you measure and communicate it. When your business strives to be a force for good, you grow both your company, and your community. Business is all about telling the story of your values, and choosing the right partners can amplify those stories. By partnering with Grant BLVD or other companies that fight for good, you establish that those are the stories you want to share. Grant BLVD aims to combat the effects of incarceration and high recidivism rates in Philadelphia. To best serve her community, Kimberly has created a model to provide support and job opportunities to those currently and formerly incarcerated. A good uniform is well fitting and serves a purpose, a great uniform is united in design with the whole experience. By incorporating elements of color theory and aesthetic into your uniforms, customers are no longer walking into a business, but rather, a party.When creating a dining space, cohesion is important. Your servers don’t literally need to be wearing the same fabric as the tablecloths, but every aspect should be tied into each other in one fluid design. Quote of the Show:“That moment of feeling received is what I think we're all seeking to do in the ventures that we build.” - Kimberly McGlonnLinks:Twitter: https://twitter.com/kimberlymcglonn LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-mcglonn-ph-d-4798b0134/ Instagram: @kimberlymcglonn Website: https://www.grantblvd.com/ Podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/schoolfordisrupters Home & Hospitality Catalogue: https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0059/1619/6962/files/H_H_Product_Catalog_Optimized.pdf?v=1687543185  Shout Outs:02:38 - The EPA: https://www.epa.gov/ 04:28 - Ava DuVernay’s ‘13th’14:25 - B Corporations: https://www.bcorporation.net/en-us/ 16:54 - Jenkintown School Color Day18:58 - Marriott: https://www.marriott.com/ 19:00 - LaColombe Coffee: https://www.lacolombe.com/ 28:05 - W Hotel Philadelphia30:26 - The Standard: https://www.standardhotels.com/30:48 - Kimpton Hotels30:55 - SoHo House: https://www.sohohouse.com/en-us/ 30:56 - Fitler Club: https://fitlerclub.com/ 31:01 - The Viceroy Hotel Group: https://www.viceroyhotelsandresorts.com/ 31:27 - Graduate Hotels: https://www.graduatehotels.com/ 33:52 - Steven Spielberg’s ‘Lincoln’45:32 - Netflix’s ‘The Crown’Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419

Customers are guests who have honored you with their patronage. Adding in special touches can show your gratitude in a way that earns their repeat business. Expanding your business does not mean you forfeit the ability to make changes in your community, Zingerman’s is proof of this. Learn from a 19-year customer service veteran, Zingy leader, and Managing Partner at Zingerman’s Roadhouse, Lisa Schultz.If you haven’t had the pleasure of eating in a Zingerman’s location and witnessing their hospitality first hand, listen to Lisa speak about the critical steps to Giving Great Service..Takeaways: Hospitality means accommodating your guests to make their experience unique and special, while providing consistently great service and quality food. Consistency is essential because the guest should know what level of service to expect. All Zingerman’s locations follow their Three Steps to Giving Great Service. First, find out what the guest wants, get it for them accurately, politely, and enthusiastically, and lastly, go the extra mile. Do these steps consistently to create a reliably great experience.​​Use the process of visioning to create future plans. Look at goals for success and future objectives, internally and externally, at relationships with vendors, your staff’s experience, and every aspect that could affect success. Open book accounting and management allows every employee from dishwashers to shift leaders to feel like they have an impact on processes. You will have suggestions for improvement on issues that upper management might not notice. Open book processes also improve retention and hiring of employees who want their opinion to matter or who want to participate in the success of the business. It will allow people to improve points of frustration or disagreement.Choosing greatness over growth does not mean you forfeit growth. You will instead, grow in a way that creates raving fans in a world where word of mouth is one of the most impactful marketing tactics, while being free. If your employees care, it translates to good service. A serving team’s genuine care will shine through to the guest and make a uniquely welcoming experience. Otherwise, you have a team of people who aren’t invested in the wellbeing of your guests. Quote of the Show:“If your staff feel taken care of, they're probably going to give better service.” - Lisa SchultzLinks:Company website: https://www.zingermansroadhouse.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/zingermansroadhouse/ Shout Outs:1:30 - USC Trojans: https://usctrojans.com/sports/football 02:11 - Small Giants - Bo Burlingame 03:55 - Ari Weinzweig09:39 - Alex Young11:15 - The Great Game of Business - Jack Stack27:02 - Danny Meyer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhmeyer/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419

This week on Defining Hospitality, we have the pleasure of welcoming back a hospitality veteran who has consistently showcased his exceptional skills in the industry. As the guest on the third episode, he dove into his experiences as the leader of Chesapeake Hospitality. Returning to the show nearly two years later is President of Remington Hospitality, Chris Green. Chris reflects on the ways his definition of hospitality, and the industry at large, have evolved over the years. Chris sheds light on the process of merging Chesapeake Hospitality with Remington Hospitality, and the recent rebranding of the company. Takeaways: For Chris, hospitality comes not from the knowledge in your head, but the motivations in your heart. Hospitality is the combination of how you relate to others, how committed you are, and how you spend time with those around you. When you work with a variety of owners, you need to understand the heart and connection that each owner has. Some owners prioritize profits, while others prioritize service. Different requirements need different management styles. A merger of two companies takes work, but the most important work comes before the acquisition. Instead of assessing compatibility on economic plans alone, spend time making sure your cultures, values, and goals are in alignment. No matter what your business goals are, you can never let the focus come off of the people. People are the heart of your operation, and if you want to achieve success, you need to make sure your people are enabled for success. When a new opportunity arises, it’s usual to go out and find a new buyer to strike up a relationship with. However, if you present that opportunity to current clients instead, you shift from being a commodity to a true partner. Personal wellbeing programs are important to keep a company running smoothly, but the focus needs to be on all employees. It’s not enough for the C-suite to implement something they think works. You need proper feedback from ground level employees.Quote of the Show:“Hospitality is not hard, it’s heart.” - Chris GreenLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wchrisgreen/ Website: https://www.remingtonhotels.com/ Shout Outs:07:24 - Sloan Dean: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sloandean/ 09:43 - Hospitality Daily: https://podcast.hospitalitydaily.com/ 15:49 - Sarah Eustis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-eustis-4a41198/ 19:51 - The Murrieta Hot Springs Resort: https://www.murrieta-hotsprings.com/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419

Our guest on Defining Hospitality this week is an architect with over 2 decades of experience designing spaces. He’s a renowned leader who thrives in the intersection of hospitality, real estate development and technology. Welcome to the show, President of The Hardy Group, Brent Hardy! Dan shares the mic with Brent to learn more about Brent’s background and how The Hardy Group has grown. In this episode, Brent shares strategies for balancing vision and budget, highlights the importance of effective communication, and looks towards the future of the hospitality industry. Takeaways: For Brent, hospitality is more than just a hotel building or an office space. Hospitality is about the interactions with people, and appreciating the moments throughout the whole experience.When working on a project, balancing vision with budget is a necessary aspect that takes planning. While making changes to your design is never the first plan, your team needs to be collaborative on making adjustments to fit budget constraints.  When new clients enter the industry, they don’t fully understand the operational requirements or a property. When helping design new buildings, you’ll need to communicate the nuances of planning for operations.As the industry matures, it’s more important than ever to have a plan for training your next generation. Build out opportunities for them to grow as professionals and to step into leadership roles.When looking towards the future, companies with a strong foundation need to be focusing on expanding their vision. Find new entrances to the market, try new ideas, and identify missed opportunities from the company’s history.When working with a client for the first time, they may have concerns. To instill confidence in your clients, you need to demonstrate both technical aptitude and a level of passion for what you do. Passion for your work is integral in building trust.While clients don’t need to know every technical detail on a product, they do want to know you understand their concerns. By putting yourself in their shoes, and empathizing with their needs, you build a stronger relationship.Quote of the Show:“10 years from now, if we’re doing the exact same thing we’re doing now, we’ve made a mistake.” - Brent HardyLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-hardy-aia-ishc-20706353/ Website: http://www.jhgi.com/ Shout Outs:24:42 - University of Illinois 33:54 - Danny Meyer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhmeyer/ 33:56 - Setting The Table: https://a.co/d/j03hDnF Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419

Joining us on this week’s episode is a talented and award winning  designer whose creativity defies the boundaries of the industry. She’s a frequent contributor to Hotel News Now and a recurring speaker at industry events who has been recognized as one of Hotel Management’s Top 30 Influential Women in Hospitality. Welcome to the show, Principal and Managing Director at Pierre-Yves Rochon, Amy Jakubowski! Amy sits down with boat Dan Ryan to discuss what it means to design spaces, the attributes of successful design teams, and what it means to understand the why. Takeaways: For Amy, hospitality is about creating, defining, and enriching the human experience. Every location has a unique culture, and good hospitality creates a human connection that highlights those attributes. In the hospitality industry, you need to be able to hustle. As a leader, you’ll find yourself having to manage people and address their needs, all while balancing the design work for your clients. Being able to adapt quickly is a necessary skill.When designing across any medium, you need to understand the why. Why are you doing this, why are you doing it this way? You can’t challenge convention unless you understand why it was there in the first place. Designing a space goes beyond visual aesthetic, but to every element of the human experience. You need to consider elements like where luggage goes, how people move through the hallways, and the overall function of the space. When designing a space with a Michelin Star chef, you are not designing for them, you are designing an extension of them. You are creating the theater in which their dishes are presented, and all elements must reflect this. Creating a successful design team requires members with more than just a strong portfolio. Good team members are collaborative, have a positive outlook, and are helpful and encouraging. One application of design that is often scarce in hospitality is hospital design. To create more welcoming and healing spaces, hospital designers should work in tandem with hospitality designers. Quote of the Show:“You can’t challenge the system unless you know why it was there to begin with.” - Amy JakubowskiLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-jakubowski/ Website: https://www.pyr-design.com/en/ Publications:https://ishc.com/wp-content/uploads/Amy-Jakubowski_HNN.pdf https://www.costar.com/article/1391676743/5-fashion-trends-translated-to-hotels Shout Outs:08:10 - Julia Monk: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-monk-faia-fiida-noma-2aa11711?lipi=urn%3Ali%3Apage%3Ad_flagship3_profile_view_base_contact_details%3B8jYgH4ofSpi9Z%2BLl7kjATg%3D%3D 08:28 - Hank Brennan08:30 - Peter Gorman08:31 - David Beer16:26 - The George V Hotel16:30 - The Ritz London17:34 - The Jade Signature20:05 - Boucheron20:06 - Chopard21:18 - The Inn At Little Washington22:54 - Perkins&Will26:22 - The Waldorf Astoria NYC26:31 - The Waldorf Astoria Lusail DohaWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Transistor: https://www.defininghospitality.live/YouTube: https://youtu.be/V49NNZCG3jg 

Sitting down with us for this week's episode of Defining Hospitality is someone who is highly skilled in modern furniture, retail, and textiles. As the recipient of an honorary doctorate from the NY School of Interior Design, he is revamping the furniture design industry. Our guest this week is the Executive Chairman of Crypton Fabrics, Former CEO of Design Within Reach, and the President and CEO of Heller, John Edelman! Host Dan Ryan talks with John to dive into the intricacies of modern furniture design, the importance of telling an authentic story, and the main requirements when designing for the hospitality industry. Takeaways: For John, hospitality is how you would like to be treated as a guest in someone else's home. To put this in action, all guests at the stores he oversaw were given a water when they walked in as a welcome gift. Delivering good service goes beyond just creating a welcoming interaction, you need to apply that service to what the client really wants. You may have given them great service, but if it was service they didn’t want, you’ve only lengthened their journey.  When you design an experience with furniture you need to tell an authentic story. Knowing the stories of the furniture and the way it’s presented reinforces the rest of the experience that has been created.  If you can speak in superlatives and tell the truth, you’ve won. When building an authentic brand, start with a true statement, explain it, and be very honest about it. Once you’ve identified your statement, expand upon it. When designing furniture for the hospitality industry, there are three main requirements. Your product must have fantastic and fresh design, it must be in stock and readily available, and it needs a sustainability story. When designing furniture, you need to have a sustainability story. For Heller products there is a multi pronged approach. Their furniture is long lasting and 100% recyclable by design. Should you wish to part with your piece, they will take back and recycle it.When implementing hospitality in a retail environment, encourage employees to ask questions to address customer needs. If you're practicing the concept of hospitality, you're never selling anything. You're defining a need and then servicing it.Quote of the Show:“If you're practicing the concept of hospitality, you're never selling anything. You're defining a need and then servicing it.” - John EdelmanLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-edelman-4361a012/ Website: https://hellerfurniture.com/ Shout Outs:00:32 - New York School of Interior Design06:13 - Be Original Americas08:00 - Aloft Hotels10:23 - John McPhee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-mcphee-a3a80418/ 14:01 - John Edelman New York Times Article: https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/design-within-reach-chris-hardy-slideshow 25:12 - Hlynur Atlason: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hlynur-atlason-4770a66/32:00 - Savannah College of Art and DesignWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419

While amenities play a role in satisfying customers, true hospitality grows from your team. Our guest this week is on a mission to build things that last, and create places with soul and purpose that leave lasting memories. She grew up in the hospitality industry and is responsible for some of the most iconic hotels in New England. Joining the show this week is Founder and CEO at Main Street Hospitality Group, Sarah Eustis! Host Dan Ryan interviews Sarah for a masterclass on creating memorable experiences where she shares how to empower your employees, creating consistent levels of hospitality, and how to go the extra mile to wow customers. Takeaways: For Sarah, hospitality means creating a sense of both belonging and connection. True hospitality comes not from complimentary breakfasts or high thread count sheets, but a feeling of welcome in your guests. Satisfaction can be hard to measure, but the most effective methods are reviews and return rates. A good review means a customer had a great experience, and a high return rate means they are choosing you over the numerous other options available. While you may offer hotels that vary in price point, that doesn’t mean they need to vary in the level of hospitality. A more expensive hotel may have more amenities, but the level of service, care, and hospitality the staff provide should be the same across the board. While a standard operating procedure is essential to running a business, it can create a rigid experience for guests. If you empower your staff, and allow them to break SOP without permission, they can create a better experience for your guests.When amenities are unavailable to guests, using words like “unfortunately” focus the guest on the negative aspect of the service you are trying to provide. Instead, using the phrases like “I wish I could” make the guest feel like you are on their side. When assessing new business partners, they need to pass the like, trust, and respect filter. The deal may look good on paper, but if you and a potential client don’t like each other, trust each other, and respect each other, it won’t be fully beneficial. A truly luxurious experience revolves around personalized experiences. At the Canoe Place, rooms come set to the guests requested temperature, mini bars are pre stocked with their favorites, and turndowns are done to reflect the side of the bed they sleep on.Quote of the Show:“The hospitality isn't better or worse depending on the price or the level of luxury of a hotel.” - Sarah EustisLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-eustis-4a41198/ Website: https://www.mainstreethospitalitygroup.com/ Shout Outs:Mario Arakelian: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mario-arakelian-041b277/ Will Guidara: https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-guidara-b64952243/ Unreasonable Hospitality: https://a.co/d/iP1aekh Andrew Benioff: https://www.linkedin.com/in/llenrockgroupbenioff/ Independent Lodging Congress: https://ilcongress.com/Henson Shaving: https://hensonshaving.com/Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Transistor: https://www.defininghospitality.live/YouTube : https://youtu.be/pqCrXltcvdM

Checking in for today’s episode of Defining Hospitality is a passionate member of the hospitality space who sees design through a unique lens. She’s a design maven who flawlessly utilizes her skills for business development. Joining us today is Associate, and Director of Business Development at Looney Associates, Molly McDonald. Molly joins host Dan Ryan to share her journey from Designer to Director, explore hospitality as a sense of community, and explain why you’re never stuck in one bucket in the industry.  Takeaways: For Molly, her definition of hospitality has changed with her career. When she started, hospitality was a space she designed within. As her career progressed, hospitality began to evolve into a feeling of community, highlighting the importance of collaboration. As a young designer you may feel worried about getting stuck in one place for too long. You’re not limited to one path, but a change doesn’t need to come externally. If you vocalize your wants to your company, you can find a fulfilling change internally. Every client facing business relies on strong customer relationships, and hospitality is no different. In the hospitality design industry, client relationships can last up to 5 years, and you need to be prepared to work with that client for a long time frame. If you’re looking to get into business development, having a strong design background is crucial. To effectively sell, you need to know what you’re selling, and be able to speak to nuances in schedules, processes, vendors, and more. While there are many talented driven designers out there, there are only a handful of lead designer roles at firms. For designers looking for other high caliber roles, business development allows you to both utilize your design skills, and drive growth for your firm. While Revit and BIM may feel like overkill on some projects, they provide value in communicating ideas to clients. 3d renders give a better sense of the project to decision makers who aren’t familiar with reading floor plans. Hospitality design has gotten more and more intricate. More frequently, designers are interacting with architects at early stages, and providing the lens of hospitality to non-traditional projects like senior living facilities and social clubs. Quote of the Show:“I've always loved getting to know everybody and I didn't realize that I could turn that into my job.” - Molly McDonaldLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-mcdonald-5ba68b38/ Website: https://www.looney-associates.com/ Email: [email protected] Shout Outs:Southern Living MagazineHeather O'Sullivan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-o-sullivan-1a33b5b/ James Looney: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-looney-209a15a/John Nelson: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-nelson-66358514/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419

Today’s guest is an expert in the hospitality industry who has established his firm as the 3rd most successful US brokerage firm within the hospitality industry. He’s the host of the weekly series Teague Walks and Teague Talks where he focuses on outstanding properties and the people behind them. Joining the show this week is President & CEO at Hunter Hotel Advisors, Teague Hunter. Teague sits down with Host Dan Ryan to discuss how he got started in hospitality, the challenges of operating a hotel, and how Private Equity firms changed the hotel landscape.Takeaways: Most people view hospitality either on the operations and service side, or the physical buildings side. For Teague, hospitality is a way of life. It’s what he was raised in, and is something he has built a life and career in. When Private Equity firms started investing in hospitality, it changed the landscape. To investment firms, properties became a number on a spreadsheet. Where PE firms faced their biggest challenge was understanding the operational nuances of hotels. As hotels have evolved to include rooftop bars, bistros, and restaurants, assessing value gets more complicated. However, by bundling those assets together, you can purchase them for a 6-7% cap rate, rather than a 10+% cap rate separately.  Typical investment properties like office space or multifamily units offer fairly straight forward investments. Hotels offer more revenue, but require a higher level of operational talent. Good operators can make a hotel, while bad operators will break one. Hotels are not cookie cutter, and there is no reason their management should be either. Each hotel will have a regional aspect to it, and when looking to invest in a hotel, you need to pair with management that can support those attributes. While investors are responsible for managing the bottom line, success starts with your employees. Employees are your number one customer, and if you take care of your people first, it all trickles down after that. While Hunter Hotel Advisors has grown as a business, it remains a family business with a core focus on its people. Their culture of teamwork and open communication has fostered an environment of success. Quote of the Show:“We can speak to Wall Street, our DNA is in Main Street.” - Teague HunterLinks:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/teaguehunter/  Company website: https://www.hunterhotels.net/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TeagueTalks  Shout Outs:Glenn Haussman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/glennhaussman/ Danny Meyer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhmeyer/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Transistor: https://www.defininghospitality.live/YouTube :https://youtu.be/p7vNlBjNTV4 

On this episode of Defining Hospitality we’re shining a spotlight on the work of a previous guest and fellow hospitality podcaster. Josiah Mackenzie is the publisher of Hotel Operations, and the host and writer of the Hospitality Daily podcast and blog. We’re excited to share this compilation episode with recent interviews from Josiah’s podcast. The guests featured today are CEO & President of Four Sisters Inns Tamara Mims, General Manager at the Enso for Kimpton Hotels Marlon Smith, Founder of The June Britt Morgan-Saks, and VP of Strategic Growth at eBerry by Nordic Choice Hotels Christian Lundén. We hope you enjoy. Tamara Mims: “Don't nickel and dime your guests.”Key Takeaway: Complimentary amenities go a long way in increasing the value a guest has at your establishment. The hotels Tamara works with often offer complimentary wine and cheese, parking, internet, and even bicycles for guests to enjoy. While you need to increase room rates to balance out expenses, offering these amenities makes guests feel special.  Episode: https://podcast.hospitalitydaily.com/2103299/12407793 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamaramims/ Company: https://www.foursisters.com/ Marlon Smith: “We are ambassadors.”Key Takeaway: In the hospitality industry, you get to be an ambassador for your local community. You should be providing your guests with the keys to the local experiences that highlight the culture and history of your area. Ultimately, you want your guests to be as excited about the area as you are. Episode: https://podcast.hospitalitydaily.com/2103299/12198882 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marlon-smith-5329a856/ Company: https://www.ihg.com/kimptonhotels/hotels/us/en/reservation Britt Morgan-Saks: “Lessons for hospitality from NYC nightlife.”Key Takeaway: The “vibe” and feeling of a space is what will ultimately make repeat guests out of first-timers. That magical, exciting, energetic feeling is the most important aspect, but replicating it at scale can be difficult. You can’t be everywhere at once, so hiring people who can bring the same energy and experience is crucial. Episode: https://podcast.hospitalitydaily.com/2103299/12158043 LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/britt-morgan-saks-93506253/ Christian Lundén: “How we are providing hospitality outside the walls of our hotels.”Key Takeaway: Your most frequent guests may only spend 60 days at your location, and creating that feeling of hospitality for the rest of the year is a challenge. To address this Christian’s company created a “hotel feeling” service that provides cleaning, bathrobes, soaps, and more directly to your house. Episode: https://podcast.hospitalitydaily.com/2103299/12268901 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-lund%C3%A9n-64180a25/ Company: https://www.nordicchoicehotels.com/ Josiah’s Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josiahmackenzie/ Hotel Operations: https://hoteloperations.com/Hospitality Daily: https://www.hospitalitydaily.com/ Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419

Today’s guest is an innovative industry leader, who is responsible for leading Woodbine's investment strategy across all asset types. Please welcome to the show, Dupree Scovell! Dupree is the Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer at Woodbine Development Corporation, and he joins the host Dan Ryan to share his view on hospitality and how his journey brought him to where he is now. Takeaways: For Dupree, hospitality comes from a deep spiritual state. It is something that can extend to everyone in every aspect of our lives. It’s not just something that you extend to someone staying in a guest room.In any industry, you will never be able to go without some sort of conflict at some point. Even when that happens, it’s important to handle yourself by looking for common ground and make sure to avoid looking at it as a zero sum game.There are 5 core values that Dupree’s company lives by; Relationships, Effort, Accountability, Conviction and Humility. At the end of the day, humility and relationships are the most important aspects for Dupree.When looking ahead for your company, you want to consider what you are building for and what the ultimate goal is in the end. It’s not always about being the biggest company but sometimes it’s about enduring as a company.If there is any sort of conflict within your company, you will end up going back to your values and those will help you determine the solution.For the future, Dupree takes a methodical and intentional approach rather than letting what others are worrying about get to him and affect his view. If Dupree could go back in time to talk to his younger self, he would give him the advice that his identity isn’t just his grades or the sports he has played, but rather the person he is at his core. Quote of the Show:2:39 “Hospitality is a deep spiritual value.”Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dscovell/Website: https://www.woodbinedevelopment.com/Shout Outs:06:27 Greg Massey06:29 First United Bank13:19 Hunt Companies18:18 Trammell Crow18:19 Bob Sulentic18:26 CBRE23:43 Hyatt23:47 James Franque27:35 Small Giants by Bo Burlingham28:49 Paul Quinn College28:57 Dr. Michael Sorrell30:07 Dallas Independent School District30:12 Hillcrest High School31:19 Scovell ScholarsWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Transistor: https://www.defininghospitality.live/YouTube : https://youtu.be/8V99CaAcEUY

Today’s guest disrupted the hospitality industry twice, and he took an inner city motel and turned it into the 2nd largest boutique hotel brand in America. He was once the global head of hospitality at AirBnb. Please welcome to the show, Chip Conley! Chip is the Founder of the Modern Elder Academy and the Author of the book Emotional Equations. Chip has also received the Pioneer reward, the highest honor in hospitality. He joins the host Dan Ryan to talk about the meaning of hospitality and how he sees it through his lens.Takeaways: The core feeling of hospitality is having the feeling that something is delivered to you rather than for you. It’s a combination of the science of service and the art of hospitality.Through Chip’s perspective, the saying isn’t “you are what you eat” but rather “you are where you sleep”. In thi case, you want to provide your guests with a great experience and comfortable and relaxing spot for them to sleep in.When you look at your business from an outside perspective, you want to really think about how you are operating your business in a way that elevates you or differentiates you from the rest.Rather than staking your claim on something others do and you claim you do it better, you should really focus on what makes you different from everyone else and maximize it.When it comes to being a great leader, psychology can be one of the greatest strengths that you can have. Oftentimes, when people reach their midlife point they lose their purpose in life and what their goal is. Chip seeks to help people find the purpose that they once had and reinvigorate their life. Quote of the Show:5:01 “Service is really a science, but hospitality is an art.” Links:Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChipConleyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chipconleysf/Website: https://www.modernelderacademy.com/Book Link: https://www.amazon.com/Wisdom-Work-Making-Modern-Elder/dp/0525572902https://www.amazon.com/Emotional-Equations-Creating-Happiness-Business/dp/1451607261Shout Outs:1:43 The Hotel Phoenix4:43 Danny Meyer5:22 Hospitality Quotient8:02 Rolling Stone Magazine8:58 Hotel Vitale9:08 Dwell Magazine9:10 Real Simple Magazine9:34 Ian Schrager9:35 Kimpton11:52 Peter Drucker13:32 Brian Chesky25:38 Hilton25:39 Marriott26:43 Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl40:17 Andrew Alford45:52 The Good Life by Dr. Bob Waldinger50:36 American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird50:43 Cormac McCarthy56:28 10,000 Waves1;01:50 Oscar WildeWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/YouTube : https://youtu.be/i_sah7Jx150

Today’s guest is passionate about travel, art, history, and horseback riding. She authored her masters thesis toward a study of the intersection of advocacy, historic preservation, and architecture and has completed hotel renovations nationwide from conception through close-out. Please welcome to the show, Shannon Seay! Shannon is the Partner and Project Director at H-CPM, and the founder of an industry Networking Collective. Shannon joins the host Dan Ryan to share her thoughts on the hospitality industry. Takeaways: The core idea of hospitality is about crafting a community that is inclusive where people are excited to take part in it. It is the difference between place making and space making.Every single thing in each of our lives has helped us to develop the perspective that we hold, and it’s the job of the professionals in the hospitality industry to put that together.When someone is staying at any place that is in the realm of the hospitality industry (hostel, hotel, motel), they are home away from and finding a place to rest.Rest necessitates comfort, and you can’t truly be comfortable if you are in a place that doesn’t speak to you.A successful team isn’t a team that has no problems, but rather a team that solves its problems efficiently, coherently and in a professional manner. This applies to all industries as this will make a team act as a better unit.Core values for your company aren’t something that are just written up and put on a piece of paper or a website to get a new deal. They are values that each and every team member really needs to embody and represent.Everything comes down to a collaborative discussion. When it comes to the custom design space, there are a lot of different people that are involved in that aspect so it’s important to get everyone on the same page, even if that means compromising somewhere.Quote of the Show:1:54 “To me, hospitality is placemaking.”Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-seay-28160532/Website: https://h-cpm.com/Shout Outs:4:42 Hersha Hospitality Management6:56 Radio Kismet6:58 University of Pennsylvania Law School11:31 Damon Lawrence11:32 Homage14:16 ILC 14:50 Andrew Benioff19:23 Justin Chace19:39 Steve Siegel24:57 Small Giants by Bo Burlingham25:02 Ani DiFranco26:27 Daniel del Olmo 26:29 Sage27:15 Will Guidara 34:59 The Irish Cottage Inn37:35 1 Hotel39:13 Good Shepherd41:05 Chip Conley41:08 Modern Elder AcademyWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/YouTube : https://youtu.be/B5iqc9TS68Q

Today’s guest uses the spaces he creates to tell a story, all while re-imagining the visual landscape through stylish, spirited and sophisticated design. Currently, he is working on a diverse array of residential and commercial projects, including high profile hotels, restaurants, and retail. Please welcome to the show, Dan Mazzarini! Dan is the Owner and Creative Director at BHDM Design. He joins the host Dan Ryan to share his views on the hospitality industry and what it means to him. Takeaways: Hospitality boils down to two key components; Anticipating the guests needs and exceeding their expectations. Without these being in place then it is not true hospitality you are delivering.The longer that Dan has spent in the design field, the more he has realized that it is more of a service field. It’s all about the end user and the notion of trying to meet their needs while going above and beyond what they expect. While working at Ralph Lauren, Dan spent time helping people with their apartments on the weekends. During this time he discovered that not only does he like retail, but he was also enjoying the relationships with personal clients. One thing that holds people back from following their dreams is their fear. But if you think about the worst case scenario for starting your own business, it’s worth the risk to try and venture out on your own.Don’t be afraid to ask for the better option or to underscore the importance or value of something that is authentic. This will help set you apart from the rest of the designers as no two people will have the same idea of authentic design.It’s important to evolve your business as time goes on. Don’t be afraid to take a chance and work on a project that is unfamiliar to you as it can help you grow in a tremendous way.Designers for hospitality are in the business of building spaces for people to come together and experience the physical environments around them.Quote of the Show:3:19 “I think [hospitality] is really about two small things. One is anticipating needs and the second is exceeding expectations.”Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-mazzarini-95553117/Website: https://www.bhdmdesign.com/archivebydm.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/danmazzarini/?hl=enhttps://www.instagram.com/archivebydanmazzarini/?next=%2FShout Outs:1:21 The Virgin hotel1:22 Ritz Carlton1:34 Eventi Hotel5:51 Ralph Lauren6:32 Kramer Design6:35 Robin Kramer6:35 Philip Rosenswag7:30 Michael Kors7:47 Macy’s7:48 Bloomingdale’s10:05 Jennifer Lopez10:06 Water Work Studio10:10 Movado Watches10:12 Shiseido Cosmetics13:20 Trading Spaces13:24 HGTV13:47 The Lion15:43 Lord’s South Beach20:43 Brimfield Flea Market23:14 Wheel of Fortune42:19 the Brian Paul HotelWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419YouTube : https://youtu.be/QOwxtAmhkxs

Today’s guest is a valued member of the hospitality community with over 30 years of experience. She consistently composes and collaborates with world-class teams of architects and designers to execute unique and innovative hotel concepts. Please welcome to the show, Christina Zimmer. Christina is the Senior Vice President of Design at Highgate Hotels, and she joins the host Dan Ryan to share her views on hospitality and how it interacts with the world around us.Takeaways: According to the original definition from Webster’s dictionary, hospitality has always been about the experiences that you can give guests rather than the actual location or the food you provide them with.Every now and then, it’s nice to get outside of your own environment and try working on different kinds of projects. It’s like a breath of fresh air and helps you to gain a new perspective on future projects you will have.Culture plays an important role in hospitality. When you go to a unique place or another country, you can immerse yourself in the culture and really experience the place you are at.The most fond memory that Christina has of her trip to Europe was her visit to the Louisiana Museum in Denmark. She holds this memory close to her because she went to that museum with her mother.We all stand on the shoulders of those who have helped us reach our goals and be where we are today. It’s important to acknowledge this and respect those around you and be a positive leader yourself.There is a certain sensibility to Danish design that permeates the entire Danish society, and this helped to lead Christina to discover her passion at an early age.An interesting challenge facing hospitality now is how can you make furniture and design more sustainable for a modern age, while also being comfortable and welcoming.Quote of the Show:2:06 “It's not about just giving you a place to sleep and some food to eat. It's about much more than that. The original definition did come from the experiences that you would give to a guest. So it's much deeper than just meeting the basic needs.”Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-zimmer-4b17ba11/Website: https://www.highgate.com/Shout Outs:7:17 Stonehill Taylor14:17 Guggenheim22:05 Turner22:58 Louisiana Museum in Denmark27:16 Paul Taylor34:39 Refinery Hotel in New York39:19 Tales of the City by 40:46 Waiting for Guffman41:35 Park Central San Francisco41:38 Hyatt42:28 Berman Faulk46:55 Kimpton47:05 MC Escher52:41 Hilton 52:41 MarriottWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/YouTube : https://youtu.be/Lh76kNqYXh0

Today’s guest is a 2022 Inductee into Interior Design Hall Of Fame,and he approaches design with 5 key elements; sustainability, technology, the client, timelessness and innovation. He pushes beyond the familiar to create buildings and interiors that are distinctive, imaginative and site specific. Please welcome to the show, Gray Davis! Gray is the Co-Owner & Co-Founder of Meyer Davis, Designer. Gray joins the host Dan Ryan to share his inspirations from the hospitality world and how he journeyed his way through this beautiful industry.Takeaways: Hospitality is all about the experiences for the guest. It allows the owner or operator of the hotel to be a storyteller and provide the guest with a unique experience that they won’t be able to receive elsewhere.When you are designing a hotel, you want to make sure that it is a welcoming environment to the guest, and the best way to do this is by being a good listener. Think about the goals the brand or the client wants to achieve and use it as a guide. Typically, design firms are focused on one area but you can learn from every project you work on. This prevents people from being pigeonholed and allows a designer to see all the perspectives on different projects. If Gray could go back and see his younger self, the biggest piece of advice he would offer is to follow your passion. Through all the struggles that he faced, he wouldn’t change anything for the outcome he got.At the end of the day, the design for a hotel should be something that puts a smile on someone’s face  or shines a light on something that they never knew or thought before. A great idea can come from anywhere and anyone on the team. It doesn’t matter what role they play, whoever has the best idea is the one that you should run with.Quote of the Show:3:24 “There's nothing more rewarding than completing a project, a hotel or resort, somewhere and then seeing how people experience it and react to it.”Links:Website: https://www.meyerdavis.com/Hoist fixtures: https://rbw.com/collections/hoistShout Outs:1:21 Will Meyer1:26 Cindy Allen1:27 Interior Design Magazine7:41 Dream Hotel in Nashville9:34 W Hotels10:25 Marriott15:18 Randy Gerber 15:20 Cindy Crawford21:11 Rich, Brilliant and Willing28:53 Stacy Shoemaker28:59 Nick Jones29:01 SoHo House33:56 David Brawley34:40 John Saladino35:03 Four Seasons35:43 Guacame Siegel35:50 Aero35:50 Bill Sofield35:51 Thomas O’Brien36:34 Raul’s in SoHo41:53 Red Sea Development CompanyWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419YouTube : https://youtu.be/0XKTOcJCBfc

Today’s guest is an entrepreneur and opportunist at heart. With over 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry, he has discovered his favorite part is “wowing” his clients. Please welcome to the show, Scott Lee! Scott is the President and Principal at SB Architects. Scott joins the host Dan Ryan to share his experiences from working on the architecture of a prison to where he is now.  Takeaways: Hospitality at its core is about truly experiencing the place you are staying at. Whether it’s going away on vacation or visiting a familiar place, a great hospitality experience is defined by coming home and sharing stories of what you experienced while away.When you are looking to add people to your design firm, you want to strike the balance of getting like minded individuals as well as getting people that will help push the envelope in a positive way. Hiring people that are a cultural fit for your firm is a key component of doing interviews. If they aren’t a cultural fit, then don’t waste time looking at their drawings or design ideas as it will never work out right.One way to keep employees motivated and committed to your company is to sell them a piece of the company. This way they behave like owners and take more responsibility and they will feel a sense of ownership and pride as the company grows.New ideas can come from anybody at a company. There is no such thing as bad ideas so it’s a good idea to make your company feel like it’s an open environment where everyone is allowed to speak up and share ideas.Some people consider luxury to be crown moldings or marble on marble or other extravagant trappings, but there is more of a shift over to focusing on the quality of the luxury you are receiving rather than the quantity of it.Scott’s biggest advice to his younger self is to take risks and don’t be afraid to try something new. If you are waiting for that perfect time it might never come and life will pass you by, so jump in and take a chance.  Quote of the Show:2:22 “I think hospitality is going to a place and experiencing the place.” Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-a-lee/Website: https://sb-architects.com/Shout Outs: 0:51 David Kennedy3:31 Hill Glazier Architects6:45 Rivana at Innovation Station7:00 Michael Hsu16:05 Don Sandy16:12 Sandy Babcock16:17 Ritz-Carlton25:59 Farmhouse Inn Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/YouTube : https://youtu.be/WDYRN7OF03o

Today’s guest is a hotel project management expert with extensive experience leading the development, renovation, and repositioning of upscale hospitality assets. Please welcome to the show, Ethan Gabany! Ethan is the Senior Manager of Hospitality Project Management at CBRE. Ethan joins the host Dan Ryan to talk about his journey from pumping gas in a small rural town in Pennsylvania to where he is now.  Takeaways: Hospitality is all about meeting a guest's needs before they even realize that they have them. You want to be able to deliver a product or a service in that way with compassion and empathy. The first time you work with a client, you have to learn what makes them tick and the things that they enjoy and what they don’t like. This way when it is your second or third time working with them you’ll know exactly what they are looking for in a project. As a manager, it's your job to cut through the noise and distill it to the essence of what is nice to have and what is a must have while also having everyone feel comfortable enough to share their voice and be heard. When people go out to eat at a conference, they are now looking for restaurants that are designed with a unique aspect and are drifting away from the commercialized aspect that used to be popular. From a young age, Ethan was always the planner for the family vacations. He viewed vacations as escape from reality and when he and his family went on a trip to Philadelphia, a chance encounter with a cook helped him to find his passion. Ethan’s first job at 12 years was pumping gas for the gas station his dad had in a small town in Pennsylvania. Ethan found that he had an innate passion for human connection while doing this which eventually led to his career in hospitality.Ethan has a passion for the more upscale projects as they tend to allow more creative freedom with their designers.  Quote of the Show:1:38  “I would define hospitality as meeting a guest's needs before they have even realized them themselves with compassion and empathy”. Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/egabany/Website: https://www.cbre.com/ Shout Outs:10:55 Liam Neeson12:23 Ritz Carlton Philadelphia14:44 Cornell University14:47 Babson College 15:44 Omni Resort15:49 Rosewood18:39 Retina McCarthy18:53 Stephanie Robinson18:54 Brad Wellstead19:34 Ron Harrison19:35 Marriott20:18 Bill Walsh20:19 Viceroy Hotel Group22:34 ALIS Conference25:34 Bob Webster31:25 Meyer Davis32:45 Where You Go Is Not Who You’ll Be by Frank Burni32:51 New York Times35:51 Fairfield by Marriott38:59 Bonvoy43:25 Bennett Thomas43:40 Hersha Hospitality TrustWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/YouTube : https://youtu.be/U1Z6_cVvtxU

Today’s guest is committed to elevating communities and creating wealth through hospitality ownership and leadership. She is a recent recipient of the FIU Alumni Award, and a hospitality sharpshooter. Please welcome to the show, Ashli Johnson! Ashli is the ​​Executive Director of the Marriott Sorenson Center for Hospitality Leadership at Howard University. Ashli joins the host Dan Ryan to talk about how Howard University is shaking up the hospitality industry and working on getting more diversity in the c-suite level in hospitality. Takeaways: Hospitality can be viewed through two different parts that combine to make up the whole picture. The first part is the business of service and the second part is the heart and delivery of service. At Howard University, hospitality isn’t a major but the Marriott Sorenson Center allows students to explore what it takes to be a leader in the hospitality industry and create more diversity in the c-suite level of this industry.The three main areas that Howard University wants to focus on is that they want their students to learn, understand and impact the hospitality, investment, real estate, and tech and innovation industries. As a society, we have to recognize our own personal bias and really focus on the talent that is fit to lead. We need to stop looking at who we are connected with and rather focus on the merits and what people bring to the table.When you are working for an organization, there is a layer of sponsorship that helps you to become aware of positions that are opening up in the company. Having someone work on your behalf to talk about you positively is always a good thing to have.Having someone be your sponsor doesn’t have to be a formal position. It can be something as simple as offering some help to a younger person who is looking to grow within the company.Growing up with a father who was a Marine Corps Officer, Ashli traveled often and found her passion for hospitality when she was the one in charge of deciding which hotels they would stay at on road trips, or places they would eat, or houses they would move to. Quote of the Show:2:05 Hospitality to me is two parts. Hospitality is most certainly the business of service and it's also the heart and the delivery of service.” Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/itsashlijohnson/Website: https://howard.edu/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/itsashlijohnson/?hl=en Shout Outs:1:11 Damon Lawrence 1:13 Homage Hospitality1:38 Arne Sorenson8:26 Independent Lodging Conference26:15 Lowe’s29:20 Ray BennettWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/YouTube : https://youtu.be/VkdBkKhSsWQ

Today’s guest is a leader and motivator who champions involvement. He is an innovative problem solver and has a progressive record of achievements with significant experience in global business strategy. Daniel del Olmo is the President of Hotels and Restaurants at Sage Hospitality Group. Daniel joins the host Dan Ryan to share his views on the hospitality industry and talks about how enriching lives can lead to a better experience for everyone. Takeaways: The true purpose of hospitality is to enrich the lives of the guests, associates and the communities that you serve. You want to have a positive impact on the people who are coming into your restaurant or your hotel, and without having that impact then hospitality truly can’t be reached.There’s no way to get a better sense of how your culture is thriving within your company than spending time with your team. Take the time to sit down and hear what members of your team are saying and see what you can do to help them.There is a misconception that you need to have worked in operations or previously worked as a general manager at a hotel to be promoted to being a general manager. You could be in almost any position to be promoted to a general manager as long as you show the skills and determination to do the job right.Many people have heard of having a work/life balance, but there is also work/life presence. This is a newer mindset where instead of focusing on how many hours someone works, you focus on what they do in those hours and what work they get done.Providing competitive benefits and having a positive reputation with your employees is a great way to attract more people to work with you, and it will help you retain employees as well.There is a tangible energy with a company that is creating a positive culture and that energy will bring the right people to your company. As a leader, it’s important to have each member of your team contribute to the greater good and have everyone on the same page to achieve the same company goal. You want people to feel like they belong to something so special in the making. Quote of the Show:1:41 “Hospitality then for me is really about enriching lives.” Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/danieldelolmo/Website: https://www.sagehospitalitygroup.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dsquare32/?hl=en Shout Outs:0:32 Independent Lodging Congress0:48 The Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS)23:10 Danny Meyer32:02 Small Giants by Bo Burlingham45:02 Fred Reichheld46:22 Net Promoter Score47:14 Winning on Purpose by Fred Reichheld Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/YouTube : https://youtu.be/eVmE78VGboc

Today’s guest found his passion for hospitality at a young age. He is a results driven global hospitality executive with extensive operational and development experience, as well as being a passionate, driven leader with a no-nonsense approach. Keith Pierce is the EVP, President Franchise & Development at Sonesta. Keith joins the host Dan Ryan to share his viewpoints on the benefits of franchising a hotel and Sonesta’s unbelievable climb to being the 8th largest hotel in the United States. Takeaways: At its core, hospitality is the business of caring. This means that you care for your employees, your guests, the development team and the community. Without that sense of caring it will be hard for your hotel to be genuine. During the pandemic, Sonesta managed to create a truly remarkable feat by growing from just 50 hotels to over 1200 hotels that they own or operate. This growth happened when the reit that owned 300 hotels elected to take hotels from the brand they currently had and put them into the Sonesta brand.In 2019 the hospitality industry was thriving and seeing the best business it had seen in 40 years, but once 2020 came along that brought the industry down to the lowest it has ever been in 40 years. Sonesta today has a franchise model, a management model and an ownership structure, all which are unique for the Sonesta brand.Having a culture of caring for your franchisees helps to sway independent hotels in the decision of who they want to partner with. Sonesta Hotels acts as an owner and operator of a franchisee which helps to provide a comfort level to their franchisees.Creating a level of caring and a good culture at a company starts with hiring the right people and having everyone work in the office together. This will help to make sure that everyone has the same goal in mind and works together well. Quote of the Show:1:19 “I define hospitality as the business of caring.” Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/keith-pierce/Website: https://www.sonesta.com/ Shout Outs:0:33 Marriott Desert Ridge3:26 John Murray3:33 SVC4:27 Adam Portnoy and the Portnoy Family4:44 Marriott4:45 IHG4:47 Wyndham 4:48 Radison7:15 Candlewood7:20 Residence Inn7:55 Redline Hotel Company11:48 MIT31:55 Lodging Hospitality32:01 New York Hotel Show32:07 Mandarin Oriental 32:09 Time Warner Center33:05 Waldorf Astoria33:30 Hawthorne Suites33:32 Joe McInerney Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/YouTube : https://youtu.be/P4pHq99wmMs

Today’s guest is passionate about the design of communities, spaces, and experiences that connect people. She is an architect, innovator, and culture advocate. Alex Lopatynsky is a Principal & The Managing Director of the NY Office at Cooper Carry. Alex joins the host Dan Ryan to talk about her views on hospitality and what it all means to her. Takeaways: Hospitality doesn’t necessarily have to be about the place itself where you are staying. It’s more about the feeling you receive from the employees and the feeling the room gives you when you arrive. Even at the smallest of spaces, or minimally designed spaces, as long as you are welcoming people as if you are welcoming them to your home then it will be a memorable experience.The hospitality industry has been a big influence on many aspects, not just hotels. Nowadays, a business will look at gathering spaces for their employees or design rooms in a certain way to make people feel welcome.Culture and hospitality have interconnecting points where they interact with each other. Culture is looked at as the human element and hospitality can bring everyone together.Our best work and best collaboration is often done in person. Humans by nature are social creatures and there are great opportunities to enhance an idea of design when talking with a co-worker or friend.There is a lot of value in having people come to the office. It allows for people to interact with each other and feel connected to everyone around them.Everyone brings a unique perspective to solving issues within the hospitality industry, which allows the industry to expand with new ideas.  Quote of the Show:1:27 “Hospitality is less about, in my mind, the physical place, but it's the emotional feeling you experience from entering it.” Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-lopatynsky-85305810/Website: https://www.coopercarry.com/ Shout Outs:3:37 Graffiti3:41 Jehangir Mehta17:29 Stephanie Hopkins17:30 Marriott31:36 Julia Cosencos31:42 Ribas25:15 George Sawiki25:54 Ukrainian Scout Organization35:24 Sawiki Tarella Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/Youtube : https://youtu.be/rWUDni_sUhY 

Today’s guest loves helping create spaces and experiences where people will make lasting memories. With hospitality being engrained in her soul, she is ready to see it make a comeback. Stephanie Hopkins is the Senior Interior Design Manager at Marriott International. Stephanie joins the host Dan Ryan to talk about her journey in this beautiful industry and how she sees hospitality through her eyes.  Takeaways: Hospitality is more about the overall experience that you get and experiencing everything there is to offer. Growing up in Texas, Stephanie’s mom was the example she had for what hospitality really is because she was always entertaining and providing a welcoming environment for friends and family. Stephanie spent time working in London and New York doing interior design, and that is where she discovered her passion for hospitality and design. Working with an independent hotel and boutique hotels will help you to learn how to think on your feet and find solutions to unique problems.Every piece of detail matters to a guest and it impacts their experience at a hotel. You want to make sure that you are planning out every detail as much as you can and using the detail to make the guest have a wonderful experience.Not every brand or hotel is for every person. You want to build a hotel and think about the customers that you are trying to attract without also confusing the design of the brand for other hotel designs. Through the pandemic, a lot of people developed a longing for travel as that was taken away from them. People are now wanting to go out and experience new places and see beautiful hotels.  Quote of the Show:3:56 ​​ “What hospitality means to me it's more of that kind of that overall experience, kind of that 360 degree view.”Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-hopkins-28445a71/Website: https://www.marriott.com/default.mi Shout Outs:1:10 Kristen Conry1:16 Marriott2:04 BDYN7:20 Tony Chi7:58 Chip Conley9:19 Bridgeton10:58 Journey East Hampton11:14 Atit Jariwala18:25 Johnny Marsh24:38 Oswaldo Barrios25:00 Arnie Sorenson25:17 Hilton25:18 Accor27:55 Edition31:36 Kelsey Linz31:51 Reggio Emilia40:06 Mindclick41:30 JoAnna Abrams46:36 Airstream47:40 Mattel Rancho48:33 Bunkhouse48:37 Liz Lambert48:53 McGuire Lambert Hospitality Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/YouTube : https://youtu.be/7cAbPtTrW00 

Today’s guest is an accidental hospitality leader. She has been in the hospitality industry for more than a decade and half, all while managing the ongoing renovation work across the growing portfolio for the 8th largest hotel company in the US. Bridget Rooks is the Senior Director, Renovation and Capital Projects at Sonesta Hotels. Bridget joins the host Dan Ryan to share her journey through the hospitality industry and how her playwriting skills have influenced  her views on hospitality.  Takeaways: Hospitality is like a warm welcome to a guest. You are ready to greet the guest and meet any needs they have for their occasions, all while being prepared to exceed those expectations. For customer renovations, think of your design narrative as your thesis statement or elevator pitch. The stakeholders are a part of this process so don’t forget to include them as well. Don’t be afraid to say that you don’t know the answer to something. You will never get the right answer or learn how to properly do something if you aren’t vulnerable and ask questions.In order to make your work process better, it’s important to learn from past experiences. You can look back and see what you could do differently and make the process run better. Getting feedback from the development team is important for making sure that a design is going in the right direction. This will help guide you toward what the client had in mind and what else might need to be included. The needs for clients and guests will vary between the quality of a hotel. For example, an upscale hotel would have different needs than an upper upscale hotel.You won’t be able to respond to what each guest says that can be improved in a hotel. But it’s still important to try and balance all of them and hear what guests are saying and improve the hotel in the best way possible for everyone. Quote of the Show:2:22 “I would define hospitality as a warm welcome” - Bridget Rooks Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridget-rooks-9452934b/Website: https://www.sonesta.com/ Shout Outs:1:23 Brian Quinn6:40 Trader Joe’s7:03 Benjamin West7:33 Toby Nudelman8:45 Vicky Smith37:18 Sonesta Select Prototype Hotel37:20 Foxboro, MA37:50 DLR Group Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/Youtube :

Today’s guest is accredited by the American Institute of Architects, LEED AP, and certified with the National Council of Architecture Registration Boards. He also has over 25 years of experience with award winning projects around the world. Chris McDonough is the Principal at The Gettys Group Companies. Chris joins the host Dan Ryan to share his journey through the hospitality industry and what it all means to him.  Takeaways: Every design has a story behind it and it can transport you to a different mindset when you are there. That is part of the beauty of hospitality.Hospitality can be a form of escape from the daily lives that everyone lives. Oftentimes a change in scenery or design can really change a person's perspective or outlook.Interior Architecture is a marriage between interior design and architecture. Combining both of these creates a very successful process for designing a unique space. Not only does a space need to be beautiful, but it needs to function and work well. If it doesn’t meet both of these standards, then the space will remain empty and unused, leaving you frustrated.When you are building a hotel, you have the freedom to test it against the market knowledge and see what works as a design aspect and what doesn’t work.You want to create a space that makes guests want to come back and tell others about the amazing experience that they had and how much they loved it.When it comes to building a brand or a soft branded hotel, you want to narrow what your demographic is and if you focus on catering to the small group of people who will always return, then you will have created raving fans. Quote of the Show:3:05 “My heart’s really in hospitality mostly because of the feeling you get or the feeling that we want to give to guests and people that are experiencing the spaces we design.” Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-mcdonough-aia-leed-ap-a8650211/Website: https://www.gettys.com/ Shout Outs:0:42 Wilco9:58 University of Illinois10:07 Chicago Cubs10:08 Chicago White Sox10:46 Admirals Club10:45 San Francisco International Airport10:51 Joe DiMaggio17:54 Hotel of Tomorrow18:41 John Lasseter24:41 The Farnham in Omaha25:34 Curio27:25 Roger27:25 Andrew27:26 Ron34:34 Leveque Tower34:57 Empire State Building35:09 Roger Hill35:32 Hotel Verdant53:52 BDNY Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/Youtube : https://youtu.be/2pFTRNfHYaQ

Today’s guest is an entrepreneur and leader with a passion for change. He’s the host of the podcast “Scaling Culture” and the author of a couple of books - Outrageous Empowerment & Scaling Culture. Ron Lovett is the Founder and Chief Community Officer at VIDA. Ron joins the host Dan Ryan to share his hospitality journey and what it all means to him. Takeaways: When you are looking at building your business, you want to cut 10% of the company out and own 70% of that 10% that you saved for yourself. If you break down great customer service, it comes down to the ability to care for those around you and put yourself in their shoes.If you are adding new members to your team, consider trying to find out how they would react to something in the real world. This way you can see who they are as a person instead of just hiring someone because they smile and seem nice.You can’t teach empathy as a skill. It’s something that you are either born with or you won’t be able to learn the skill.Having core values as a company is incredibly important as they are your guiding light, but when it comes to interviews you don’t need to screen potential hires based on your core values. Instead you can screen for other factors.During difficult times, it’s important to look at the things that are going right and try to brighten your current viewpoint. When you design a new space, you want to create a sense of community and belonging for everyone that lives there.  Quote of the Show:10:41 “If you think what attribute drives excellent customer service,it's the ability to care for those around you to put yourself in someone else's shoes.” Links:Twitter: https://twitter.com/ronnielovett?lang=enLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ron-lovett/?originalSubdomain=caWebsite: https://www.vidaliving.comBook Link: shorturl.at/lnxPUPodcast: https://scalingculture.podbean.com/ Shout Outs:1:29 MIT4:12 Verne Harnish6:35 Uncommon Service by Frances Frei10:34 John DiJulius11:36 Danny Meyer11:41 Setting the Table by Danny Meyer12:11 Ashley Goodall12:15 Marcus Buckington14:17 Southwest Airlines30:46 Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee26:49 Jay-Z37:19 Nicole Kidman43:51 Jack Daily Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/YouTube : https://youtu.be/ybZSHeGc69I

Today’s guest is an interior designer with a focus on and passionate about hospitality design. Valentina Castellon is the Principal and National Hospitality Design Leader at DLR Group based in Minneapolis. She enjoys seeing a project work its way from birth to completion. Valentina was also a Boutique 18 Inductee in 2020. Valentina joins the host Dan Ryan to share her journey and thoughts about the hospitality industry in the built environment. Takeaways: Hospitality is all about opening up your home and yourself to provide a memorable experience for anyone who stays with you. The hospitality industry is not for everyone, as it requires long hours and a lot of attention to detail, but the people who stay are bit by the “hospitality bug” and want to bring great designs to other people's lives. Whenever you think about hotel design, it might look pretty but there is a deeper meaning to it. Not only is the design aspect important, but it needs to serve a functional purpose as wellWorking in a  collaborative process allows you to get voices from multiple different avenues. This can help point you in the right direction for a design or give you more data points for what works and what doesn’t.When working on designs for different companies or spaces, you don’t want to stay stagnant. You want your designs to be different and unique to the point that people will be asking who designed rather than it being the same design over and over again.When you have an influx of demand, you have to think about the three C’s for your company; Your capacity to do the project, if it’s a creative fit for your company and if you like working with the clients.Hospitality is a space that is meant to be shared and enjoyed by others. It allows you to reach people and their feelings all over the world and not just one particular area or group. Quote of the Show:1:15 “Hospitality for me is…this idea of really opening yourself up and catering to other people.”Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valentina-castellon-77a35650/Website: https://www.dlrgroup.com/Shout Outs:5:17 Staci Patton17:34 Dream Hotel Group17:40 Hyatt28:37 Bricklle, Miami Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/YouTube : https://youtu.be/ugLkgHQK2-M

Today’s guest is a master at hospitality design. She is a 2022 Platinum Circle Inductee, as well as designing projects with major hotel brands from Four Seasons, to Fairmont, Marriott,  Ritz Carltons,  Sonesta, Hilton, Hyatt, and InterContinental, as well as independent hoteliers. Miriam Torres-Smalankas is the Co-owner and co-founder at Parker-Torres Design Inc. She joins the host Dan Ryan to talk about her journey through the world of hospitality and what it all means to her.  Takeaways: Hospitality is the relationship between a guest and host. It’s the embodiment of caring and providing a welcoming environment where you share what you have with the guest. In all projects, there will be a lot of research that you need to do. The narrative or the story of the design space will drive the rest of the project and what it will look like. Hospitality design is the mother of all designs. The influence it has stretches from corporate, to healthcare, to education and all areas in between. The people who go into the hospitality world are very passionate about what they do, they don’t do it for the money but rather the love of creating something beautiful and memorable. When looking at expanding your team, consider hiring people that are better than you. You want them to motivate you to become better at what you do. When people start off in a new venture, they might think to themselves that they are a fraud or an imposter but you have to accept that you aren’t a fraud, but rather a strong and brave individual for taking a chance. Perseverance is an important trait to have in the hospitality industry. Others may tell you a design might not work but keep trying until you get it just right.  Quote of the Show:2:21 “hospitality is the relationship between a guest and a host.”Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/miriam-torres-smalanskas-1042581a8/Website: https://www.parkertorres.com/ Shout Outs:4:37 Ken Hurd4:49 Waldorf Astoria5:19 Ritz-Carlton6:43 Barbara Parker8:29 Graham International10:18 Hyatt10:21 Fairmont Copley10:25 Marriott Marquis10:57 Henry David Thoreau12:41 University of Massachusetts Amherst12:51 MIT14:43 Hilton23:12 Cornell30:54 Alan Benjamin41:41 Lean In by Sheryl Sandberg44:51 Larry Summers44:59 Barack Obama45:02 FacebookWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/Youtube : https://youtu.be/XYhAynf1VaQ

Today’s guest is a creative design sage. With more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry, today’s guest is truly an expert in this field. Andrew Alford is the  Founder/Owner/Designer/ Chief Creative officer/chef/cook and bottle washer of Andrew Alford Creative.  Andrew worked his way from answering phones at a high-end residential design firm to leading his own company where he gets to let his true creativity shine. Andrew joins the host Dan Ryan to talk about his journey through design and hospitality and what it all means to him. Takeaways: The real innovation in hospitality comes from the people who grew up with little to nothing to their name. People like that grow up wanting a luxurious environment and want to give that idea of luxury to everyone.Hotels should be an experience that helps lift away any suffering you have and transport you to a better state of mind. They are the backdrop to our most precious memories.The whole objective for design is not to make something look good or to be a background in a selfie. The actual point is that design should be something that makes you stop and appreciate the beauty around you and be a transformative experience in itself.A work life balance is something that is incredibly important and can help prevent you from feeling burnt out. You want to make sure that you aren’t working after your normal hours and set boundaries so that you can enjoy your work and not have it feel like a chore.When it comes to design, you want to make sure that you stand out and that you are unique. The same bland, beige and boring designs won’t get noticed. If you are going to stand out like a unicorn, stand out like a unicorn in every way.The word “interbeing” comes from a Buddaheist poet Thich Nhat Hanh. It describes the relationship between everything in the world and how it all works together in order to create the environment we see around us.Design has been so serious for many years, and it’s time that the seriousness needs to be stopped and new, creative ideas need to be implemented. Every design doesn't have to copy something else that is already out there.  Quote of the Show:15:37 “Design [is] not to make it pretty, it's not a selfie background. It's a transformative experience.”  Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewalfordcreative/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andrewalfordcreative/ Shout Outs:4:41 Kimpton Hotels5:22 IHG9:44 Ed Labrano13:25 Raptor roller coaster14:46 SpringHill Suites by Marriott26:25 Hospitality Design Summit28:00 Alec Baldwin41:58 American Utopia by David Byrne43:18 Thich Nhat Hanh45:14 Free Think46:58 Star Trek47:09 Reasons to be Cheerful50:00 Soho House50:20 Delano50:21 Philippe Stark50:32 Ace Hotels53:10 Modern Elder Academy53:12 Chip Conley1:02:38 The Hoffman Process Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/Youtube : https://youtu.be/UCzEZwSoRIU

Today’s guest is a recognized leader in domestic and international real estate, travel, lodging, and restaurant industries. He is a proven, articulate thought leader and has delivered exceptional results in the hospitality industry. Brian Quinn is the Chief Development Officer at Sonesta. Brian joins the host Dan Ryan to share what he had learned through his journey in the world of hospitality.Takeaways: In the hospitality industry, everyone works together to help achieve a goal. A great design can only come to life if someone is willing to put it in their building. If you are an owner or operator of a hotel or hospitality business, you will bring a different level of energy and care to a project. You will be more focused on the return on investment in that aspect. In 2012 the RMR Group acquired hospitality spaces, bringing a whole new level of finance and real estate expertise into the hospitality industry.During the COVID pandemic, there was a higher demand for extended stays and economy-style hotel stays as more people worked from home. The top three things that make Sonesta a good brand to join are the market availability, the access to an executive team, and the last piece is the owner lens. There are a few ways to underwrite a CapEx renovation; one is to think about what happens to your performance if you do nothing, and the other way is to check for any headroom in the market and see if you can perform better. Whether a recession comes or not, if unemployment remains low then people are going to spend their disposable income on dining, travel, and other hospitality experiences. Quote of the Show: “Whether we technically go into a recession or not, if unemployment stays low, people are going to spend their disposable income on dining out and traveling.” - Brian QuinnLinks: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-quinn-778b9018/Website: https://www.sonesta.com/careersShout Outs: 2:26 Holiday Inn 7:17 The RMR Group10:58 Marriott11:00 IHG Hotels12:00 John Murray12:04 Keith Pierce12:06 Wyndham12:09 Red Lion 13:58 Intercontinental13:59 Kimpton Hotels14:00 Crowne Plaza14:01 Candlewood14:02 Staybridge19:26 Hilton19:27 Statler20:47 Jeremy Selman23:50 The Benjamin23:53 The Shelbourne23:57 The Gardens24:07 The James33:04 Wells Fargo33:09 WachoviaWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/YouTube : https://youtu.be/dcPalDoHZPE

Today’s guest is a hospitality guru. He’s an innovative industry leader who is an architect by training as well as a raving fan of interior design. Oswaldo Barrios is the Senior Director of Design & Project Management Luxury Brands at Marriott International. After getting a degree in Architecture in Venezuela, he started from the bottom and worked his way to a very important role at Marriott. Oswaldo joins the host Dan Ryan to share more about his journey through hospitality and how he sees this industry through his eyes. Takeaways: When it comes to the hospitality industry, it’s ok to question why things are done in a certain way. This can lead to a new emergence of ideas or help to create a beautiful space. Hospitality is a combination of multiple different senses, ranging from how you feel about something and the experience that you are getting out of a space, to how the space feels and smells. It’s a very carefully done process to bring out the best in any space. Putting together a memorable space and experience is almost like being on a stage. You want to make sure that all the pieces are in the right spaces and that everyone is doing their part to make it run smoothly.There is a certain level of detail that goes into hospitality that overlaps with architecture as well. These two aspects can be combined to help create a memorable experience in a space that evokes an emotional response. It’s important for everybody to know their role in a design project and to protect that role because if you don’t then you can end up with a mishmash of ideas and the piece won’t be as creative or strong.The hardest part of any design project is getting the teams and donors to understand the non-public areas that you need to serve as a product. When it comes to working on a hotel, you develop a really strong relationship with everyone who was a part of the project. Quote of the Show:"Hospitality is a combination between what you feel and the experience that you get into the space." - Oswaldo Barrios Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/oswaldo-barrios-80407289/Website: https://www.marriott.com/default.miEdition Hotels: https://www.editionhotels.com/ Shout Outs:0:41 Ian Schrager0:52 Edition Hotels5:54 Grammercy Park Hotel22:04 Mies van der Rohe48:49 Arne Sorenson 51:22 StarwoodWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/YouTube : https://youtu.be/9iPo9CrVjPk

Today’s guest is a hospitality champion and an ingenious thought leader. He is a lifestyle hotel advisor and entrepreneur. Jeremy Selman is the Principal at Fishtown Collective and HN Capital Partners. Jeremy is breaking the mold of luxury for hospitality and wants to give each guest an experience that is unique to them and brings a smile to their face. Jeremy joins the host Dan Ryan to share his thoughts about the hospitality industry and what it means to him. Takeaways: In hospitality, you are touching upon all human needs. In a hotel, you are given the opportunity to provide a holistic experience to every guest in a way that dining can’t reach.The traditional standard of luxury was where the brand defined what luxury was and delivered that in a formulaic way. Jeremy is focusing on the ability to read a guest and understand what will make them smile. A hotelier is similar to a conductor or producer on a movie set in the sense that they manage the big-picture items going on. Hoteliers' taste often changes with age as well, so you shouldn’t base your designs on taste at the exact moment. Being a hotelier requires a high level of collaboration in order to make sure everything runs smoothly. If everyone isn’t on the same page or rowing in the same direction, then the end goal can’t be achieved. In the hospitality industry, you can’t be afraid to try new ideas. Not everything will work, but it’s worth pioneering and trying to see if there is a new way to uplift an old project or create a new idea from scratch. When going into a new market, you have to really believe that you can get people to buy into what you are presenting and reach the goal of having a beautiful space that all can enjoy. Jeremy is excited about the challenge of balancing technology and service in the hospitality industry.  Quote of the Show:“I think culture is something that needs to be openly spoken about and talk.” - Jeremy Selman Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeremy-selman-1900b68a/Website: https://hncapitalpartners.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jselmannyc/?hl=en Shout Outs:6:13 The Nomad6:22 The Line in DC and LA15:18 Hotel Per La15:23 Adam Sydenham 21:01 Danny Meyer29:30 Scott Rudin28:23 Daniel Del Olmo38:45 Vipin Nambiar43:48 Michael Eisner44:08 Gary Berman44:09 Berman Falk52:52 Amazon52:53 Jeff Bezos53:20 Mark ZuckerbergWays to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/YouTube: https://youtu.be/OfOIMtOULNw

Today’s guest is an expert in conducting the symphony of insanity of what it takes to open a hotel. He’s a hospitality leader in the Luxury, Full Service, Select Service, Branded, and Independent hotel spaces and is well-versed in the various needs and variables in all sectors. Scott Hammons is the President of Design and Construction of HEI. Scott joins the host Dan Ryan to share his journey through the hospitality industry and what it all means to him. Takeaways: The way the market is right now if a hotel is going to acquire that is because there is room to improve the hotel or reinvent it. This can happen when a branded hotel gets bought by another company or when it goes independent.First-party project management is a term that Scott has coined to describe his new company, Ground Floor Hospitality. It’s a subsidiary of HEI but he refers to it as “first-party project management” because he oversees the whole project rather than someone he is not affiliated with.The hospitality industry is such a dynamic industry. It evokes so many different emotions and uses all 5 senses in order to create an unforgettable experience.Being in an entrepreneurial environment allows for more flexibility for new operations and provides room for growth in process improvements.  Scott is excited about the diverse opportunities in the hospitality industry. There are many different aspects of hospitality that you can branch into and each project is its own experience. You want to find a space where when you go to work every day, it doesn’t feel like a typical work day or feel draining. You want to work in a place where you find yourself being passionate about what you do. If you are a mentor, you want to prepare your team leaders or other people in your company for a meeting they are about to walk into but still make them walk in the meeting. This will help them to prepare and feel more comfortable for what will happen during that time.  Quote of the Show:“There's no business like the hospitality business.” - Scott Hammons Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottkhammons/Website: https://www.heihotels.com/ Shout Outs:0:51 Aaron Anderson1:35 Josh Pearlman15:02 Mohawk Mountain House17:40 Kimpton17:47 Schrager19:35 Marriot29:19 Mark Wilson29:20 Yoko Ishihara33:05 Clark Henrati49:51 Christopher Nassetta51:42 Avengers Infinity War Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/YouTube: https://youtu.be/rnnG9aI3BY0

Today’s guest is a hospitality hero to many in the industry. She is highly skilled at architectural design and believes good design is good business. Kavitha Iyer is the Head Of Design Strategies for the Americas 14 out of the 17 global brands at InterContinental Hotels & Resorts. Kavitha joins the host Dan Ryan to share her journey through hospitality and what it all means to her.  Takeaways: Just because something has been done before doesn’t mean that it’s right. Different people can have different ideas and you can always improve upon something that has already been done. It’s important to make your designs feel like they enrich the lives of those who come into the space and also find a way to give back to the community that is hosting your space.When you are living in a community, you are not just a guest but you are a part of the community and you welcome others in as well. Hospitality is being generous with your time and sensibilities. Doing this will bring joy to those around you that you can notice in the little moments by their smile or by helping them discover something new. You want to make people feel like they are wanted. It’s more than just making them feel relevant, you have to make them feel like they are special as they walk through the door.In the Indian culture, there is a phrase “Atithi Devo Bhava” which means “Guest is God”. This speaks to hospitality is built into the Indian culture and something that all hotels and restaurants can take note of. You want to think about what you bring to the table in terms of design and how unique it is. The more unique your style is the more likely you are to find a place that will appreciate that. Quote of the Show:16:10  “I think that's what hospitality is, you are generous with your time and you're generous with your sensibilities.” Links:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kriyer1/Website: https://www.ihgplc.com/en/ Shout Outs:3:50 University of Madras22:17 Damon Lawrence30:17 Frank Lloyd Wright35:11 Plato’s Republic52:19 David Bowie Ways to Tune In: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0A2XOJvb6mGqEPYJ5bilPXApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/defining-hospitality-podcast/id1573596386Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZGVmaW5pbmdob3NwaXRhbGl0eS5saXZlL2ZlZWQueG1sAmazon Music: ​​https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/8c904932-90fa-41c3-813e-1cb8f3c42419Podbean: https://www.defininghospitality.live/YouTube : https://youtu.be/8mqzEwb0eJA